THE BILL ITSELF
SB 1718
Educator Preparation and Certification
Florida Senate - 2026 SB 1718 By Senator Calatayud 38-01409E-26 20261718__
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A bill to be entitled
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An act relating to educator preparation and
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certification; amending s. 1004.85, F.S.; authorizing
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an educator preparation institute to allow certain
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program participants to enroll in introductory
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coursework; amending s. 1012.56, F.S.; revising the
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criteria for the award of a temporary educator
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certification to include certain persons with expired
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professional certificates; amending s. 1012.585, F.S.;
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requiring that subject area coverages and endorsements
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for a certificateholder be reinstated with the
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certificateholder’s professional certificate; revising
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requirements for reinstatement of a professional
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certificate; providing that certain requirements for
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reinstatement of a professional certificate may not be
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satisfied using specific inservice points; amending s.
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1012.981, F.S.; requiring the Florida Center for
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Teaching Excellence to collaborate with the David C.
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Anchin Center for the Advancement of Teaching for
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specified purposes; requiring, rather than
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authorizing, the center to submit a specified
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professional learning system for approval by the
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department; requiring the center to allow certain
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certified educators to use such professional learning
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system for specified purposes at no cost to the
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educator; requiring the center to submit inservice
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points for such educators to the department; requiring
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the center to provide information on certain school
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district professional learning systems to certain
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certified educators; providing an effective date.
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subsection (3) of section
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1004.85, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
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1004.85 Postsecondary educator preparation institutes.—
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(3) Educator preparation institutes approved pursuant to
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this section may offer competency-based certification programs
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specifically designed for noneducation major baccalaureate
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degree holders to enable program participants to meet the
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educator certification requirements of s. 1012.56. An educator
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preparation institute choosing to offer a competency-based
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certification program pursuant to the provisions of this section
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must implement a program developed by the institute and approved
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by the department for this purpose. Approved programs shall be
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available for use by other approved educator preparation
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institutes.
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(b) Each program participant must:
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1. Meet certification requirements pursuant to s.
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1012.56(1) by obtaining an eligible a statement of status of
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eligibility in the certification subject area of the educational
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plan and meet the requirements of s. 1012.56(2)(a)-(f) before
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participating in field experiences. An educator preparation
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institute may allow a program participant to enroll in and
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complete coursework while the participant is working to obtain
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an eligible statement of status of eligibility in the
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certification subject area of the educational plan.
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2. Demonstrate competency and participate in field
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experiences that are appropriate to his or her educational plan
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prepared under paragraph (a). Beginning with candidates entering
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an educator preparation institute in the 2022-2023 school year,
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a candidate for certification in a coverage area identified
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pursuant to s. 1012.585(3)(f) must successfully complete all
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competencies for a reading endorsement, including completion of
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the endorsement practicum through the candidate’s field
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experience, in order to graduate from the program.
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3. Before completion of the program, fully demonstrate his
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or her ability to teach the subject area for which he or she is
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seeking certification by documenting a positive impact on
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student learning growth in a prekindergarten through grade 12
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setting and, except as provided in s. 1012.56(7)(a)3., achieving
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a passing score on the professional education competency
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examination, the basic skills examination, and the subject area
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examination for the subject area certification which is required
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by state board rule.
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Section 2. Paragraph (b) of subsection (7) of section
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1012.56, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
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1012.56 Educator certification requirements.—
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(7) TYPES AND TERMS OF CERTIFICATION.—
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(b) The department shall issue a temporary certificate to
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any applicant who:
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1. Completes the requirements outlined in paragraphs
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(2)(a)-(f) and completes the subject area content requirements
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specified in state board rule or demonstrates mastery of subject
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area knowledge pursuant to subsection (5) and holds an
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accredited degree or a degree approved by the Department of
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Education at the level required for the subject area
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specialization in state board rule;
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2. For a subject area specialization for which the state
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board otherwise requires a bachelor’s degree, documents 48
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months of active-duty military service with an honorable
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discharge or a medical separation; completes the requirements
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outlined in paragraphs (2)(a), (b), and (d)-(f); completes the
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subject area content requirements specified in state board rule
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or demonstrates mastery of subject area knowledge pursuant to
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subsection (5); and documents completion of 60 college credits
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with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0
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scale, as provided by one or more accredited institutions of
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higher learning or a nonaccredited institution of higher
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learning identified by the Department of Education as having a
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quality program resulting in a bachelor’s degree or higher; or
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3. Is enrolled in a state-approved teacher preparation
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program under s. 1004.04; is actively completing the required
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program field experience or internship at a public school;
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completes the requirements outlined in paragraphs (2)(a), (b),
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and (d)-(f); completes the subject area content requirements
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specified in state board rule or demonstrates mastery of subject
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area knowledge pursuant to subsection (5); and documents
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completion of 60 college credits with a minimum cumulative grade
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point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale, as provided by one or more
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accredited institutions of higher learning or a nonaccredited
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institution of higher learning identified by the Department of
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Education as having a quality program resulting in a bachelor’s
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degree or higher ; or
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4. Completes the requirements in paragraphs (2)(a)-(f) and
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whose previously issued professional certificate has expired .
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At least 1 year before an individual’s temporary certificate is
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set to expire, the department shall electronically notify the
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individual of the date on which his or her certificate will
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expire and provide a list of each method by which the
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qualifications for a professional certificate can be completed.
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Section 3. Subsection (5) of section 1012.585, Florida
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Statutes, is amended to read:
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1012.585 Process for renewal or reinstatement of
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professional certificates.—
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(5) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to allow
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the reinstatement of expired professional certificates ,
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including each subject area coverage and endorsement held by the
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certificateholder at the time of the certificate’s expiration .
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The department may reinstate an expired professional certificate
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if the certificateholder:
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(a) Submits an application for reinstatement of the expired
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certificate.
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(b) Completes the requirements in s. 1012.56(2)(a)-(f).
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(c) (b) Documents completion of 6 college credits during the
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5 years immediately preceding reinstatement of the expired
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certificate, completion of 120 inservice points, or a
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combination thereof, in an area specified in paragraph (3)(a) to
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include the credit required under paragraph (3)(e).
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(c) During the 5 years immediately preceding reinstatement
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of the certificate, achieves a passing score on the Florida
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developed subject area examination or, if a Florida subject area
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examination has not been developed, a standardized examination
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specified in state board rule for each subject to be shown on
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the reinstated certificate.
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The requirements of this subsection may not be satisfied by
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subject area examinations or college credits or inservice points
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completed for issuance of the certificate that has expired.
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Section 4. Subsections (2) and (3) of section 1012.981,
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Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
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1012.981 The Florida Center for Teaching Excellence.—
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(2) The center shall, in collaboration with the David C.
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Anchin Center for the Advancement of Innovative Teaching within
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and Learning at the University of South Florida, do all of the
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following:
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(a) Develop and deliver evidence-based professional
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learning opportunities aligned to the Florida Educator
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Accomplished Practices.
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(b) Develop and deliver educator training programs pursuant
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to s. 1012.98 that integrate high-quality instructional
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materials included on the state-adopted instructional materials
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list under s. 1006.28, materials evaluated and identified
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pursuant to s. 1001.215(4), and materials developed by or under
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the direction of the department as provided in s. 1006.39. These
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programs must focus on the effective use of knowledge-based
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curricula, highlighting when and how to incorporate intervention
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materials, and emphasize the importance of background knowledge
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in building advanced reading comprehension grounded in the
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science of reading and critical thinking skills.
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(c) Develop and design models of high-quality clinical
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experiences for aspiring teachers. These model experiences shall
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serve as a standard that institutions approved pursuant to ss.
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1004.04 and 1004.85 can adopt or adapt, enabling participants to
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demonstrate mastery of instructional techniques, classroom
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management strategies, and the application of high-impact
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teaching strategies in authentic educational settings.
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(d) Collaborate with school districts and other educational
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stakeholders to identify emerging needs in teacher preparation
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and align center programs accordingly, conducting gap analyses
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to provide comprehensive coverage of the science of learning,
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high-impact teaching strategies, and knowledge-rich curriculum
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implementation.
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(e) Establish a statewide network of teachers and
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instructional leaders equipped with the knowledge and skills to
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mentor and support aspiring and current educators participating
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in the center’s programs. This network shall model effective
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pedagogical practices and facilitate professional growth.
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(f) Conduct research and disseminate findings on high
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impact teaching practices and the implementation of knowledge
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based curricula to inform policy, improve classroom instruction,
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and address the importance of background knowledge in student
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achievement.
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(g) Report to the department the completion of professional
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learning by individuals who are not employed by entities with an
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approved professional learning system.
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(3) The center :
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(a) Must may submit a professional learning system for
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approval pursuant to s. 1012.98.
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(b) Shall allow a certified educator seeking to renew or
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reinstate his or her certificate to use the system at no cost
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and submit any inservice points earned by the educator through
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the system to the department on the educator’s behalf.
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(c) Shall provide a certified educator seeking to renew or
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reinstate a certificate with information on school district
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professional learning systems that provide access to inservice
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training to persons not employed by the school district.
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Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.