Renewing Your Professional Certificate

1. Renewing Your Professional Certificate Leon County Schools Staff Development Office 2757 West Pensacola Street Tallahassee, Florida 32304 850-487-7206

2. Recertification is for individuals who already possess a 5-year professional certificate. • A professional certificate is valid for a period of 5 years (July 1- June 30). • If you are employed by a public school in Leon County, our personnel office will send an application to you (via school mail) in the fall of your renewal year. • If you are employed by a private school, or if you are not currently employed as an educator, apply for renewal online or request Application Form CG-10R and submit the completed application to the Bureau of Educator Certification. • If you are no longer employed with Leon County Schools, but earned inservice during your current validity period, contact our office to request completion of the CT-116 form.

3. What are the renewal requirements? • Six (6) semester hours of college credit or equivalent must be earned during each renewal period to renew your certificate.

4. If I take a college class, what are the grade requirements? • A grade of at least “C” must be earned in each college course used for renewal. • A grade of “pass” or “satisfactory” is an acceptable grade.

5. Where may I earn college credit? • College level credits used for certificate renewal must be completed at an accredited or approved institution. Florida residents may view a list of our state's accredited colleges and universities and accredited community colleges. • An official transcript must be attached to your renewal application. • If you take a class that is worth less than or more than 3 hours, please submit an official transcript to Staff Development. We’ll convert the class to inservice credit. ( Examples: GEMS – 1 hour of credit is converted to 20 inservice points; Holocaust -4 hours is converted to 80- inservice points.)

6. What options do I have to earn College Credit Equivalency?

7. Inservice credit is one option! • Sixty (60) inservice points in an approved Florida master inservice program are equivalent to three (3) semester hours of college credit. Remember if you plan to use inservice credit only, you’ll need to earn 120 points. • Directions for accessing your inservice history are available athttp://www.tec.leon.k12.fl.us

8. Teaching a college class is another option. • Teaching a college level course at an acceptable institution may be accepted the same as credit earned for that course. (Remedial or non-credit earning classes will not be accepted by DOE. ) • No matter how many times you teach the class, you may only use the class once during a validity period. • If you teach two different 3 semester hour classes, you may use both of them. • A letter from the dean (on school stationary) must be attached to the application. • The letter must include: • The name(s) and course code(s) of the class you taught; • The dates you taught the class(es); and • The credit hours for that class(es).

9. Taking your subject area exam is an option, too. • A passing numerical score on the Florida subject area test specific to the coverage shown on your certificate. Please attach the score report to your application. For information on testing dates and locations, or to register for a test, click here: http://www.fl.nesinc.com . • Passing the subject area exam satisfies only half of the renewal requirements. • You’ll still need to earn 3 college credit hours or 60 inservice hours. • If you have more than one area, you may take that Subject Area Exam, as well.

10. NBCT Certification may also be used. • A valid certificate issued by the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards will renew the Florida certificate only in the subject(s) shown on the national certificate. • If you have coverage areas that are not covered by your NBCT certificate, college credit or inservice credit must to earned to retain those coverage areas. • You must still apply for renewal and pay the appropriate fee. Please attach a copy of your NBCT certificate to your completed application.

11. How may I combine the equivalency options to meet the renewal requirements?

12. Examples of Combination Options: • 60 inservice points + a 3- semester hour college course • 60 inservice points + a subject area test in a certification area shown on the certificate • 2 subject area tests in the two subject areas to be renewed (if two or more subjects are on the certificate) • 60 points + credit for teaching a 3- semester hour college course • Teaching two different 3- semester hour courses

13. When do I need to earn the credit? • Renewal requirements must be completed during the last validity period of the Professional Certificate and prior to expiration of the Professional Certificate. • It is the responsibility of each applicant to obtain current information regarding renewal requirements from the employing school district, nonpublic school, or Bureau of Educator Certification.

14. Which topics are appropriate for renewing my professional certificate? • Content specific to the subject area(s) • Methods or education strategies specific to the subject area(s) • Methods of teaching reading and literacy skills acquisition • Computer literacy, computer applications, and computer education • Exceptional student education • ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) • Drug abuse, child abuse and neglect, or student dropout prevention

15. Training related to the goals of the Florida K-20 System, such as: • Content - English, economics, mathematics, science, social sciences, foreign languages, humanities, global economy, technology, ecology, first aid, health, or safety • Classroom Strategies - Cooperative learning, problem-solving skills, critical-thinking skills, classroom management, child development, collaboration techniques for working with families, social services, child guidance and counseling, teaching reading, or educational assessments, etc. • School Administration Accountability - Instructional design, leadership skills, school and community relations, school finance, school facilities, school law, or school organization • Vocational and Adult Education Accountability - Adult learning, principles of adult or vocational education, vocational education for students with special needs, or vocational guidance

16. Retaining Subject Coverage • Retaining One Subject CoverageAt least three (3) semester hours or equivalent must meet the criteria in the section entitled “Appropriate Categories for Renewal.” • Retaining Two Subject CoveragesAll six (6) semester hours or equivalent must meet the criteria in the section entitled “Appropriate Categories for Renewal” to retain each subject.

17. Retaining More than Two Subject CoveragesYou may use two consecutive validity periods to renew all coverages as follows: • First Renewal PeriodAt least three (3) semester hours or equivalent must meet the criteria in the section entitled “Appropriate Categories for Renewal” in at least one subject area on your certificate. This will retain all subjects for the next validity period. • Second Renewal PeriodThree (3) semester hours or equivalent must be earned for each additional subject you want to retain on your certificate. The credit must meet the criteria in the section entitled “Appropriate Categories for Renewal.” A minimum of six (6) semester hours or equivalent is required to renew the certificate. If you have more than four subjects you want to retain, you must complete more than six (6) semester hours or equivalent during the second validity period

18. Example of renewing 3 or 4 subject coverages • Subject Coverages: • Renewed Renewed 2002-2007 2007-2012 • Math X • Music X • Elementary Ed X • Science X Subject areas not renewed during the first renewal are “carried over” and must be renewed during the second validity period.

19. Please note! A subject which has not been renewed during two successive validity periods will be deleted from the certificate by DOE.

20. When May I Apply for Renewal? • The application form and appropriate fee must be submitted during thelast year of the validity period of the certificate and prior to the expiration of the Professional Certificate. • However, the renewal application may be submitted after expiration of the Professional Certificate if the following criteria are met: • Appropriate renewal requirements are completed prior to expiration of the Professional Certificate, and • Renewal application form, application fee, and $30.00 late fee are submitted to the Bureau of Educator Certification prior to July 1 of the year following expiration of the certificate.

21. Wheredo I send the completed application? • If you are renewing with college credit only, send the completed application and a check made payable to LCS for $56.00 ($75 after December 31, 2007) to Leon County Schools’ Personnel Office. Be sure to attach an official transcript to the application. • If you are renewing with inservice credit only or a combination of inservice credit and college credit, send the completed application and a check made payable to LCS for $56 ($75 after December 31, 2007) to the Staff Development Office. If you are using college credit, attach an official transcript to the application.

22. If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact us at 487-7206.