FloridaHB 8752025HouseWALLET

Educator Preparation

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

9 provisions identified: 6 benefits, 0 costs, 3 mixed.

School counseling students gain internship flexibility

The law cuts school counseling internships from 600 to 300 hours for qualifying full-time teachers enrolled in postsecondary counseling programs. They need at least five years of teaching employment and effective or highly effective ratings in each prior three years. The Department of Education must also establish internship flexibility guidelines and programs for school counseling students. These can address settings, supervision, personal circumstances, credit equivalencies, and flexible hours, with rules from the state's education governing boards. Related scholarships, tuition reimbursement, and other incentives depend on legislative funding; no award amount is guaranteed.

Teaching interns gain earlier certificate access

Beginning July 1, 2029, enrolled teacher candidates can qualify for a temporary teaching certificate before graduation. This route covers candidates actively completing their final semester of clinical experience or a public-school internship immediately before graduation. They must attend a state-approved teacher preparation program and meet the other temporary-certificate requirements; internship enrollment alone is not enough.

Temporary teachers gain workplace certification route

The law creates the Coaching for Educator Readiness and Teaching, or CERT, program for teachers holding state-issued temporary certificates. Districts, charter schools, and charter management organizations can offer this route to a professional certificate. Participants receive mentoring, classroom guidance, individualized learning, and on-the-job training to master Florida's teaching standards. They must complete initial and final performance assessments and pass the required subject-area exam. Candidates in designated certificate areas must also finish all reading-endorsement work, including a practicum.

Longer teacher mentoring with qualification rules

Beginning July 1, 2029, covered employers must assign temporary-certificate teachers a mentor or clinical educator for at least two school years. Mentors need a professional certificate, at least three years of pre-K–12 teaching, and clinical educator training. They must have effective or highly effective ratings for the prior three years. Reading certification or endorsement is also required for the specified K–3 assignments and designated reading-related preparation areas. Apprenticeship mentors must meet the same statutory minimum, replacing the prior five-year in-state experience and highly effective performance standards. The state must set training approval standards covering teaching skills, assessment, communication, reflection, and educator resilience.

Teacher certification eases exams, tightens program rules

Beginning July 1, 2029, applicants can meet the general knowledge requirement by completing two approved education courses. These cover introduction to education, and classroom management and high-impact teaching strategies. Graduates of preparation programs meeting the new uniform curriculum requirements do not need the professional education competency exam. Completing such a program also provides a professional-certificate route, alongside the law's other applicant requirements. This replaces the listed professional-learning or educator-institute route and its rating-based exam waiver. Applicants relying on a Florida college's teacher preparation program must complete a state-approved program.

New training rules for future teachers

Beginning August 1, 2027, state-approved teacher preparation programs must use a shared core curriculum aligned with Florida's teaching standards. Candidates must take introduction to education and classroom management courses grounded in how people learn. Training must cover state academic standards, approved teaching materials, math, subject-area literacy, assessments, and instruction for English learners and students with disabilities. Reading training must cover sound awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension, with phonics as the main word-reading strategy. Programs cannot teach three-cueing systems or rely on visual memory as the basis for word reading. Candidates must receive hands-on classroom training, with mastery judged through observed teaching and qualified clinical educators. The curriculum cannot distort major historical events, teach identity politics, or promote theories that racism, sexism, oppression, and privilege are inherent in U.S. institutions.

Nondegreed arts teachers gain qualification route

District school boards set qualifications for part-time teachers without degrees who teach listed fine or performing arts courses. These teachers must meet fingerprinting requirements and hold a high school diploma or equivalent. They also need three years of successful full-time experience in their teaching specialty, or equivalent part-time experience.

New teacher training center needs funding

The law establishes the Florida Center for Teaching Excellence at Miami Dade College, subject to an appropriation. It works with the University of South Florida's Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning. Its duties include evidence-based educator training, classroom experience models, a statewide mentoring network, and research. It must report specified training completions to the Department of Education and can seek approval for professional learning systems. The center can receive federal, state, or local agency grants for its work, but no funding amount is guaranteed.

School staff training targets student learning

School staff training must connect to student learning, measurable results, and staff growth. It must use active learning, follow-up or coaching, and chances to apply teaching strategies. Administrator materials must match state leadership standards, and available training must cover specified teaching and intervention materials. School-based training must follow jointly developed improvement plans grounded in Florida's teaching standards. Those plans must support stronger, varied teaching methods, a rigorous knowledge-based curriculum, and professional collaboration.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

Alex Rizo
Republican • House

Cosponsors

Careers & Workforce Subcommittee
Affiliation unavailable
Education & Employment Committee
Affiliation unavailable
John Snyder
Republican • House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 244 • No: 49

Senate vote • 5/2/2025

Senate Floor Vote

Yes: 31 • No: 0

House vote • 5/2/2025

House Floor Vote

Yes: 91 • No: 22

Senate vote • 5/1/2025