ESE Recertification Requirement: Opportunities and challenges

1. ESE Recertification Requirement:Opportunities and challenges February 27, 2014

2. Thank you for joining us • This webinar will be recorded. • Your audio is automatically muted. • You may submit questions by typing in the “question box” on the lower right portion of your screen. • At the end of the presentation you may ask a question by “raising your hand” or typing your question into the “question box”. If the “hand” icon is available it will be located in the upper right portion of your screen – you may click on it to “raise your hand” if you wish to ask a question. The webinar facilitator will un-mute your audio and call on you for your question. • If you experience any technical difficulty during the webinar, please use the chat or question area for assistance. • The recording will begin with the next slide.

3. Welcome!

4. 2013 Passage of SB 1108 • The new recertification requirement became part of statute with the passage of SB 1108 during the 2013 Legislative Session.  • The bill requires that all teachers recertifying after July 1, 2014 must complete one college credit or 20 inservice points in ESE.  

5. SB 1108 • 1012.585 Process for renewal of professional certificates.— • (3) For the renewal of a professional certificate, the following requirements must be met: • (e) Beginning July 1, 2014, an applicant for renewal of a professional certificate must earn a minimum of 1 college credit or the equivalent inservice points in the area of instruction for teaching students with disabilities. The requirement in this paragraph may not add to the total hours required by the department for continuing education or inservice training. • (6) The State Board of Education may adopt rules under ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement this section, including, but not limited to, applicant renewal requirements.

6. January:State Board passed amended Rule • Rule 6A-4.0051, FAC. • Update language to simplify and clarify the general requirement for use of college credits, inservice training, and subject area tests for renewal. • Insert the requirement to earn one college credit in the instruction of students with disabilities for applicants for certificate renewal on or after July 1, 2014. • Insert the requirement to earn one college credit in the instruction of students with disabilities for applicants for reinstatement of an expired professional certificate on or after July 1, 2014.

7. Rule 6A-4.0051, FAC. • (3) General requirements. • (a) All requirements necessary for the renewal of a certificate shall be completed during the last validity period of the certificate to be renewed and prior to the expiration date of the certificate. College credits, inservice training and subject area tests used to satisfy requirements for issuance of the initial professional certificate shall not be used for renewal of the professional certificate. Requirements for the first renewal shall be completed subsequent to the date that the application for the certificate was received in the Bureau of Educator Certification, Florida Department of Education, or subsequent to the beginning validity date shown on the certificate, or subsequent to the date eligibility was established for the first professional certificate, whichever is later.

8. Rule 6A-4.0051, FAC. • (6) Special provisions for training in the instruction of students with disabilities. • (a) As a component of the credit requirements specified under paragraph (1)(a) of this rule, an educator whose application for renewal is received on or after July 1, 2014, must have earned at least one (1) college credit, twenty (20) inservice points, or a combination thereof, in the instruction of students with disabilities during the last validity period of the certificate to be renewed and prior to the expiration date of the certificate. • (b) As specified in paragraph (1)(b) of this rule, a passing score earned on a subject area test during the validity period of the professional certificate to be renewed on the Exceptional Student Education (Grades K-12), Hearing Impaired (Grades K-12), Visually Impaired (Grades K-12), or Speech-Language Impaired (Grades K-12) subject area exam may be used to satisfy the requirement for credit in the instruction of students with disabilities when certification coverage for the instruction of students with disabilities is shown on the professional certificate.

9. Rule 6A-4.0051, FAC. • (c) An educator may earn acceptable credit for training in any certification subject area related to the instruction of students with disabilities, including, but not limited to, hearing impaired, speech-language impaired, and visually impaired, to satisfy the requirement for credit in the instruction of student with disabilities. Acceptable credit in the instruction of students with disabilities may be applied to retain any specialization area on the professional certificate to be renewed. • (d) In accordance with paragraph (1)(c) of this rule, national board certification in an Exceptional Needs Specialist subject area satisfies the requirement for the instruction of students with disabilities. • (7)(e) An educator whose application for reinstatement is received on or after July 1, 2014, must have earned at least one (1) college credit or the equivalent inservice points in the instruction of students with disabilities during the five (5) years immediately preceding reinstatement of the expired certificate.

10. DOE Questions and Answers • Will this renewal requirement apply to professional certificates expiring on June 30, 2014? •   This requirement depends on when the application is submitted for renewal of the professional certificate. The credit in teaching students with disabilities will not be required for educators who submit applications to renew their professional certificates prior to July 1, 2014. However, an applicant whose certificate expires on June 30, 2014, who submits application for late renewal on or after July 1, 2014, will be expected to have satisfied the requirement for credit in teaching students with disabilities. • How many credits or inservice points in teaching students with disabilities are required? •   The legislation requires one (1) semester hour of college credit which is equivalent to twenty (20) inservice points. • Is this a one-time renewal requirement or will this credit be required for every future professional certificate renewal cycle? •   The legislative intent and department interpretation assumes that this requirement will be in effect for every future professional certificate renewal cycle.

11. DOE Technical assistance paper • The DOE has indicated they would be submitting a technical assistance paper (TAP) as guidance for districts as to what courses will qualify for the requirement. They anticipated the TAP would be approved by the end of this month. • This slide is a place holder – just in case this REALLY happens as they had hoped!

12. Challenges And Opportunities • DOE has estimated that about 65,000 teachers will be impacted by the new requirement in the coming year . • One size does not fit all --- Each district appears to have differing strategies to ensure teachers are able to meet the requirement. Will your district allow flexibility of early renewals? • What options will our members have to meet the requirement? • What will be available to those teachers whose validity period ends June 30,2014 but the miss the deadline? • What can our unions do to help our members ? • How can we turn this challenge into and organizing opportunity?

13. Early Renewal? • This was sent to by one local to its members: • Here is what we DO know: • 1.  If your certificate is renewed prior to 6/30/14, you do not have to fulfill the ESE requirement. • 2. One way or another, the DOE will continue to work on the rules to implement SB 1108. • 3. At least two Cteacherswith 2015 expiration dates renewed their certificates over the recent winter break and already received new certificates valid through 2020. • 4.  Regardless of the expiration date of your certificate, there is no downside in applying prior to 6/30/14 (the worst thing that could happen is that you are told you must wait). • Allowing this early recertification may be a loophole that the DOE will eventually close, but they are allowing it now. If you have the points and the cash to apply for recertification, regardless of your expiration date, we recommend you do it TODAY!

14. FEA working with AFT and NEA • Available Coursework • ER&D: ACCESSIBLE LITERACY FRAMEWORK – 60 In-service Points • How does one provide reading instruction to students with developmental or intellectual disabilities such as autism, cerebral palsy or Down syndrome? The course is grounded in the premise that reading is at the center of most activities—in and out of school. • ALF is designed specifically for educators and school staff who are responsible for providing and/or adapting materials for students with disabilities who have complex communication needs, use assistive technology to access curriculum, or require adaptive materials to participate in a learning environment. Participants will learn specific strategies to reach this academically underserved and challenging student population within an accessible curriculum framework.

15. ACCESSIBLE LITERACY FRAMEWORK – Next steps • Adapt the course from 60 inservice points to 20 inservice points • Identify district(s) to approve and submit the course to DOE for approval and numbering • Identify and Train the Trainers • Target launch date: mid-June 2014 • Identify other potential course work and opportunities

16. Local Successes?What are you hearing from your districts?What are you hearing From your members?

17. Closing remarks • FEA Chief of Staff Marty Schaap • Questions? Comments? • Please email: • Blanca.Sotelo@floridaea.org • Sharon.Nesvig@floridaea.org • Pam.Burtnett@floridaea.org