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Use the information and FAQ's below to help you through the application process. Should you still need further assistance, please contact our Human Resources Department by clicking Contact Us.
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Human Resource Services
Application Procedures
In order to meet the need for administrators at the elementary and secondary level, Polk County Public Schools has established a pool of applicants. All applicants for school-based administrative positions must be accepted into the principal or assistant principal pool.
- Employees with Polk County Public Schools interested in administrative positions may contact the Professional Development Office (863) 647-4270 for information.
- A non-employee, experienced administrator pool was established to tap into the wealth of experience from outside the district and the state. This will allow applicants in the experienced non-district employee administrative pool to apply for specific administrative positions.
- Experienced Principal and Assistant Principal Non-District Employee Administrative Pool Form
- To apply for school-based administrative positions, please follow the How to Apply instructions listed below. Information regarding the job-specific requirements of a posting can be found in the Details section of the advertisement.
How to Apply
IMPORTANT! All applicants, including employees of Polk County Public Schools, must complete an online employment application.
Complete and submit the Online Employment Application.
For each position applied for:
Log on to your online application
Click “Job Browser”
Locate the position you want to apply for, Click “Apply”
Submit the current Administrative Open Position Application Form and all required documentation to PCSBjobdocs@polk-fl.net.
IMPORTANT: You must apply by the close of business on the posting expiration date.
To apply for district-level administrative positions, please follow the How to Apply instructions listed below. Information regarding the job-specific requirements of a posting can be found in the Details section of the advertisement.
How to Apply
IMPORTANT! All applicants, including employees of Polk County Public Schools, must complete an online employment application.
- Complete and submit the Online Employment Application
- For each position applied for:
- Log on to your online application
- Click “Job Browser”
- Locate the position you want to apply for
- Click “Apply”
- Submit the current Administrative Open Position Application Form and all required documentation to PCSBjobdocs@polk-fl.net.
- Go to http://www.fldoe.org/edcert to apply for a Florida Teaching Certificate.
- Request that your college or university send official transcripts to the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE).
- Out-of-State Applicants: Submit a copy of your valid, standard, out-of-state certificate to the FLDOE and Polk County Public Schools, Human Resource Services, Certification Office. (Write your Social Security number on each copy.)
Florida Department of Education
Bureau of Educator Certification, Room 201, Turlington Building
325 W. Gaines St.
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400
(contact the FLDOE toll-free at 1-800-445-6739)
Polk County Public Schools
Human Resource Services, Certification Office
1915 S. Floral Ave.
Bartow, Florida 33830
- Read Managing Your Online Application located on this page.
- Gather supporting documentation (i.e., work experience, education history, reference contact information. Record the assigned Applicant Reference Identification Number that you receive in a safe and accessible location.
- Complete your PCPS application.
- View and apply for available positions using the Job Browser located within your employment application.
- The automated Applicant Registration System (ARS) will notify you of your interview status.
- If/when you are selected for an interview, you will need to contact the specific location to accept or decline the interview.
If you do not hold a valid Florida certificate for full-time teaching or a valid Florida Statement of Status of Eligibility (SOE), which deems you eligible to hold a Florida certificate for full-time teaching, visit www.fldoe.org/edcert/apply.asp. to apply for Florida Certification.
School Bus Drivers
- Job Description
- $16.25 per hour for appointed drivers
- Health insurance, free employee health clinics, Florida Retirement System benefits
School Bus Attendants
- Job Description
- $15.00 per hour for appointed attendants
- Health insurance, free employee health clinics, Florida Retirement System benefits
To apply, visit jobs.polk-fl.net or our administration building at the intersection of U.S. 17 and State Road 60 bypass in Bartow (1430 State Road 60 E.).
Applications are taken Monday – Friday from 9 AM until 3:30 PM
For questions, please call recruiting (863) 534-7298
How to Apply for a Custodial, Maintenance or Vehicle Services Position
Custodial positions listed on the “Non-Instructional Positions Currently Available” page are “permanent” positions and may be filled by individuals who are already employees of Polk County Public Schools. Anyone who is not an employee of the school district may apply for a substitute position and, once hired and trained, may bid on permanent positions. To become a substitute, simply complete the application. Once completed, you will receive a confirmation email stating your application has been received. Once you have received confirmation, you may then contact Custodial Services at 863-534-0721.
Current AFSCME employees interested in applying for a position posted online must complete and submit a Bid/Transfer Form to fulfill the requirements of the application process.
If you are interested in applying for a custodial, maintenance, or vehicle services position, please complete an online application.
If you are applying for a custodial, maintenance or vehicle services position, please note that certain procedures must be adhered to in the employee selection process. Learn more by reviewing the AFSCME Contract Language from the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
For additional information, please call:
- Northeast area: 863-632-3187
- Southwest area: 863-519-8985
- West area: 863-603-6203
Steps to Becoming a Paraeducator
Step 1: Applicants must submit documentation to credentialreview@polk-fl.net for either:
- College Credits — An AA degree from a regionally accredited institution (or 60 semester hours)
- Submit official transcript(s). Electronic transcripts must come directly from the college or a transcript clearinghouse.
- Submit an official advanced degree transcript to the Office of Certification/NCLB Compliance, ATTN: Certification Office (Advanced Degree Supplement Review) via email; postal mail, PO Box 391, Bartow, FL 33831; or personal delivery, 1907 S. Floral Ave., Bartow, FL 33830.
- ParaPro Assessment — A passing score of 464 on the ParaPro Assessment Test
- Submit the original or notarized copy of the ETS Score Report documenting a passing score of 464 via email or call 863-534-0781.
Step 2: Login and complete our online application.
Step 3: Browse openings and apply.
Steps for Applying for a School Nutrition Position
Step 1: Review job description and complete the online employment application.
Step 2: Email your application reference number, full legal name and phone number to schoolnutritionjobs@polk-fl.net. You will immediately receive a response with further instructions.
Step 3: Supply copies of required documents to the hiring manager:
- Proof of 10th grade education (mandatory, no exceptions)
- Florida driver’s license or Florida ID card
- Social Security card (do not fax or e-mail)
Required documents can be e-mailed, faxed or delivered in person:
- E-mail: schoolnutritionjobs@polk-fl.net
- Fax: 863-647-4067
- Please call 863-647-4804, ext. 1, to arrange delivery in person.
Once your documents are reviewed and references have been verified, you may be selected for a pre screening interview.
*If you need assistance with English, please arrange to bring someone with you to translate. We can provide someone to translate Spanish to English if you make the request in advance.
Step 4: Check your e-mail for your scheduled interview time or a letter of non-selection based on document review. In most cases you will hear back within a week once you have submitted all required documents.
Step 5: Pre Screening interview (if selected)
All employees start as substitutes and are eligible to apply for advertised vacancies.
Rate of Pay
- Substitutes: Minimum wage
- School nutrition assistants: $15/hour
For additional information, please call 863-647-4804
How to Apply for a Substitute Position
Polk County Public Schools has partnered with Kelly Educational Staffing (KES) for our substitute teacher, substitute paraeducator, and substitute clerical needs. KES handles all aspects, including recruiting, hiring, training and scheduling.
For additional information, please visit Kelly Educational Staffing’s website.
https://www.kellyeducationalstaffing.us/kes/other/district-pages/polk-county-school-district/
A few things we think are good to know…
- During the online application process, you will be assigned a reference number. This is your Polk County Public Schools application number.
- For security reasons, after 15 minutes, if you have not made an entry on the application, you will be disconnected from our system and will have to log in again.
- Our website uses standard encryption provided by Thawte Corporation to secure the data you transmit to us via the internet.
- This is the industry-standard best practice for protecting internet transmissions.
- Your application is password-protected, but it is your responsibility to ensure your password is complex enough so that it cannot be guessed.
Managing Your Online Application
- Registration. (You must use Google Chrome as your web browser to complete your application.)
Our online Application Registration System (ARS) will only let you create one account. If you receive the message “Your social security number is already in use,” this message means that you have previously begun an application and need to use the email address that was originally associated with your social security number to Log-in. - Application Password. The District does not have access to the password that you created when you registered. If you have forgotten your password, you must click the Forgot My Password button on the log-in page. You will be asked security-related questions. You will receive the email message, “Password reset request from Polk County Public Schools” and a link with instructions to process your password request.
- Email Account Change. We strongly encourage you to register an email address that you plan to use for at least one full calendar year. However, in the event you must change your registered email address, you must submit the email address change request directly to jobs@polk-fl.net.
- ***Please provide the original email address and the updated email address that you plan to use for the next 12 months.
- Self-Disclosure. If you have self-disclosed information on your application pertaining to your criminal history, it is your responsibility to follow up with the Employee Relations Department regarding your status. You may reach this office by calling 863-534-0781, option 4.
- Hiring Requirements. View the details of each position of interest attached to each posted vacancy. If you are applying for an instructional position, you must hold or be deemed eligible to hold a certificate in the specific subject area for which you are applying. Your certification information must be up-to-date (i.e., valid certificate) and reflected on your online application.
- Application Maintenance. Be sure to include accurate and up-to-date information on your application. List contact numbers and email addresses that are valid. Verify the names and numbers of references prior to listing them on an application. (All employers listed on your application will need to be contacted as part of the onboarding process.)
- Making Changes to Your Application. You may modify/update your application as often as you desire. However, to ensure that your changes are saved, return to the “Your Application Status” screen and resubmit it.
- The system will inform you of the date and time of the last changes made to your online application. You may not see the changes immediately.
- Changes to your application are reflected within 24 hours.
Once you secure employment, we encourage you to hide your online application, after you have received your official PCPS email account. Inactivating your application will prevent hiring administrators from contacting you regarding employment. (You can return to your application and make it visible again whenever you choose.) Follow these steps to inactivate your application:
- Select the Application Status tab.
- Go to the Application Visibility Status box (shown above).
- Follow the instructions to “Inactivate Your Application”.
Additional Information for Applicants
Which best describes you?
University/college education major intern (completing final internship)
Then, you’ll need to…
- request a Letter of Conferral from the college/university reflecting that you have no financial holds and have successfully completed all requirements to earn your bachelor’s degree
- submit the Letter of Conferral to credentialreview@polk-fl.net or fax to 863-534-0737 and
- apply for a Florida teaching certificate by visiting fldoe.org. Once the degree is officially awarded/conferred, submit an official transcript to the Florida Department of Education.
Non-Education degree major
Then, you’ll need to…
be deemed eligible by the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) to hold a valid Florida Educator’s Temporary or Professional Teaching Certificate
English
Spanish
Haitian Creole