Licensure Requirements: Florida
Elementary Teacher Preparation Policy
Analysis of Florida's policies
Content Test Requirements: Early childhood education teacher candidates who are licensed to teach elementary grades through grade 3 must earn a passing score on the Florida Teacher Certification Examinations (FTCE) Prekindergarten/Primary PreK-3 test. The test consists of four subtests, three of which report separate subscores in English language arts and reading, math, and science. The fourth subtest deals with developmental knowledge.
Scientifically Based Reading Instruction: The Prekindergarten/Primary PK-3 test includes a separately scored language arts and reading section. However this subtest does not address the components of the science of reading instruction.
In its standards for program approval, Florida requires teacher preparation programs to address the science of reading.
Provisional and Emergency Licensure: Because provisional and emergency licensure requirements are scored in Provisional and Emergency Licensure, only the test requirements for the state's initial license are considered as part of this goal.
Recommendations for Florida
Require early childhood teacher candidates to demonstrate content knowledge in every core subject.
Florida is commended for requiring a test with separate subscores in three core content areas. However, the state should ensure that early childhood teachers are sufficiently prepared to teach social studies and also require an assessment that provides a separate score in this area.
Require all teacher candidates who teach elementary grades to pass a rigorous assessment in the science of reading instruction.
Florida should require a rigorous reading assessment tool to ensure that its early childhood candidates are adequately prepared in the science of reading instruction before entering the classroom. The assessment should clearly test knowledge and skills related to the science of reading and address all five instructional components of scientifically based reading instruction: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Early childhood teachers who do not possess the minimum knowledge in this area should not be eligible for licensure.
State response to our analysis
Florida recognized the factual accuracy of this analysis, however this analysis was updated subsequent to the state's review. The state added that as required by section 1012.585(3)(f), F.S., the department is required to identify coverage areas that must earn specific credit for renewal, which include providing reading instruction or intervention for any students in kindergarten through grade 6. Teachers with the following coverage areas must take two credit hours (or 40 hours of professional development) in the use of explicit, systematic and sequential approaches to reading instruction, developing phonemic awareness and implementing multisensory intervention strategies in order to renew professional certificates with a beginning validity period of July 1, 2020. Coverage areas include: Elementary Education (K-6), Prekindergarten/Primary Education (age 3 through grade 3), Elementary Education (grades 1-6), Primary Education (grades K-3), English (grades 1-6), Middle Grades English (grades 5-9), Middle Grades Integrated Curriculum (grades 5-9), English (6-12), Reading (K-12), Reading (Endorsement), and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) (grades K-12).
Recent updates also require providers with state approved EPIs to submit an updated reading matrix reflecting the changes in required reading competency instruction based on the area of preparation as a result of statutory updates to section 1004.85, F.S.
Florida also noted that teacher candidates are required to pass the professional education test for certification. Competencies require "knowledge of effective literacy strategies that can be applied across the curriculum to impact student learning," including the following skills:
- Apply effective instructional practices to develop text reading skills in the appropriate content area;
- Select instructional practices for developing and using content area vocabulary;
- Determine instructional practices to facilitate students' reading comprehension through content areas;
- Apply appropriate literacy strategies for developing higher-order critical thinking skills;
- Select appropriate resources for the subject matter and students' literacy levels; and
- Differentiate instructional practices based on literacy data for all students.
Updated: February 2020
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How we graded
2D: Elementary Licensure Requirements
- Adequate Content Knowledge: The state should ensure that all new elementary teacher candidates teaching under an early childhood license possess sufficient elementary content knowledge in all core subjects, including mathematics.
- Scientifically Based Reading Instruction: The state should ensure that all new elementary teacher candidates teaching under an early childhood license are required to pass a rigorous test of scientifically based reading instruction. The design of the test should ensure that prospective teachers cannot pass without knowing the five scientifically based components of early reading instruction: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.
One-half of the total goal score is earned based on the following:
- One-half credit: The state will earn one-half of a point if it requires early childhood teachers to pass the same content tests as elementary teachers that contain four or more separately scored content exams to ensure appropriate content knowledge in all core academic subject areas.
- One-quarter credit: The state will earn one-quarter of a point if it requires early childhood teachers to pass the same content tests as elementary teachers, but the content test does not contain four separately scored tests.
- OR
- The state will earn one-quarter of a point if it requires an early childhood test with at least two separately scored content exams to ensure appropriate content knowledge in core academic subjects. Both exams must result in a score for one core content area each.
Scientifically Based Reading Instruction
One-half of the total goal score is earned based on the following:
- One-half credit: The state will earn one-half of a point if it requires all new early childhood teachers to pass a rigorous test of scientifically based reading instruction. The design of the test must ensure that all prospective teachers are competent in the five research-based components of early reading instruction: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.
- One-quarter credit: The state will earn one-quarter of a point if it requires all new early childhood teachers to pass a stand-alone reading test of scientifically based reading instruction, but the test includes content not aligned to scientifically based reading instruction.
- One-quarter credit: The state will earn one-quarter of a point if early childhood teacher preparation standards address the five components of scientifically based reading instruction, but the state does not require an adequate - or any - scientifically based reading instruction test.
Research rationale
Early childhood teachers who teach elementary grades must be ready for the demands of the elementary classroom. Many states have early childhood licenses that include some elementary classroom grades, usually up to grade three.[1] Because teachers with this early childhood license can still teach many elementary grades, they should not be held to a lower bar for subject-matter knowledge than if they held more standard elementary licenses. Given the focus on building students' content knowledge and vocabulary in college- and career-readiness standards,[2] states would put students at risk by not holding all elementary teachers to equivalent standards.[3] That is not to say the license requirements must be identical; there are certainly different focuses in terms of child development and pedagogy. But the idea that content knowledge is only needed by upper-grade elementary teachers is clearly false.
Focus on reading instruction is especially critical for early childhood teachers. Although some states do not ensure that any elementary teachers know the science of how to teach young children to read, in the states where this is a priority, it is inexcusable to hold elementary teachers on an early childhood license to a lower standard. Research is clear that the best defense against reading failure is effective early reading instruction.[4] Therefore, if such licenses are neglecting to meet the needs of the early elementary classroom, of which learning to read is paramount, they are failing to meet one of their most fundamental purposes.
[1] National Council on Teacher Quality. (2016, June). Some assembly required: Piecing together the preparation preschool teachers need. Retrieved from http://www.nctq.org/dmsView/Preschool
[2] Student Achievement Partners. (2015). Research supporting the Common Core ELA/literacy shifts and standards. Retrieved from https://achievethecore.org/content/upload/Research%20Supporting%20the%20ELA%20Standards%20and%20Shifts%20Final.pdf
[3] Numerous research studies have established the strong relationship between teachers' vocabulary (a proxy for being broadly educated) and student achievement. For example: Wayne, A. J., & Youngs, P. (2003). Teacher characteristics and student achievement gains: A review. Review of Educational Research, 73(1), 89-122.; See also: Whitehurst, G. J. (2002, March). Scientifically based research on teacher quality: Research on teacher preparation and professional development. In White House Conference on Preparing Tomorrow's Teacher.; Ehrenberg, R. G., & Brewer, D. J. (1995). Did teachers' verbal ability and race matter in the 1960s? Coleman revisited. Economics of Education Review, 14(1), 1-21.; Research also connects individual content knowledge with increased reading comprehension, making the capacity of the teacher to infuse all instruction with content of particular importance for student achievement.; Willingham, D. T. (2006). How knowledge helps: It speeds and strengthens reading comprehension, learning, and thinking. American Educator, 30(1), 30. Retrieved from https://www.aft.org/periodical/american-educator/spring-2006/how-knowledge-helps
[4] Torgesen, J.K. (November 2005). Preventing reading disabilities in young children: Requirements at the classroom and school level. Presented at the Western North Carolina LD/ADD Symposium.; Walsh, K., Glaser, D., & Wilcox, D. D. (2006). What education schools aren't teaching about reading and what elementary teachers aren't learning. National Council on Teacher Quality. Retrieved from http://www.nctq.org/nctq/images/nctq_reading_study_app.pdf