Steps to Certification
Graduates of UF COE’s state- and CAEP- approved educator preparation programs
Steps to apply for professional educator certification in Florida.
1. Order a final transcript.
Order a final transcript from the University of Florida Registrar’s Office after graduating from your approved educator preparation program. Final transcripts of students who graduate from approved programs will feature a statement at the end of the transcript stating that they have graduated from a state- and CAEP-approved program. Please wait until the Friday following your commencement ceremony to order your final transcript so that this statement can be applied to your transcript as it is important to the certification process.
2. Complete an online application for certification.
Complete the online application for professional certification on the Florida Department of Education website.
3. Take and pass the General Knowledge Test, Subject Area Exam(s) and the Professional Education Exam.
Students will need to take and pass the General Knowledge Test, Subject Area Exam(s) in your field of study, and the Professional Education Exam to be eligible for professional certification and to graduate from the College of Education’s state- and CAEP–approved programs. Registration information and preparation materials for the FTCEs are available through the FTCE website. Commercially prepared materials are also available online and in bookstores and libraries.
4. Complete remaining requirements for certification.
It typically takes the Florida Department of Education several weeks to process certification applications. Once their certification applications have been processed, students will be provided with a “Statement of Status of Eligibility” from the Florida Department of Education. This document details any remaining items that the student must complete in order to be issued educator certification. For students of approved programs this list will be very short and will likely list only that the student needs to have fingerprinting completed by their hiring district. The Statement of Status of Eligibility form can be used by students to apply for educator jobs in the state of Florida. For students who wish to apply to teaching jobs during the last semester of their academic programs before they receive a Statement of Status of Eligibility form, the College of Education Office of Academic & Student Services (EduGator Central) can write a job recommendation letter indicating that the student is in good standing and is expected to graduate on a particular date.
UFTeach Minors
Steps to apply for temporary educator certification in Florida.
1. Order a final transcript.
Order a final transcript from the University of Florida Registrar’s Office after commencement. Final transcripts of students who graduate with UFTeach minors will feature a statement at the end of their transcript stating that they have graduated from a Professional Training Option (PTO) program. Please wait until the Friday following your commencement ceremony to order your final transcript so that this statement can be applied to your transcript as it is important to the certification process.
2. Complete an online application for certification.
Complete the online application for professional certification on the Florida Department of Education website.
3. Know you’re required to take a Florida Teacher Certification Examination (FTCE).
A UFTeach student may or may not be required to sit for a Florida Teacher Certification Examination (FTCE) to be eligible for a temporary certificate. If your academic major matches the subject you want to teach (e.g. biology major seeking Biology 6-12 certification), or if you have satisfied course-count requirements, you do not have to pass any exams before being eligible for temporary certification.
See http://www.fldoe.org/teaching/certification/certificate-subjects/ and click on the subject to find out minimum subject area requirements by major and by course-count. If the major does not match the subject you want to teach (e.g. engineering major seeking Math 6-12 certification), and you have not satisfied the course-count requirements, you would have to pass the relevant Subject Area Exam before being eligible for temporary certification.
See http://www.fldoe.org/teaching/certification/certificate-subjects/certification-subject-examinations.stml for a table of those exam requirements by subject area. The temporary teaching certificate is good for three years and is non-renewable. Once all Florida Department of Education requirements are fulfilled during these three years, professional certification may be applied for. The testing requirements for professional certification are (1) General Knowledge Test all four sections, (2) Subject Area Exam, and (3) Professional Education Test. Registration information and preparation materials for the FTCE’s are available through the FTCE website. Commercially prepared materials are also available online and in bookstores and libraries.
4. Complete remaining requirements for certification.
Students will be provided with a “Statement of Status of Eligibility” from the Florida Department of Education after their applications for educator certification have been processed. This document details any remaining items that the student must complete in order to be issued professional educator certification. Again, individuals with temporary certification will have three years to fulfill all Florida Department of Education requirements listed on their Statement of Status of Eligibility to convert their temporary certification to professional certification. The Statement of Status of Eligibility form can be used by students to apply for educator jobs in the state of Florida.
5. Note on Professional Training Option (PTO).
Please note that the UFTeach minor Professional Training Option (PTO) leads to temporary certification in the state of Florida only. Students applying for educator positions in other states may face challenges with certification because their Florida PTO program does not cover the same breadth of educator training that state- and NCATE-approved initial educator preparation programs do.
Out-of-State Certification
A determination has not been made regarding College of Education graduates’ eligibility for certification/licensure in other states. Please contact the department of education or other relevant agency in the state in which you are seeking employment to determine their criteria for certification/licensure and employment. For further information including state contact information regarding educator certification, please visit the following website: https://certificationmap.com/