Renewing Your Professional Teaching Certificate

An employee who holds a Florida Professional teaching Certificate may renew as early as July 1^st of the year prior to the certificate expiration date.

For example: A teacher’s certificates expires 6-30-2020, he/she can renew as early as 7-1-2019.

All methods listed below must be completed within the validity period of your Professional Certificate being renewed.
The methods include:
• In-service Points – A minimum of 120 in-service points is required for renewal for those who have four or less academic areas on their professional certificate. Endorsements are not academic areas and do not require in-service points.
• College Credit – One 3 semester hour course is equivalent to 60 in-service points. A grade of at least ‘C’ must be earned in each college course used for renewal. A grade of ‘pass’ or ‘satisfactory’ is an acceptable grade. Course(s) used for certificate renewal must be completed at an accredited college or university.
• Subject Area Exam – A passing score on a subject area exam for the subject added or reflected on the Professional Certificate is equivalent to 60 in-service points. Passing scores are automatically submitted to the DOE. Note: The subject area exam to obtain your initial Professional Certificate, cannot be used as a method of renewal.
• National Board Certification – A valid NBPTS Certificate will renew the corresponding coverage on the Professional Certificate and is equivalent to 120 in-service points.
• College Teaching Experience – A course taught at the college level at an accredited institution is the same as a course taken for renewal. Request that the registrar at your college/university submit a letter listing the prefix, number and name for each course, the number of semester hours earned by students in each course, and the dates the courses were taught. Teaching multiple sections of the same course.
• Schools of Excellence– The substitution of 1 school year of employment within a School of Excellence May be used for 20 in-service points toward the renewal of a professional certificate, up to 60 in-service points in a 5-year cycle, pursuant to s. 1012.585(3).

Reference the Renewal Checklist

Use the Checklist below to assist you with the process of renewing your 5-Year Florida Professional Educator’s Teaching Certificate.
(Note: Steps 1-5 must be completed prior to June 30th in order to renew your teaching certificate.)

1. Obtain the minimum requirement of 120 in-service points of which 20 in-service points must be in Teaching Students with Disability. (Note: Access the FAQ’S to Renew Your 5-Year Professional Educator’s Certificate under the Methods of Renewal section of the District’s Office of Certification/Compliance/Substitute Services webpage.)
2. Access the Staff Portal, click the Certification tab to complete and submit the Renewal Payment Form.
3. Create a VERSA Educator Account and onboard.
4. Review the step-by-step instructions on How to Complete the FLDOE Renewal Application.
5. Submit the VERSA Renewal Online Application with the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE). (Note: Select District Affiliation: 53-Polk)

Send your additional questions/concerns to certhelp1@polk-fl.net (Secondary & K-8) or certhelp2@polk-fl.net (Elementary).

Reference the renewal checklist and do a self-check to ensure you’ve completed all the necessary steps.

While renewing your certificate, if your name is different on the application than what is showing at the FLDOE and your new name has been changed in SAP, then it will automatically be changed.

If you have four or less academic areas on your certificate, then you will need a minimum of 120 in-service points to include 20 in-service points (one semester hour) in teaching students with disabilities (SWD) per Senate Bill 1108 (SB 1108).
Note: Endorsements are not an academic area and do not require any in-service points towards renewal.

Access NetConnect at this link to check your in-service record: https://polk.truenorthlogic.com/U/P/Tab/Home.

Please reach out to patti.wilkins@polk-fl.net in our Professional Development Department.

Please reach out to the instructor of the course in question to ensure that all was completed and submitted such as any required follow up.

Inservice points earned during a professional certificate validity period for SWD, the ESOL Endorsement, and the Reading Endorsement are bankable inservice points. Bankable simply means that if there are excess points not used towards the current certificate renewal then they may be used towards future renewal periods.

If you are transferring to Polk County from another Florida school district, request an In-service Teacher Education Transfer Record (Form OTE 206) from your former District.
• This form must be submitted electronically to: Patti.wilkins@polk-fl.net

You will need to create an account with GoSignMeUp to register for FDLRS courses

If your FDLRS SWD points are not reflected on your NetConnect transcripts please contact Matthew Cobble for assistance.

Once you access your in-service record, any course that can be applied towards meeting the SWD requirement will have a notation of 1108 at the end of the title.

Visit the FDLRS Website to view the list of courses that are available through the district to meet the SWD requirement. Be sure to follow the color legend for courses that meet the SWD Credit.

• Visit the BEESS Portal Professional Development Alternatives website under the heading of Independent Study Courses to obtain information and register for the following SWD approved courses:

• Teaching Students with Disabilities
• Effective Teaching Practices for Students with Disabilities
• Inclusive Practices for the Developmentally Appropriate PreK Classroom
• Leadership for Inclusion of Students with Disabilities
• Math Difficulties, Disabilities, and Dyscalculia
• Reading Difficulties, Disabilities and Dyslexia – Revised
• Student Services for Inclusive Schools
• Teaching Students with Disabilities for Physical Education
• Teaching Students with Disabilities in the Fine Arts
• Universal Design for Learning K-12 Lesson Plans

• An ESE subject area exam(i.e., Exceptional Student Education K-12, Hearing Impaired K-12, Visually Impaired K-12 or Speech-Language Impaired K-12) passed during the validity period that corresponds with the ESE coverage on the certificate satisfies 60 in-service points and the credit for teaching SWD

• A valid NBPTS Exceptional Needs Specialist Certificate satisfies the teaching SWD requirement when the Florida Professional Certificate includes an ESE coverage

• An ESE College course completed during the validity period of your professional certificate may also be used to meet this requirement, if the course is approved through our district

Your in-service points will automatically be uploaded to your NetConnect transcript. However, you can email a copy of your SWD Certificate of Completion to certificationoffice@polk-fl.net

      and the specialist assigned to your school can use your certificate that reflects 20 points were awarded as proof that you met the SWD requirement.

For course approval send an email to poinsetta.tillman@polk-fl.net with the following information: Course prefix & number, name of course, name of college, course description, and number of semester hours.
Note: Once courses are approved, forward the email approval for the course to the certificationoffice@polk-fl.net.

Submit the official transcript reflecting the approved course(s) to the certification office if not already on file.

Unfortunately,the following courses are not acceptable—per the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE):
• Gifted Education courses
• American Sign Language courses (unless the courses are in teaching American Sign Language to the Hearing Impaired)

Yes, excess SWD credit earned during a professional certificate validity period that includes the 2014-2015 or later school year is eligible to be banked for future certificate renewals.

 Renewal applications are processed in the date order that all was completed towards renewing your professional certificate.  Depending on the volume of applications in the processing queue will impact the time of processing by our office. Please reach out to the certificationoffice@polk-fl.net if more than 30 days have passed since you completed and submitted your last piece of documentation towards renewal.

Once you complete and submit the Renewal Payment Form that is located within the Staff Portal, then the renewal request is placed in the Certification Office’s queue for processing. The Renewal Payment Form must be completed in order for the Certification Office to begin processing the renewal application that you submitted to the FLDOE.

After submitting the Renewal Payment Form, your status will reflect Pending

Note: If the Renewal Payment Form status is Pending, it means the Certification Office has not reviewed your form. Renewal Payment Forms are processed in date order in which the forms are received on the Staff Portal.

If your Renewal Payment Form status is Incomplete, it can be for one of the following reasons:

·        General In-service points not met

·        SWD in-service points not met

·        Not met renewal requirements (120 in-service points; 100 general in-service and 20 SWD)

·        Application not submitted to the FLDOE

·        Application issue that requires the FLDOE’s assistance (When there’s “Yes’” marked on the Legal Disclosure section of the application, our office will need approval from the FLDOE to process your renewal.  Until notification is received from the FLDOE, our office is unable to process your renewal).

Note: Please notify certificationoffice@polk-fl.net once you have documented the reason for the incomplete status. Your status will remain Incomplete on the Staff Portal until your renewal application is processed.

College Transcripts cannot be uploaded on the Renewal Payment Form on the Staff Portal.

You can submit your official transcript to the FLDOE by one of the methods listed below. A copy of a transcript is not accepted by the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE).

Mail to the following address:
Bureau of Educator Certification
Room 201, Turlington Building
325 West Gaines Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0400

OR

Request that your college submit electronically by the FASTER or SPEEDE method. Note: These are the only secure methods of electronic receipt by the FLDOE.

An employee who holds a Florida Professional teaching Certificate may renew as early as July 1^st of the year prior to the certificate expiration date.

For example: A teacher’s certificates expires 6-30-2020, he/she can renew as early as 7-1-2019.

All methods listed below must be completed within the validity period of your Professional Certificate being renewed.
The methods include:
• In-service Points – A minimum of 120 in-service points is required for renewal for those who have four or less academic areas on their professional certificate. Endorsements are not academic areas and do not require in-service points. Contact patti.wilkins@polk-fl.net to submit your Polk County in-service points to the FLDOE.
• College Credit – One 3 semester hour course is equivalent to 60 in-service points. Submit an official transcript to the FLDOE. (Photocopies are not official transcripts). A grade of at least ‘C’ must be earned in each college course used for renewal. A grade of ‘pass’ or ‘satisfactory’ is an acceptable grade. Course(s) used for certificate renewal must be completed at an accredited college or university.
• Subject Area Exam – A passing score on subject area exam for the subject added or reflected on the Professional Certificate is equivalent to 60 in-service points. Passing scores are automatically submitted to the DOE. Note: The subject area exam to obtain your initial Professional Certificate, cannot be used as a method of renewal.
• National Board Certification – A valid NBPTS Certificate will renew the corresponding coverage on the Professional Certificate and is equivalent to 120 in-service points. Upload a copy of your valid NBPTS Certificate to the FLDOE Renewal Application.
• College Teaching Experience – A course taught at the college level at an accredited institution is the same as a course taken for renewal. Request that the registrar at your college/university submit a letter to the FLDOE listing the prefix, number and name for each course, the number of semester hours earned by students in each course, and the dates the courses were taught. Teaching multiple sections of the same course.
• Schools of Excellence– The substitution of 1 school year of employment within a School of Excellence may be used for 20 inservice points toward the renewal of a professional certificate, up to 60 inservice points in a 5-year cycle, pursuant to s. 1012.585(3).

If you are not employed with a school district in the state of Florida, please select 100-FLDOE as your district affiliation within the FLDOE Renewal Application.

If you have four or less academic areas on your certificate, then you will need a minimum of 120 in-service points to include 20 inservice points (one semester hour) in teaching students with disabilities (SWD) per Senate Bill 1108 (SB 1108).
Note: Endorsements are not an academic area and do not require any in-service points towards renewal.

Access NetConnect at this link to check your in-service record: https://polk.truenorthlogic.com/U/P/Tab/Home.
Note: If you do not have access to NetConnect you will need to login as a guest user to register for a course. NetConnect & Non-Employee Professional Development Information

Please reach out to patti.wilkins@polk-fl.net in our Professional Development Department.

Please reach out to the instructor of the course in question to ensure that all was completed and submitted such as any required follow up.

Inservice points earned during a professional certificate validity period for SWD, the ESOL Endorsement, and the Reading Endorsement are bankable inservice points. Bankable simply means that if there are excess points not used towards the current certificate renewal then they may be used towards future renewal periods.

Contact patti.wilkins@polk-fl.net to submit your Polk County in-service points to the FLDOE.

You will need to create an account with GoSignMeUp to register for FDLRS courses.

If your FDLRS SWD points are not reflected on your NetConnect transcripts please contact Matthew Cobble for assistance.

Visit the FDLRS Website to view the list of courses that are available through the district to meet the SWD requirement. Be sure to follow the color legend for courses that meet the SWD Credit

• Visit the BEESS Portal Professional Development Alternatives website under the heading of Independent Study Courses to obtain information and register for the following SWD approved courses:

• Teaching Students with Disabilities
• Effective Teaching Practices for Students with Disabilities
• Inclusive Practices for the Developmentally Appropriate PreK Classroom
• Leadership for Inclusion of Students with Disabilities
• Math Difficulties, Disabilities, and Dyscalculia
• Reading Difficulties, Disabilities and Dyslexia – Revised
• Student Services for Inclusive Schools
• Teaching Students with Disabilities for Physical Education
• Teaching Students with Disabilities in the Fine Arts
• Universal Design for Learning K-12 Lesson Plans

• An ESE subject area exam (i.e., Exceptional Student Education K-12, Hearing Impaired K-12, Visually Impaired K-12 or Speech-Language Impaired K-12) passed during the validity period that corresponds with the ESE coverage on the certificate satisfies 60 in-service points and the credit for teaching SWD

• A valid NBPTS Exceptional Needs Specialist Certificate satisfies the teaching SWD requirement when the Florida Professional Certificate includes an ESE coverage

• An ESE College course completed during the validity period of your professional certificate may also be used to meet this requirement, if the course is approved by the FLDOE.

Contact the FLDOE for ESE college course approval.

Yes, excess SWD credit earned during a professional certificate validity period that includes the 2014-2015 or later school year is eligible to be banked for future certificate renewals.

Unfortunately, the following courses are not acceptable—per the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE):
• Gifted Education courses
• American Sign Language courses (unless the courses are in teaching American Sign Language to the Hearing Impaired)

If you have enrolled in an independent study course with a follow-up activity, it must be reviewed and verified for satisfactory completion by a Florida school district administrator or supervisor in the field of education. FDLRS staff do not review and verify follow-up activities. It is your responsibility, prior to starting a course, to ensure that you have a Florida school district administrator or supervisor who is willing to verify the completion of your follow-up activity. If you do not have one, you may want to register for a different BEESS Portal facilitated course that does not require an administrator’s verification signature.

An employee who holds a Florida Professional teaching Certificate may renew as early as July 1^st of the year prior to the certificate expiration date.

For example: A teacher’s certificates expires 6-30-2020, he/she can renew as early as 7-1-2019.

All methods listed below must be completed within the validity period of your Professional Certificate being renewed.
The methods include:
• In-service Points – A minimum of 120 in-service points is required for renewal for those who have four or less academic areas on their professional certificate. Endorsements are not academic areas and do not require in-service points.
• College Credit – One 3 semester hour course is equivalent to 60 in-service points. A grade of at least ‘C’ must be earned in each college course used for renewal. A grade of ‘pass’ or ‘satisfactory’ is an acceptable grade. Course(s) used for certificate renewal must be completed at an accredited college or university.
• Subject Area Exam – A passing score on a subject area exam for the subject added or reflected on the Professional Certificate is equivalent to 60 in-service points. Passing scores are automatically submitted to the DOE. Note: The subject area exam to obtain your initial Professional Certificate, cannot be used as a method of renewal.
• National Board Certification – A valid NBPTS Certificate will renew the corresponding coverage on the Professional Certificate and is equivalent to 120 in-service points.
• College Teaching Experience – A course taught at the college level at an accredited institution is the same as a course taken for renewal. Request that the registrar at your college/university submit a letter listing the prefix, number and name for each course, the number of semester hours earned by students in each course, and the dates the courses were taught. Teaching multiple sections of the same course.
• Schools of Excellence– The substitution of 1 school year of employment within a School of Excellence May be used for 20 in-service points toward the renewal of a professional certificate, up to 60 in-service points in a 5-year cycle, pursuant to s. 1012.585(3).

While renewing your certificate, if your name is different on the application than what is showing at the FLDOE and your new name has been changed in SAP, then it will automatically be changed.

If you have four or less academic areas on your certificate, then you will need a minimum of 120 in-service points to include 20 in-service points (one semester hour) in teaching students with disabilities (SWD) per Senate Bill 1108 (SB 1108).
Note: Endorsements are not an academic area and do not require any in-service points towards renewal.

Access NetConnect at this link to check your in-service record: https://polk.truenorthlogic.com/U/P/Tab/Home.

Note: If you do not have access to NetConnect you will need to login as a guest user to register for a course. NetConnect & Non-Employee Professional Development Information

Please reach out to patti.wilkins@polk-fl.net in our Professional Development Department.

Please reach out to the instructor of the course in question to ensure that all was completed and submitted such as any required follow up.

Inservice points earned during a professional certificate validity period for SWD, the ESOL Endorsement, and the Reading Endorsement are bankable inservice points. Bankable simply means that if there are excess points not used towards the current certificate renewal then they may be used towards future renewal periods.

If you are transferring to Polk County from another Florida school district, request an In-service Teacher Education Transfer Record (Form OTE 206) from your former District.
• This form must be submitted electronically to: Patti.wilkins@polk-fl.net

You will need to create an account with GoSignMeUp to register for FDLRS courses

If your FDLRS SWD points are not reflected on your NetConnect transcripts please contact Matthew Cobble for assistance.

Once you access your in-service record, any course that can be applied towards meeting the SWD requirement will have a notation of 1108 at the end of the title.

Visit the FDLRS Website to view the list of courses that are available through the district to meet the SWD requirement. Be sure to follow the color legend for courses that meet the SWD Credit

• Visit the BEESS Portal Professional Development Alternatives website under the heading of Independent Study Courses to obtain information and register for the following SWD approved courses:

• Teaching Students with Disabilities
• Effective Teaching Practices for Students with Disabilities
• Inclusive Practices for the Developmentally Appropriate PreK Classroom
• Leadership for Inclusion of Students with Disabilities
• Math Difficulties, Disabilities, and Dyscalculia
• Reading Difficulties, Disabilities and Dyslexia – Revised
• Student Services for Inclusive Schools
• Teaching Students with Disabilities for Physical Education
• Teaching Students with Disabilities in the Fine Arts
• Universal Design for Learning K-12 Lesson Plans

• An ESE subject area exam (i.e., Exceptional Student Education K-12, Hearing Impaired K-12, Visually Impaired K-12 or Speech-Language Impaired K-12) passed during the validity period that corresponds with the ESE coverage on the certificate satisfies 60 in-service points and the credit for teaching SWD

• A valid NBPTS Exceptional Needs Specialist Certificate satisfies the teaching SWD requirement when the Florida Professional Certificate includes an ESE coverage

• An ESE College course completed during the validity period of your professional certificate may also be used to meet this requirement, if the course is approved by the FLDOE.

For course approval send an email to poinsetta.tillman@polk-fl.net with the following information: Course prefix & number, name of course, name of college, course description, and number of semester hours.
Note: Once courses are approved, forward the email approval for the course to the certificationoffice@polk-fl.net.

Submit the official transcript reflecting the approved course(s) to the certification office if not already on file.

Unfortunately, the following courses are not acceptable—per the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE):
• Gifted Education courses
• American Sign Language courses (unless the courses are in teaching American Sign Language to the Hearing Impaired)

Yes, excess SWD credit earned during a professional certificate validity period that includes the 2014-2015 or later school year is eligible to be banked for future certificate renewals.