Florida Special Education Certification & Requirements

Featured Programs:

Special Education in Florida

Despite having several densely-populated urban and suburban areas, Florida manages to serve its students with disabilities well, earning the highest rating of “Meets Requirements” from the U.S. Department of Education for its ability to provide special education services. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 13.9 percent of Florida students have Individualized Education Programs, nearly one percent above the U.S. average of 13 percent. Florida employs nearly 10,900 special education teachers to serve its 4,253 public and 446 charter schools, which are organized into 67 school districts. There are also 1,714 private schools in the state. The Florida Department of Education (DOE) oversees public education in the state; its Bureau of Exceptional Education & Student Services administers programs and coordinates services for students with special needs. While the teacher shortage areas change annually, they commonly include a range of specialties in special education.

Licensure Requirements

The certification section of the DOE website provides information regarding requirements for teaching in Florida.

For Undergraduates

The minimum educational requirement for teaching in Florida is a bachelor’s degree, typically in education or special education.

For Graduates

Graduate students can select a non-degree teacher preparation program or an advanced degree program. If they opt for the latter route, they must check with their university’s education department to ensure that the program they’re considering complies with current DOE regulations for general educators or special educators.

Levels of Teacher Licensure

There are two basic levels of Florida educator licensure. The Temporary Certificate is for would-be educators who have not yet met all of the DOE’s criteria for a Professional Certificate; new teachers can enter the classroom with this three-year license and begin teaching while they complete the full requirements. This certificate is not renewable. The five-year Professional Certificate is for individuals who have met all academic and testing requirements. These certificates are available in number of areas; consult the Florida certification subjects webpage for a list of the grade levels and subjects that the DOE recognizes for licensure.

Reciprocity

DOE grants reciprocity to candidates who completed out-of-state teacher preparation programs with a couple stipulations: The candidate must have completed a program in a subject area in which Florida grants certification, and the training completed must be equivalent to the level required in Florida for that subject area. Most out-of-state candidates qualify for a Temporary Florida Educator Certificate, permitting them to teach full-time as they comply with DOE testing requirements. Educators who trained at foreign institutions may also be eligible for reciprocity in Florida. Qualified candidates must provide official documentation of their academic and professional training. They then receive a Temporary Certificate and a Statement of Status of Eligibility that delineates any additional requirements necessary to obtain a Professional Certificate.

FIND SCHOOLS

Special Education Teaching Degrees in Florida

U.S. News & World Report ranks the graduate special education programs at the College of Education at University of Florida among the top 10 of its kind in the United States. Located in Gainesville, the university’s Special Education Program includes certificate-only options, as well as DOE-approved bachelor’s, master’s, specialist and doctoral courses of study in special education with an emphasis on teacher preparation or research. The department’s Unified Elementary ProTeach Program is a five-year track resulting in a master’s degree and teaching certificate. Participants can opt for a dual certification in Special Education (K-12). Part-time students can enjoy the flexibility of the graduate-level Online Teach Well Program. The post-master’s Specialist in Education program is also fully online.

For profiles of all the schools in Florida that offer master’s in special education programs, click here.

Alternatives to Certification

The DOE offers several alternative routes to certification. Florida’s Alternative Certificate Program supports new hires who hold a Temporary Certificate with programs that help them earn a Professional Certificate. Participants must demonstrate subject area mastery. The DOE also recognizes graduates of the American Board, a program that provides an intensive online 10-month training program to would-be educators so that they can obtain certification quickly, even while working in classrooms.

Special Education Teaching Jobs in Florida

Public schools

According to the Teach in Florida website, Florida is the fourth-largest school system in the country. Use the Educator Recruitment section of the site to post your resume, browse recruitment contacts at public school districts and search for job openings and job fairs.

Private schools

The city of Miami is home to many private special education programs, including the Easter Seals Demonstration School and Child Development Center, serving newborns through 14-year-olds. Its day program addresses a variety of needs, including attention disorders, dyslexia and learning challenges.

Professional Development

The DOE’s Professional Development in Florida website explains the DOE’s requirements for earning professional development units, while its Teach in Florida’s Teacher Support Resources webpage features recommendations for where to earn them.
Florida School Leaders is an official DOE provider of training for new and veteran teachers.
The DOE’s Exceptional Education & Student Services department maintains the Professional Development Portal for Educators of Students with Disabilities, which provides information about face-to-face and online trainings in behavior support, curriculum and instruction practices, policy, community support, screening, evaluation, assessment and transition.
A project of the Office of Special Education at the University of Florida, the National Center to Inform Policy and Practice in Special Education Professional Development seeks to increase commitment to teaching students with disabilities and improve teacher quality with a focus on mentorship.

Florida Special Educator Professional Groups

The Florida Education Association (FEA), affiliated with the National Education Association, is the state teacher’s union. It advocates for its over 140,000 members, which include educators and staff at public schools, as well as retired teachers and students preparing to work in Florida’s public schools.
Special education policy and how it translates to public and charter school practice is the focus of DOE’s State Advisory Committee for the Education of Exceptional Students.
Disability Rights Florida is an advocacy group supporting Floridians who have disabilities.

FIND SCHOOLS

Florida Special Education Bloggers

Extra Special Teaching: A K-2 resource room teacher in Florida shares her experiences and favorite sources of curriculum and teaching tools.
3D Learning Blog: The focus is on innovative learning strategies for students with dyslexia and other learning differences.
Just for Teachers: The DOE’s monthly e-newsletter keeps Florida teachers in the loop about the latest state educational initiatives and policies.