Florida Educator Certification

Florida offers several traditional and alternative pathways that lead to Florida Educator Certification. Some are direct pathways to the Professional Certificate. For others, the individual first teaches under a Temporary Certificate and then moves on to the Professional Certificate.

To apply:

• Create an account with the FLDOE.
• Submit application for Educator Certification.
• Payment of $75 per certification subject.
• Upload a copy of your out of state certificate (If applicable).
• Submit all necessary documents including all your official college transcripts or original credential evaluation to the BEC to the address below:

Bureau of Educator Certification (BEC)
Room 201, Turlington Building
325 West Gaines Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0400

Learn more about Certificate Pathways & Routes

Learn more about the Application Process

Florida Teacher Certification Examinations (FTCE)

The FTCE is administered to educators pursuing initial certification in the K-12 system. Educator applicants may take one or more of the 39 subject area examinations and the general knowledge exam and professional education exam. All Florida exams are administered under the FTCE or the FELE programs and are required by Florida law.

For information on certification exams, or to register for an exam, please visit: www.fl.nesinc.com

Florida Educational Leadership Examination (FELE)
The FELE is administered to educators pursuing initial certification as educational administrators in the K-12 system.

Study Resources

• FTCE – Free – Select your exam and then select the resources link towards the bottom of the page.
• The Learning Liaisons
• Exam Edge
• Mometrix eLibrary – Log in with your St. Lucie County Library card number.

For additional professional development opportunities:

• Professional Development Opportunities through Talent Development – St Lucie Public Schools

Important – Please do not create a new FLDOE account if you have previously applied.  This could delay the processing of the application by up to two months. Contact the St. Lucie Public Schools (SLPS) Certification Team for login assistance. Book session here!

⁺Professional Certificate Holder Instructions:

1. 1. Apply for your addition with the FLDOE (Ensure your district affiliation is St. Lucie #56).*
   2. Select application titled “District Add Subject/Endorsement”.
   3. Pay the processing fee via the district payment system RevTrak.

⁺Temporary Certificate Holder Instructions:

1. 1. Apply for your addition with the FLDOE  (Ensure your district affiliation is St. Lucie #56).*

• • • If the addition is through in-service, pay the processing fee via the district payment system RevTrak, select application titled “District Add Endorsement”.
    • If adding as a result of a subject area exam or college credits, you will pay the processing fee to FLDOE and select the application titled “Addition of Subject/Endorsement to Temporary Certificate”.

⁺Subjects that cannot be Processed by the District

The following subject areas require the application titled “Addition to Temporary/Professional Certificate” and payment to the FLDOE:

• • Educators who hold a temporary or professional certificate in Exceptional Student Education K–12 and apply to add a subject coverage in Elementary Education K–6.
  • Educators who hold a temporary or professional certificate in Elementary Education K–6 and apply to add a subject coverage in Exceptional Student Education K–12.

⁺When adding an addition to your teaching certificate, please inform the St. Lucie Public Schools (SLPS) Certification Team.

*The FLDOE VERSA system does not accept all email providers. Providers with known issues are @ATT.net and @Bellsouth.net.

Once you have completed all requirements listed on your Statement of Eligibility (SOE), you can submit the ‘Upgrade to Professional Certificate’ application with the FLDOE to move from a Temporary Certificate to a Professional Certificate.

Steps to Upgrade to a Professional Certificate

1. 1. Submit official transcripts of completed college coursework to the FLDOE.
   2. Apply for your upgrade with the FLDOE (Ensure your district affiliation is St. Lucie #56).
   3. Complete the application titled “Upgrade to Professional Certificate”. Include ALL certification AREAS and ENDORSEMENTS on the application that you wish to have listed on the Professional Certificate.
   4. Add any *new* subjects or endorsements that you are requesting to ADD to your certificate.

The application fee is $75. If you are adding any additional areas or endorsement, you will be asked to pay an additional $75 for each *new* area or endorsement.

Book a session with us to discuss any waiver opportunities and create a roadmap for completing your upgrade requirements. Book session here!

An example of a roadmap to complete upgrade requirements Upgrade Roadmap.

Blank Fillable Roadmap Template

Important – Please do not create a new FLDOE account if you have previously applied.  This could delay the processing of the application by up to two months. Contact the St. Lucie Public Schools (SLPS) Certification Team for login assistance. Book session here!  *

Active Employees and Local Charter Schools

1. 1. Earn 120 in-service points per rule 6A-4.0051.⁺
   2. Submit renewal application via the FLDOE (Update district affiliation to #56-St. Lucie).
   3. Submit renewal payment via the district’s online payment system RevTrak.

Former Retired Employees

1. 1. Earn 120 in-service points per rule 6A-4.0051.⁺
   2. Submit your renewal application with the FLDOE (Update district affiliation to #100-FLDOE).
   3. Pay the renewal fee to FLDOE.
   4. If you have current or banked in-service points earned with SLPS, contact the St. Lucie Public Schools (SLPS) Certification Team to submit a CT-116 form to the FLDOE.

Reading Training – NEW 40 hours for renewals 2025 and after:

Applicants who are renewing their certificates in the coverage areas below must take two credit hours (or 40 hours of in-service points) in the use of explicit, systematic, and sequential approaches to reading instruction, developing phonemic awareness, and implementing multisensory intervention (6A-4.0051):

Educational Leadership or School Principal – NEW renewal requirement for renewals 2025 and after:

For those who hold educational leadership or school principal, this rule amendment requires educators to earn a minimum of 1 college credit or 20 in-service points in Florida’s educational leadership standards to renew their certificate, beginning with certificates that have an expiration date of June 30, 2025, or after (6A-4.0051).

⁺Methods of renewal:

• In-service points: 1 hour = 1 in-service point
• College classes: 1 semester hour = 20 in-service points
• Subject area exam: 1 passing score = 60 in-service points
• Teach a college class: 1 semester hour = 20 in-service points
• Valid certificate from National Board for Professional Teaching Standards will renew the FLDOE certificate in the subject shown on the national certificate.

* The FLDOE VERSA system does not accept all email providers. Providers with known issues are @ATT.net and @Bellsouth.net.

Teachers are identified as out-of-field when assigned a course or student population (e.g., ESOL, Gifted, or ESE) for which they do not hold appropriate certification, as identified in the Florida Department of Education Course Code Directory.

Once an educator has been identified as teaching out-of-field, they will be required to complete either in-service, college coursework, or the subject area exam (if applicable) in the out-of-field area as indicated on the initial notification. To be eligible for reappointment for the upcoming school year, compliance must be met before April 1 of the current school year.

Note: Florida State Board Regulation Rule 6A-1.0503 requires that instructional staff maintain certification appropriate to their position. Failure to comply with state requirements may impact continued employment with St. Lucie Public Schools.

English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)

To meet compliance, the first course must be completed within the first two (2) years of the initial out-of-field notification and at least one (1) course each year after following the FLDOE requirements 6A-4.0244 (fldoe.org). After completing all five (5) courses, the ESOL endorsement must be added to the educator’s certificate.

Gifted

To meet compliance, must complete six (6) semester hours of college credit or 120 in-service points of equivalent coursework in gifted each school year following the FLDOE requirements 6A-4.01791 (fldoe.org). After completing all five (5) courses, the gifted endorsement must be added to the educator’s certificate.

Reading

To meet compliance, must complete six (6) semester hours of college credit or 120 in-service points of equivalent coursework in reading each school year following the FLDOE requirements 6A-4.0292 (fldoe.org). After completing all five (5) courses, the reading endorsement must be added to the educator’s certificate.

All other Out-Of-Field areas

To meet compliance, the educator must pass the appropriate subject area exam and apply with the FLDOE for the addition before April 1 in the school year of the initial out-of-field notification. Please visit www.fl.nesinc.com for information on certification exams, or to register.

For more information on teaching out-of-field, see Florida State Board of Education Regulation 6A-1.0503.

Contact the St. Lucie Public Schools (SLPS) Certification Team for out-of-field assistance. Book session here!

Are you an SLPS student? Learn more about our Promise is a Promise program

High School Graduates Considering Teaching

Non-certified coaches must obtain an athletic coaching certificate from the Florida Department of Education. In addition, individuals who are not employees of St. Lucie Public Schools (SLPS) must complete an employment application, be approved by the School Board as an athletic coach and meet Level 2 fingerprinting requirements. Coaching applicants must reapply with SLPS via an employment application each school year.

Applying for the initial 3-year nonrenewable Athletic Coaching Certificate:

• • Submit the coaching application via the FLDOE website.
  • Submit $75 payment to the FLDOE.
  • A certification in CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation), first aid and the use of an AED (Automatic External Defibrillator) issued by an entity approved by the Florida Department of Health.

Upgrading to the 5-Year Athletic Coaching Certificate:

• • Nine (9) semester hours in athletic coaching which must include the areas specified Complete coursework requirements for the athletic coaching endorsement. The courses can be completed by Human Kinetics Coaching Courses – Human Kinetics Coach Education.
    • Three (3) semester hours in care and prevention of athletic injures and the dangers of drug use including performance enhancing drugs.
    • Three (3) semester hours in coaching theory.
    • Three (3) semester of one course in theory and practice of coaching a specific sport.
  • A certification in CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), first aid and the use of an AED (Automatic External Defibrillator) issued by an entity approved by the Florida Department of Health.
  • Submit an application for a 5-year certificate via the FLDOE website.
  • Submit $75 payment to the FLDOE.
  • Verification of the completion of the above-mentioned courses: official transcripts, certificate copies, etc.

The 5-year Athletic Coaching certificate must be renewed every five years by submitting an application and fee.  However, if the course requirements have changed since the last certificate was issued, the applicant must complete the new requirements to be eligible for another 5-year certificate.

Beginning July 1, 2022, a program was developed for veterans and service members to receive a five-year temporary education certificate while they finish their bachelor’s degree, provided they meet certain criteria. This will allow the veteran to earn a bachelor’s degree and complete the requirements to upgrade to a professional certificate.

More Information on the Military 5-year Temporary Certificate

Veterans and service members are eligible for a five-year temporary education certificate while they finish their bachelor’s degree, provided they meet certain criteria. This certificate allows the veteran to earn a bachelor’s degree and complete the requirements to upgrade to a professional certificate.

The FLDOE provides the opportunity to request waivers of initial certification fees and certification examination fees for active-duty military personnel, honorably discharged veterans, their spouses, and surviving spouses.

Information / Apply for the Military Certification Fees Waiver

Initial Certifications of Career and Technical Education (CTE) Vocational Teacher

Applicants for a full time non-degreed Career and Technical Education position must meet eligibility requirements for a District issued certificate. Occupational experience and credentials or licensure must be appropriate for the subject area and position applied for. The specific occupational subjects are listed in the State Curriculum Frameworks Career & Technical Education (fldoe.org). Applicants who have applied to an online vacancy posting and are being considered for further review will be directed by the school administrator to submit an application for a District non-degreed certificate along with the required documentation of occupational experience, licensure, industry credential, official transcripts of training completed, and fee.

Steps for non-degreed teachers of career programs:

1. 1. Documentation of education and occupational experience including:

a. A high school diploma or the equivalent.

b. Completion of 3 years of full-time successful occupational experience or the equivalent of part-time experience in the teaching specialization area.

Apply for a Vocational Opportunity