Professional Development

ACE - Professional Development Certification Program

The ACE Professional Development Certification Program is designed to provide mid-career professionals the opportunity to fulfill instructional requirements to qualify as an educator. After completing the ACE program, the participant may seek a professional teaching certificate.

ACE Webpage

Florida Teacher Certification Examinations (FTCE)

Polk County Public Schools offers free assistance for teachers preparing for the FTCE General Knowledge Test.

Throughout the year, the Office of Professional Development schedules face-to-face review classes for the math, English, and essay portions of the FTCE General Knowledge Test. Classes are free for district employees and some charter school participants; the cost for those out of district is $100.

Classes fill up quickly. Watch the district weekly email via theHUB or contact Professional Development for more information.

Florida Teacher Certification Examinations (FTCE)

Polk County Public Schools offers free assistance for teachers preparing for the FTCE General Knowledge Test.

Throughout the year, the Office of Professional Development schedules face-to-face review classes for the math, English, and essay portions of the FTCE General Knowledge Test. Classes are free for district employees and some charter school participants; the cost for those out of district is $100.

Classes fill up quickly. Watch the district weekly email via theHUB or contact Professional Development for more information.

NavaED Publishing is under investigation and their resources are not an appropriate source of teacher test study materials.

Academy of Leadership

Our professional development department also offers leadership opportunities. Under the Academy of Leadership, we offer the Aspiring Leaders Program, onboarding courses for new Principals and Assistant Principals, and the Principal Internship Program. If you are not staff but would like to participate in the opportunity, click the contact button at the top of the page.

Professional Development for Non-Employees

Persons who are not employees of the Polk County Schools may be eligible to participate in professional learning activities offered by the district through NetConnect. They may also receive in-service credit toward renewal of their Florida professional educator certificate based on successful participation and completion of related follow-up processes.

Instructions for Creating a Guest Account in netCONNECT

(This is for NON-Polk County Public Schools employees, to include retirees.)

The Course Creator must allow guest access in order for a guest user to register for a course.

***Guest users should not use their Polk County Schools credentials or User Name to create a guest account. ***

“Guest” users:

• Go to > https://www.polkschoolsfl.com/quicklinks/pd
• Scroll to the bottom of the page “Professional Development for Non-Employees”.
• Click on the “Register” button in the “Create Account” box.
• Input a username which does not contain special characters such as "@", so your username cannot be an email address.
• Input any 8-digit number in the “Employee ID” field, just NOT your PCPS SAP number. Try your phone number (minus area code) plus an extra digit, as an example.
• Click on “Log In”. You will be able to log into netCONNECT and register for courses that have included “Guests” as possible registrants.

PLEASE NOTE: If you register in netCONNECT for a course that has been created in Schoology, it may take up to 24 hours before you will be able to access the course in Schoology, as a nightly import must take place.

theHUB Login

For information about training events and further development log in to theHUB for Staff.
If you are not currently a staff member but are interested in becoming an administrator or participating in other professional development opportunities, please click the contact button at the top of the page.