Renewal requirements must be completed during the validity period of the Professional Certificate to be renewed and prior to expiration of that Professional Certificate. It is the responsibility of each educator to obtain current information regarding renewal requirements from the employing school district or Bureau of Educator Certification.
Requirements for Renewal
All Florida Educator Certificate holders must earn a total of six (6) semester hours or 120 in-service points, to include at least one (1) semester hour or 20 in-service points in teaching students with disabilities (SWD) during each renewal period.
Additional renewal requirements for Florida educators differ depending on the subject/endorsement coverages listed on the Professional Educator Certificate. The first group of educators who will be impacted and required to obtain this credit will be those who have a validity period of July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2025.
The requirement of two semester hours or forty (40) in-service points in evidence-based instruction and interventions specifically designed for students with characteristics of dyslexia, including the use of explicit, systematic, and sequential approaches to reading instruction, developing phonological and phonemic awareness, decoding, and implementing multisensory intervention strategies (reading) credit, earned no earlier than ten (10) years prior to the expiration date of the current Professional Certificate, applies to those educators with the following subject/endorsement coverages:
Elementary Education (grades 1-6)
Elementary Education (K-6)
English (grades 1-6)
English (grades 6-12)
English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) (grades K-12)
Exceptional Student Education (K-12)
Middle Grades English (grades 5-9)
Middle Grades Integrated Curriculum (grades 5-9)
Prekindergarten/Primary Education (age 3 through grade 3)
Primary Education (grades K-3)
Reading (K-12)
Reading (Endorsement)
The requirement of one semester hour or twenty (20) in-service points in Florida’s Educational Leadership Standards (educational leadership) credit applies those educators with the following subject coverages:
Educational Leadership
School Principal
Note: This legislation is in effect for those educators whose validity period begins July 1, 2020 and thereafter. The first group of educators who will be impacted and required to obtain this credit will be those who have a validity period of July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2025.
College level credit awarded for CLEP, DANTES Subject Standardized Test, Excelsior, other examination, life experience, or other method must be reflected on an official transcript from an accredited or approved institution, or the American Council on Education (ACE).
College remedial credit is not acceptable.
College level credits used for certificate renewal must be awarded by an accredited or approved institution, or the American Council on Education (ACE), and must be reflected on an official transcript. Click here on Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs to view a list of Florida's accredited state universities and state colleges and community colleges.
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.
Acceptable College Credit Equivalencies for Renewal
Twenty (20) in-service points in an approved Florida master in-service program are equivalent to one (1) semester hour of college credit.
Sixty (60) in-service points in an approved Florida master in-service program are equivalent to three (3) semester hours of college credit.
A passing numerical score on the Florida subject area exam specific to the coverage to be renewed is equivalent to three (3) semester hours of college credit for renewal purposes.
When the certificate includes Exceptional Student Education, Visually Impaired, Hearing Impaired, or Speech-Language Impaired, a passing score on the corresponding Florida subject area exam satisfies the requirement for credit in teaching SWD for a total of three (3) semester hours of renewal credit.
A valid certificate issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards will renew the Florida certificate in the subject shown on the national certificate.
An Exceptional Needs Specialist certificate issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards satisfies the requirement for credit in teaching SWD, when the Florida professional certificate includes a subject in instructing students with disabilities.
Teaching an appropriate college level course at an accredited or approved institution may be accepted the same as credit earned for taking that course. The registrar or dean of the college must submit a letter on institutional letterhead. The letter must verify the title, prefix, number, and semester-hour credits of the course taught and the dates when the course was taught.
Approved Professional Development Resources
The Professional Learning Department website can be found at the following link: District Professional Learning. Detailed instructions for accessing and reviewing your in-service record can be found on their website.
For inquiries regarding in-service points you have completed with Duval County Public Schools and whether the in-service points are appropriate for renewal, you must contact the Professional Learning Department, via email at Email Professional Learning or via phone at 904-348-7807.