Identifying Effective Teachers Policy
Florida's requirements for licensure advancement and renewal are not based on evidence of teacher effectiveness.
To advance from a Temporary Certificate to a Professional Certificate, the state requires teachers to demonstrate "mastery of general knowledge (e.g., passing scores on basic skills exam)," "mastery of subject-area knowledge (e.g., passing scores on subject-area exam)" and "mastery of professional preparation and education competence (e.g., passing scores on competency exam)."
Florida also does not include evidence of effectiveness as a factor in the renewal of a professional license. Florida teachers must renew their licenses every five years by completing six semester hours of college credit at an accredited college or university.
Require evidence of effectiveness as a part of teacher licensing policy.
Florida should require evidence of teacher effectiveness to be a factor in determining whether teachers can renew their licenses or advance to a higher level license. The state should use evidence of effectiveness from its strong teacher evaluations as a factor in determining whether teachers advance to the next licensure level (see Goal 3-B). However, states must consider carefully how to use this evidence, as the standard for denying licensure—the right to practice in the state—should not necessarily be the same standard that might result in termination from a particular position.
Discontinue license renewal requirements with no direct connection to classroom effectiveness.
While targeted requirements may potentially expand teacher knowledge and improve teacher practice, Florida's general, nonspecific coursework requirements for license renewal merely call for teachers to complete a certain amount of seat time. These requirements do not correlate with teacher effectiveness.
Florida recognized the factual accuracy of this analysis.