Teaching “out of field” is defined as teaching a course/student requiring certification in a coverage which does not appear on your Florida Educator’s Certificate. In Duval County Public Schools (DCPS), it is often referred to as “being flagged for out-of-field.”
Teachers are identified as out of field based upon their teaching assignment and student enrollment, as required in the Florida Department of Education Course Code Directory. The FLDOE Course Code Directory can be located at Florida Department of Education.
If you have been identified as teaching out of field, you are mandated to complete in-service, college coursework, or the subject area exam (if applicable) in the out of field area, prior to the end of the school year in which you were placed out of field.
Appropriate credit must be completed after the first day of your out-of-field assignment in the current school year.
No credit used for a previous school year’s out-of-field designation can be used again for a different school year’s designation.
You must continue to complete out of field training each additional school year you are out of field until you have added the out of field subject to your Florida Educator Certificate.
Out of Field for a Subject Area
If you are identified as out of field for a subject area you have the following options:
Complete six (6) semester hours of college credit in each subject area in which you are out of field.
Pass the subject area examination for the subject area in which you are out of field and add the subject to your Florida Educator Certificate (Please note: If you hold a Professional Certificate, most subjects (excluding endorsements) can be added only by taking the subject area exam and not by completing college credit.
If you hold a Temporary Certificate and have education coursework listed on your Statement of Eligibility required to obtain your Professional Certificate, you are advised to complete your education courses first before completing the out of field coursework. Therefore, six (6) semester hours of education coursework will satisfy the out of field requirement, if completed by the deadline for out of field.
Out of Field for a Subject Area and ESOL
If you are out of field in a subject area and out of field in ESOL, you will still be required to complete six (6) semester hours of college credit by the determined deadline. However, since you are also out of field in ESOL, you are permitted to apply three (3) semester hours of ESOL course work, or the equivalent, towards your six (6) semester hour subject area out of field requirement. The remaining three (3) semester hours of course work must be taken in the out of field subject area.
Out of field for ESOL due to being assigned a student who is an English Language Learner (ELL)
(Note: See information following this section regarding teaching an ESOL course. This situation has different requirements.)
The chart below identifies each Category Teacher, their requirements and the timeline to satisfy the requirements.
Category I | Category II | Category III | Category IV |
|---|---|---|---|
Primary Language Arts/English, Developmental Language Arts. Intensive Reading, Reading and ESE Teachers assigned to | Social Studies, Mathematics. Science, Computer Literacy. ESE Teachers assigned subjects other than Language Arts/Reading | All other subject areas not included in Category I or II; Art, Music, PE, Health, Foreign Language and ROTC | School-based Administrators. School Counselors |
Requirements | |||
ESOL Endorsement: 15 semester hours or 300 in-service points OR ESOL K-12 Certification: Passing score on ESOL K-12 subject area exam and 6 semester hours or 120 in-service points of ESOL training | 3 semester hours or 60 in- service points | 3 semester hours or 18 in- service points or 60 in-service points | 3 semester hours or 60 in- service points |
Timeline | |||
Within the first two school years from the date of assignment to a class with an ELL student, the first 3 semester hours/60 in- service points must be completed by May 31. Example: the rest of the current school year and by May 31 of the next school year. Then, 3 semester hours/60 in- service points must be completed each school year by May 31 until 15 semester hours or 300 in- service points are completed. | Within the first two school years from the date of assignment to a class with an ELL student. 3 semester hours/60 in-service points must be completed by May 31. Example: the rest of the current school year and by May 31 of the next school year. | Within the first two school years from the date of assignment to a class with an ELL student, 3 semester hours/18 in-service points/60 in-service points must be completed by May 31. Example: the rest of the current school year and by May 31 of the next school year. | Within three years of being hired in the position. 3 semester hours/60 in-service points must be completed. |
If an individual is assigned to a class with an ELL student as Category I personnel and transitions to another position or assignment as Category II, III or IV personnel, the employee must complete the Category I requirements.
Upon completion of all required 300 in-service points and/or passing the ESOL K-12 subject area exam, the DCPS Board Policy 6.32 requires personnel to submit the application/fee to add the applicable subject to their current Florida Educator Certificate.
Semester hours of ESOL training must be earned at an approved, accredited college/university. Continuing Education Units (CEU) cannot be accepted to satisfy ESOL training.
Please do not inquire with other personnel regarding your ESOL requirements and deadlines. Their requirements and deadlines may be completely different than yours.
Out of Field for ESOL Course (Developmental Language Arts or English through ESOL)
Personnel assigned to ESOL courses are required to hold appropriate certification in English, ESOL and/or Reading.
Completion of three (3) semester hours/60 in-service points will not satisfy the requirement. Rather, a total of six (6) semester hours/120 in-service points, a subject area exam or a combination of options may be required. If passing a subject area exam, an application/fee to add the subject will be required.
The following courses are subject to this requirement:
Elementary School Level: English for Speakers of Other Language
Middle School Level: M/J Language Arts 1, 2, 3 through ESOL, M/J English Language Development, M/J Developmental Language Arts through ESOL-Reading
High School Level: English 1, 2, 3 4 through ESOL, English Language Development, Developmental Language Arts through ESOL-Reading
ESOL Courses
ESOL Applied Linguistics
ESOL Cross Cultural Communication and Understanding
ESOL Curriculum and Materials Development
ESOL Methods of Teaching
ESOL Testing and Evaluation
ESOL Coursework Opportunities
You may enroll in ESOL courses through PowerSchool. These courses are free to DCPS employees when available. In the event there is no course availability, you may enroll in appropriate ESOL courses at an approved, accredited college/university or enroll in appropriate ESOL courses at the following approved fee-based professional development resources. Please note: Tuition and fees are non-reimbursable.