Become a Teacher in Florida

To become certified as a teacher in Florida, you will need to complete the appropriate number of college credit hours, a teacher preparation course, and the standardized tests specified below. If you have a teaching credential from another state, you may be able to use an interstate reciprocity program to become certified in Florida. Visit the Florida Department of Education Educator Certification  page for more information on getting your Teaching Credential in Florida.

Florida offers two levels of certification: a Temporary Certificate for beginning teachers and a Professional Certificate for teachers who have met additional competency requirements.

Learn more about getting your teaching credential on Teach.com.

Anyone with a Bachelor’s degree in the state is eligible for Florida Education Preparation Institutes, a form of alternative certification. A list of these programs can be found on the Florida Department of Education website.

The program involves four levels of assessment to determine a trainee’s mastery of the required competencies. The trainee’s support team will include a building-level administrator who will verify that competencies are being put into practice. The team must also include an outside educator, either from the school district or a university program, as a “collaborative partner.”

You must obtain a temporary teaching certificate and secure employment with a school district in order to be eligible for the alternative certification program. The process for temporary certification can be started the Florida Department of Education Steps to Certification page

Educator Preparation Institutes (EPIs), offered by many community and state colleges, are another alternative route for mid-career professionals or non-education majors. Students with a Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university may enter an EPI program. More information can be found on the Florida Department of Education Educator Preparation Institutes page.

Additionally, the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence has an online program that can lead to a temporary teaching certificate in Florida.

The Troops to Teachers program helps members of the military transition to a teaching career. In order to participate, you must have or earn a four-year college degree. Participants can receive a stipend to cover certification expenses if they teach in a high-needs school or in a district where a high percentage of students live below the poverty level.

Interstate reciprocity is a program that allows teachers certified in one state to teach in another state. To find out which other state teaching licenses can be used in Florida, visit the Teach.com reciprocity page. Or, for more specific questions about your situation, contact the Florida Department of Education.

The Recruitment section of Teach In Florida website compiles job postings and teaching job initiatives, such as the Troops to Teachers program for returning military personnel.

Learn more about finding a teaching job on Teach.com.

According to 2018 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average teacher in Florida makes $54,000 to $55,000 per year, depending on grade level taught. Florida provides differential pay as an incentive to get teachers into high needs schools and shortage subjects. Florida teacher salaries vary by school district.

Learn more about teacher salaries on Teach.com.

Teacher retirement benefits are provided via the Florida Retirement System. Florida teachers can retire with full benefits at age 65 after at least 8 years of service, or at any age after 33 years of service, if entered into the system after July 2011.

Florida’s benefits differ from district to district, so contact your district representative to learn more.

Learn more about benefits for teachers on Teach.com.

The United States Department of Education defines a Teacher Shortage Area (TSA) as a subject matter or grade level within a state in which there is an inadequate supply of elementary or secondary teachers. The shortage may be caused by teaching positions that are unfilled or are filled by teachers who have temporary certification or teach in an academic subject other than their area of preparation. According to a report by the US Department of Education, Florida has the following Teacher Shortage Areas:

Florida residents are eligible for the Applegate/Jackson/Parks Future Teacher Scholarship as well as the TEACH Grant, a grant which gives financial aid to students in return for an agreement to teach in a high-need school.

Learn more about how to finance your Master’s degree on Teach.com.

School principals establish the guidelines for Florida’s professional development. However, there are a few statewide rules that each principal must abide by that are outlined in the Florida Professional Outline Evaluation Protocol. Florida aims to link student achievement to teacher quality.

Florida has some limited induction policies to provide professional development and mentoring to new teachers. Links to Department of Education professional development and support resources can be found on the Teach in Florida website.

It is no longer enough to just have years of experience for teaching. After No Child Left Behind and other academic quantification measures, the careers of teachers increasingly depend on their results in the classroom. A master’s degree in the field of education will give you more educational theory and classroom skills, as well as more hands-on student teaching experience with a mentor. After a Master’s program, you will be able to achieve better results in the classroom and have more job security and higher pay.

Learn more about the benefits of a Master of Arts in Teaching vs. Master of Education on Teach.com.