Introduction
Throughout the long history of learning, people have developed specific standards and expectations they place on the education curricula. Society expects its educators to be proficient in the subject they teach and to have skills that are necessary for engaging and inspiring students. However, the standardization of valuing such qualities is a difficult process, as it requires organizations and governments to investigate which skills and knowledge are the most valuable for a teacher to have.
Currently, most places in the United States require educators working in public or private schools to obtain certification. This document confirms that these professionals adhere to the required standards in their occupation. For instance, in Florida, the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) reviews the needs of every teaching level and determines the elements of education and personal growth necessary to obtain certification.
The importance of certification in education is a subject of debate in scholarship. On the one hand, the current statistics demonstrate a great shortage of teachers in many states, including Florida. Recent reports show that, in 2022, the state’s schools had almost 4,500 open vacancies for teachers, revealing a significant lack of people willing to enter this career path (Dailey, 2022).
FLDOE identified several areas of demand for 2023 and 2024, highlighting such fields as English, Science, Math, and more (Florida, the Florida Department of Education [FLDOE], 2023e). At the same time, while the number of certifications has increased in the last few years, the vacancies remain unfilled (FLDOE, 2023e). Thus, the question may arise whether the lack of a certificate should be a barrier for educators to pursue this profession.
Research demonstrates that certification increases the effectiveness of teachers and improves their performance and education outcomes. Hartiwi et al. (2020) show that certified teachers are better suited to meet the needs of the field and are prepared to tackle difficult problems that arise in schools. However, certification programs have to be appropriately structured and rigorous enough to ensure that educators meet the institution’s expectations. The following evaluation plan looks at the certification process created by FLDOE, considering the steps teachers must take as well as the documents and literature related to this program.
Program Description
To assess the education certification process developed in Florida, one has to understand how it operates. According to the official website, teachers who wish to work in any public school or some private schools must be certified by the state (FLDOE, 2023d). Additionally, occupations such as school administration, guidance counseling, and media related to schools are also subject to certification. The process for certification depends on the professional’s previous work experience and education. The state separates these programs into four main categories: teachers with certifications in other states, graduates of teaching education programs, people who graduated from other programs or who have unrelated professional experience, and international applicants.
The first category that is covered by the state policies is teachers and administrators who previously worked in different states. The routes for these professionals are simplified in order to help them acquire certification and start working quickly. The first potential pathway for educators is to possess a valid certificate issued by another state. Validity means that the document is not expired or revoked, and its standards are comparable to those of FLDOE (FLDOE, 2023b). For example, an educator who teaches high school math cannot apply for a new certificate in English without confirming their knowledge and skills related to the new subject.
The second pathway for teachers is to be certified by the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). NBPTS is an organization that can issue certificates for teachers that are applicable in all states, although the latter may have some unique requirements. Similar to the first approach, the document should be valid, and FLDOE reserves the right to reflect a subject that exists in the state standards.
The second group that can obtain certificates from FLDOE is comprised of graduates of teaching programs. In this case, further distinction occurs between people who studied in Florida or other states and between state-approved and non-approved programs. The difference between these segments is that students from non-approved programs or other regions can apply for a temporary certification only and then change it to a professional certificate once they complete additional requirements (FLDOE, 2023g). Therefore, the only group eligible for professional certification right after passing an examination is Florida graduates who finished a state-approved teaching program. Nevertheless, the steps for all graduates are similar: applying for the certification, passing exams if required, and gaining employment in state-approved schools.
Professionals who want to become teachers but do not have a college education in this field can also apply for a temporary certificate and begin teaching. The process for this group to achieve a professional license is similar to individuals with non-approved teacher education. FLDOE provides a list of potential specification areas and subject examinations that future educators can review to pick their focus for teaching (FLDOE, 2023h).
Notably, all applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited American university, regardless of whether they studied education or another subject. Here, the certification criteria are more personalized, depending on what the person wants to teach. For instance, some individuals may need to meet course requirements, while others must pass exams in the chosen area of specialization (FLDOE, 2023h). Therefore, the process may be different for each teacher, but it always centers on academic training and knowledge in the selected field.
Finally, foreign applicants may also receive a temporary certificate upon sending their documents and completing the assessment process. However, the main issue here is the confirmation of one’s legal immigration status—the employer submits the necessary documents to document one’s citizenship and allows the board to proceed with the evaluation process. Citizens with foreign diplomas must obtain official documents confirming their degree, while noncitizens should focus on their Statement of Status of Eligibility (FLDOE, 2023a). Thus, it is much more challenging for noncitizens to apply for certification, as they must also solve any employment issues before contacting FLDOE.
It should be noted that the basic specifications for each applicant, regardless of their previous education, are similar. Although the groups have different paths to obtain the certificate, they should all possess similar knowledge levels in the subjects they aim to teach. For example, a future middle school math teacher should have at least a bachelor’s degree and have a GPA of 3.0 or higher in their specialization area (math). Skill sets for each individual are determined based on their specialization and outlined in documents provided by FLDOA upon application.
Program Documentation and Review
The Florida Statutes and the Florida Administrative Code support the FLDOA certification program. The 2022 Florida Statutes are the main document that outlines each step and provides specific information. Chapter 1012 describes the following aspects for each educator: application, eligibility criteria, mastery of general knowledge, alignment of subject areas, mastery of subject area knowledge, mastery of preparation and competence, and more (FLDOE, 2023c; Sunshine, 2022). For instance, the documentation regarding the application process covers the dates within which the applicant should receive an answer after sending all documents – 90 days since submission (Online Sunshine, 2022). The focus on the periods is necessary for all involved organizations and persons to make the process more transparent.
Apart from the dates, this segment also discusses the fees that applicants can expect when submitting their documents for review. Currently, various payments cover each test, review, registration, retake of examinations, and more. For example, the processing fee for the initial certificate is $75 per subject (Online Sunshine, 2022).
An upgrade of a certificate from a temporary to a professional, renewal, reinstatement, and the addition of new subjects is also $75 (FLDOE, 2023f). Teachers may also remove subjects from their certification for $20; if the renewal of an existing certificate is postponed, late renewal fees of $105 apply instead of $75 (FLDOE, 2023i). The official documents also note that additional costs for fingerprinting and other activities may be present, but their value is not stated.
The segment of eligibility criteria covers in detail the general requirements to which all future certificate recipients should adhere. These include being older than 18, filing an affidavit to follow the national and state constitutions, and having at least a bachelor’s degree. Furthermore, applicants must agree to a background screening, possess good moral character, be competent, and demonstrate mastery of knowledge and skills, as outlined in more detail in the following segments (Online Sunshine, 2022). Overall, this section serves as a short list of all requirements while providing minimal information about each of them.
The following segments, such as mastery of general knowledge, list ways in which one can prove one’s level of education and expertise. Here, the person may provide documentation—teaching certificates from other states or NBPTS, previous teaching experience, examinations required by the state board, or degrees (Online Sunshine, 2022). Subject area proficiency is similar in that it requires applicants to provide proof of skill through degree confirmation or examination.
Furthermore, the statutes describe mastery of professional preparation, which implies that teachers must also know the main approaches to educating students: speaking, listening, and more. In the following segments, the types of certificates are described in detail and explain the standards for instruction and literacy, examination types, certificate denial, and data security. For example, as mentioned above, there exist two certificate variations: temporary and professional.
Temporary licenses are issued for those applicants who possess many of the characteristics and skills necessary for educators but may lack the education approved by the state. However, they are given an opportunity to teach with this document and are allowed to apply for a professional certificate in the future once they complete the tasks requested by the FLDOE. The differences between these two options are presented below.
Temporary Certificate
- Validity: three school years.
- Non-renewable.
- Teachers may hold this certificate while they complete other tasks requested by the FLDOE.
- At least a bachelor’s degree:
- Mastery of Subject Area Knowledge
- Subject Specialization (3 GPA)
- Fingerprint check.
- Gain employment in an elementary or middle school before obtaining the license.
Professional Certificate
- Validity: five school years.
- Renewable.
- The highest certification level; no other tasks are required.
- At least a bachelor’s degree:
- Mastery of Subject Area Knowledge
- Subject Specialization (3 GPA)
- Mastery of Professional Preparation and Education Competency
- Fingerprint check.
- Employment in elementary or middle school is not required.
The official documents separate the examinations into the General Knowledge Test (GK), Professional Education Test (PEd), and Subject Area Examination (SAE). The three exams correspond to the three spheres of mastery mentioned in the previous segments of the Statutes. The GK is the most basic exam, which all applicants must pass to receive certification. It contains questions and tasks that check one’s English language skills, reading, writing, and math (Online Sunshine, 2022). As these skills are required for all teachers, even temporary certificates cannot be issued if one does not pass the GK.
The PEd tackles the skills necessary for a teacher: lesson planning, student-centered practices, assessment strategies, professional conduct, and other related topics. This exam is especially valuable for students with non-approved or non-educational degrees, as it checks their ability to deliver knowledge to students and adequately evaluate their learning progress. Therefore, while receiving a temporary certificate, these applicants train for this exam and obtain experience for professional recognition as a teacher.
Finally, SAEs assess applicants’ knowledge in the areas they choose to pursue in their careers (Online Sunshine, 2022). As some degrees are not specific to the sphere in which one may want to teach, it is vital to confirm that the future educator is well-equipped and has the necessary knowledge in their selected subject. Some examples of SAEs may include math, geography, biology, chemistry, and other specific subjects.
Another vital document that describes the FLDOE certification program is Rule 6A-4.0021 by the Florida Department of State. The department reviews the examination standards and assesses whether the current competencies align with the state’s vision for high-quality education. The latest documents note that some test fees have been increased to $150 for first-time registration (Florida Department of State, 2022). This cost does not align with the fees described in the official documents on the Florida Department of Education website.
Other information is concerned with the number of questions for each test as well as the number of correct answers needed to pass them. These standards are transparent and allow applicants to prepare for their examinations accordingly.
Literature Review
The literature discussing teacher certification considers this topic from several angles. Burroughs et al. (2019) note that the certification of teachers is directly related to student achievement. Teachers’ effectiveness appears to be higher when they obtain certificates. This link is explained by the fact that departments of education require applicants to pass many tests and show their expertise in the subjects they teach (Burroughs et al., 2019). Therefore, the lack of qualification recognition may lead to poor performance because teachers are not checking their skills. Certification ensures that educators can answer all questions that they are expected to know by the department.
Other authors also suggest that progress in one’s professional knowledge is supported by certification, as the document has to be renewed periodically. In Florida, the license for professional education must be renewed every five years, which means that teachers must continually keep up with the latest standards established by the FLDOE. This leads to them always learning about their specific subject and improving their mastery of professional preparedness.
Similarly, this professional development also leads to better student performance, as teachers maintain their skills and expertise and deliver curricula that align with the board’s standards. As a result, schools work with professionals who are held responsible for their knowledge and interest in the information they are passing on to students. The review of teacher effectiveness in connection with their certification is a major theme in education research. Similar to the aforementioned work, Hartiwi et al. (2020) also studied this link, finding that certified teachers are more capable of delivering better results to schools. Overall, it appears that the scholarship is concerned with the quality of certification to result in better outcomes for students.
Some studies show that, in some locations, teachers who passed certification exams did not demonstrate better performance than their uncertified counterparts (Hartiwi et al., 2020). Here, the focus shifts to highlight that the principles have to be rigorous to effectively assess teachers’ skills and knowledge. Currently, most programs have relative standards for evaluation, which may raise the issue of a teacher being unprepared for education or lacking the skills to pass the examination while being a successful educator. Reviewing such programs, such as the one created by the FLDOE, helps to assess which areas of expertise are the most valuable for educators.
Evaluation Methods
The primary evaluation method often used in education is the CIPP (Context, Input, Process, Product) model. In CIPP, each letter refers to one of the four elements at the center of the assessment. The following description of these segments can serve as a foundation for an evaluation rubric document for the FLDOE certification.
First, one has to evaluate the content of the suggested program, which may include the background and needs of those who undergo certification, the surroundings, and the available resources. In the case of FLDOE certification, the environment is the school system where teachers need to possess the knowledge and transfer it to students effectively. This goal is at the center of education, and the evaluation should always focus on the aims of teaching when discussing certification programs.
The second element of this approach is input – the system of stakeholders and their budget, research, strategic planning, and management. FLDOE has limited resources allocated from the national and state budgets towards education, and its main problems may lie in the lack of equipment or funds for examination and certification (Riyad et al., 2020). In education, some significant issues are insufficient funding and the lack of teachers, which exposes the input as poor (Riyad et al., 2020). However, this does not mean the program is ineffective, as teachers’ certification delivers good results for student performance (Basaran et al., 2021). Therefore, the CIPP model analysis can focus on these areas to provide better solutions.
The analysis of the process is concerned with the activities that the program creators complete to improve it. In education, regular assessment of content, exams, curricula, and processes for certification can be considered. The official documents provided by the FLDOE and the Florida Department of State demonstrate that the certification program is reviewed continuously, and the boards always critically assess the quality of their services as well as their impact on educators’ qualifications. The processes and exams have been updated as recently as 2022, which may signify that the FLDOE aims to pursue goals consistent with the latest teacher and student needs.
Finally, the CIPP model suggests assessing the product, the outcomes of the program. In the case of certification, the result is a teacher with competency, skills, and preparedness to tackle school education. Here, one may review the effectiveness of education, its adjustment to current events, and its impact on the environment. Previously discussed studies show how this influence can be measured (Basaran et al., 2021; Riyad et al., 2020). In general, certification produces better student performance and higher-quality teaching skills. Overall, the CIPP model can be used in the rubric to evaluate all aspects of the certification process, starting with its environment and ending with its effect on the quality of education in Florida.
Conclusion
Research demonstrates that teacher certification is necessary for educators to work in the industry, and it is also beneficial for them and their students. The FLDOE certification process is a set of measures designed to ensure that educators in the state of Florida are equipped with the knowledge and skills to teach effectively. This program is focused on checking the teachers’ academic achievements and their preparedness in basic knowledge, education-related techniques, leadership, and specific areas of expertise. The details in the program’s documentation show a commitment to individually assessing each teacher’s background and allowing them to work on their qualifications through practical application and study. Evaluating this program with the CIPP model can reveal potential areas for improvement while highlighting the existing benefits and strengths.
References
Basaran, M., Dursun, B., Gur Dortok, H. D., & Yilmaz, G. (2021). Evaluation of preschool education program according to the CIPP model. Pedagogical Research, 6(2), em0091. Web.
Burroughs, N., Gardner, J., Lee, Y., Guo, S., Touitou, I., Jansen, K., & Schmidt, W. (2019). A review of the literature on teacher effectiveness and student outcomes. In N. Burroughs et al. (Eds.), Teaching for excellence and equity: Analyzing teacher characteristics, behaviors, and student outcomes with TIMSS (pp. 7-17). Springer.
Dailey, R. (2022). A report paints a grim picture about Florida’s critical teacher shortage. WUSF. Web.
Florida Department of Education. (2023a). Applicants with foreign academic training. Web.
Florida Department of Education. (2023b). Certified teacher or administrator. Web.
Florida Department of Education. (2023c). Educator certification rule development. Web.
Florida Department of Education. (2023d). Educator certification. Web.
Florida Department of Education. (2023e). Identification of high demand teacher needs for 2023-24 [PDF Document]. Web.
Florida Department of Education. (2023f). Reinstatement of a professional certificate. Web.
Florida Department of Education. (2023g). Teacher education program graduates. Web.
Florida Department of Education. (2023h). Teaching for the career changer or college graduate of a non-education program. Web.
Florida Department of Education. (2023i). Upgrading from the temporary to the professional certificate. Web.
Florida Department of State. (2022). Rule: 6A-4.0021. Web.
Hartiwi, H., Kozlova, A. Y., & Masitoh, F. (2020). The effect of certified teachers and principal leadership toward teachers’ performance. International Journal of Educational Review, 2(1), 70-88. Web.
Online Sunshine. (2022). The 2022 Florida Statutes (including 2022 Special Session A and 2023 Special Session B). Web.
Riyad, M. K., Wang, Y., & Pakarinen, J. (2020). Measuring the professionality of school teachers’ performance: The context, input, process, and product (CIPP) model. International Journal of Innovation, Creativity and Change, 12(3), 386-399.