Florida Teacher Certification

How to Become a Teacher in Florida

In order to receive a Professional Florida Educator’s Certificate to teach in the state of Florida, candidates must complete a state-approved teacher preparation program as well as the Florida Teacher Certification Examination. If these requirements have not been met, but applicants have completed a Bachelor’s degree or higher in an endorsed subject area or a teacher preparation program outside of the state of Florida, candidates may receive a Temporary Certificate and begin to teach in Florida schools while pursuing the remaining qualifications of a Professional Florida Educator’s Certificate.

Spotlight School

Liberty University

Popular Programs:

• AA in Education (Non-Licensure)
• M.Ed. - Teaching and Learning
• M.Ed. Teaching and Learning - Elementary Education
• MA in Teaching - Elementary Education
• And more...

Florida Teacher Education Requirements

To receive a Florida teaching certification, one must complete a teacher preparation program from an accredited university which is approved by the state. Applicants for becoming a teacher in Florida may qualify for a Temporary Certificate so that they can begin to teach immediately while fulfilling the teacher education requirements of the State Board of Education.

Profiles of Well Known Schools

University of Florida: Located in Gainesville, FL, the University of Florida is home to arguably the best education department in the entire state. The University Of Florida College Of Education was founded in 1906 and has consistently been ranked among the top 25 of public education schools in the country according to most major ranking organizations. Nearly 2,000 undergraduate and graduate students make up the student body in the College of Education making it one of the biggest in the entire university. Students are able to choose from 21 bachelors and graduate degree programs that include eight specialty areas such as Counseling, Administration, Educational Technology, Special Education, K-12 Education, Literacy, Research and Assessment, and School Psychology. The College of Education is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education and has been so since 1954.

Florida Teacher Testing Requirements

In the state of Florida, prospective teachers must pass the three-part Florida Teacher Certification Examination (FTCE). Candidates who have met the education requirements but have not yet passed the FTCE may receive a Temporary Certificate enabling them to teach for up to three years during which time they must successfully pass the test to continue teaching in the state of Florida.

Florida Teacher Salary and Jobs

Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics as of May 2011.

Florida Teacher Interview

Interview with Jill Tillis, Florida Kindergarten Teacher

Interview with Kris Hughes, Florida Second Grade Teacher

School Programs for Becoming a Teacher in Florida

Request free information from the following schools to learn more about your options for choosing a teacher degree program. We recommend you: Request information from one or more of these schools

The University of Texas at Arlington

Popular Programs:

• Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Math
• Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Literacy

University of Phoenix

Popular Programs:

• M.A. in Education/Early Childhood Ed.
• M.A. in Education/Secondary Teacher Education
• B.S. in Education / Elementary Education
• A.A. in Elementary Education
• And more...

Jones College

Popular Programs:

• Elementary Education

Locations: Jacksonville

California University of Pennsylvania

Popular Programs:

• Early Childhood Education (Certification Only)
• Master of Education in Early Childhood Education
• MA in Teaching: Advanced Studies in Secondary Education- National Board Preparation
• Superintendent Letter of Eligibility (SLE)
• And more...

Keiser University Campus

Popular Programs:

• Education, MS (Online Only)
• Master of Science in Education with a specialization in Teaching and Learning (Online Only)
• Master of Science in Education with a specialization in Career College Administration (Online Only)
• Master of Science in Education with a specialization in Leadership (Online Only)

Locations: Port Saint Lucie

Student Review: “My experience at the University of Phoenix was a wonderful one that has prepared me for the wonderful world of teaching. My experiences gave me the knowledge in different learning styles and programs available to teachers. I benefitted from the online learning environment by being able to attend class whenever I had free time in my schedule. The online format allowed for more in depth conversations than a traditional timed class would allow. The diversity of school systems across the country also helped to understand the different ways school systems are run. For me, online classes made me a well rounded student and prepared me for the real world in the classroom.” -Jennifer D., student at University of Phoenix

Frequently Asked Questions about Becoming a Teacher in Florida

Question: What are the requirements to become an elementary school teacher in Florida?

Answer: Becoming an elementary teacher in Florida first requires earning a bachelor’s degree in elementary education or in another subject with at least 30 credit hours in elementary education. The next step is to pass the tests for elementary certifications and for the subject areas you hope to teach. Finally, you must apply to the Florida Department of Education for your certificate.

Question: How do I become a substitute teacher in Florida?

Answer: The requirements for being a substitute teacher in Florida vary depending on each district. At a minimum, you must be 18, have graduated from high school, and pass a criminal background check. Most districts require some type of certification as well, which may be through the state or the district.

Question: How do I become a high school teacher in Florida?

Answer: The first step towards becoming a high school teacher in Florida is to earn a bachelor’s degree. You must then pass a test that demonstrates your mastery of the subjects you hope to teach. Finally, you need to complete a teacher preparation program at a college or university and apply for your certificate through the state.

Schools with Teaching Degree Programs in Florida

Barry University
11300 NE 2nd Ave
Miami, FL 33161-6695
(800) 756-6000

Bethune-Cookman University
640 Dr Mary McLeod Bethune Blvd
Daytona Beach, FL 32114-3099
(386) 481-2000
www.cookman.edu/admissions/index.html

Brevard Community College
1519 Clearlake Rd
Cocoa, FL 32922
(321) 632-1111
www.brevardcc.edu

Carlos Albizu University-Miami Campus
2173 N.W. 99th Avenue
Miami, FL 33172-2209
(305) 593-1223
mia.albizu.edu/web/admissions.asp

Central Florida Community College
3001 SW College Rd
Ocala, FL 34474
(352) 873-5800
www.cf.edu/departments/sa/admissions/index.htm

Chipola College
3094 Indian Circle
Marianna, FL 32446-2053
(850) 526-2761
www.chipola.edu/registrar/index.htm

Clearwater Christian College
3400 Gulf to Bay Blvd
Clearwater, FL 33759-4595
(727) 726-1153
www.clearwater.edu/admissions/undergrad/

Flagler College
74 King Street
Saint Augustine, FL 32084
(904) 829-6481

Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
Tallahassee, FL 32307
(850) 599-3000

Florida Atlantic University
777 Glades Rd
Boca Raton, FL 33431-0991
(561) 297-3000
www.fau.edu/admissions/

Student Review: “I am a huge fan of Florida Atlantic University! I believe the campus at Boca Raton to be a beautiful campus, with outstanding professors. The college is self is huge and has tons of activities and clubs for students to get involved in. The layout of the college is easy to navigate. The college of education is beautiful, and has a user friendly computer lab that all college of Ed students are able to use. The student service is great and will usually take walk in appointments. FAU creates a fun atmosphere with the new stadium that was just built, and is just minutes a way from the beach. It is a great school if you love to catch up on homework while soaking up the sunshine, rather than just a boring library. It is close to home for me, so the convenience is unbeatable. The only complaint I would have is that parking can be a hassle at times.” -Jenn W., student at Florida Atlantic University

Student Review: “I enjoyed my time at Florida Atlantic University. I transferred there from a local community college and I never felt out of place. It is mostly a commuter school but those who choose to live on campus tend to be more social. I wish that the school organizations and clubs accommodated commuter’s schedules more. It was extremely hard for me to get involved because the clubs and organizations met so late (usually 7pm and later). The professors are extremely understanding and willing to help if they feel like you are trying. In my opinion, our school is a lot easier than other Florida state universities.” -Kerinna B., student at Florida Atlantic University

Florida College
119 North Glen Arven Avenue
Temple Terrace, FL 33617
(813) 988-5131
www.floridacollege.edu/

Student Review: “I have come to truly and completely enjoy the experience spent in the education system here at Florida College. The class sizes are small, and as one may guess, this warrants a great deal of attention from the professor per individual. Florida College also operates it’s own academy for K-8 students. It is here that the education majors can hone their skills in their final 2 years of college, and work on the finer things such as personal teaching technique or special approaches to teaching. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here as an education major at Florida College.” -Peyton C., student at Florida College

Florida Institute of Technology
150 West University Boulevard
Melbourne, FL 32901-6975
(321) 674-8000

Florida International University
11200 S. W. 8 Street
Miami, FL 33199
(305) 348-2000
admissions.fiu.edu/

Student Review: The program at FIU was valuable overall. Many of the curriculum classes overlapped content-wise. There were a couple of classes about teaching pedagogy specifically, although there could have been more. We were required to complete several visits to schools to observe other teachers in action before we started our internship. I felt, however, that our internship, at only 12 weeks was short. I think it would have been better if it overlapped two semesters. Furthermore, during the internship, I received feedback only from the teacher whose class I was working in and never really got any feedback or contact from my internship instructor from the university. Other issues I had were that we were required to take Statistics for Research methods when in reality this course was not practical for a majority of graduate students merely seeking to secure credits for certification to teach in the state of Florida. The actual coursework specific to my field of study, social studies, was appropriately varied to prepare me to teach a variety of classes in a secondary school setting. -Tamara F., student at Florida International University

Florida Memorial University
15800 NW 42 Ave
Miami Gardens, FL 33054-6199
(305) 626-3600

Florida Southern College
111 Lake Hollingsworth Dr
Lakeland, FL 33801-5698
(863) 680-4111
www.flsouthern.edu/admissions

Florida State University
211 Westcott Bldg
Tallahassee, FL 32306-1037
(850) 644-2525
admissions.fsu.edu/

Student Review: “I really enjoyed my experience in the Elementary Education B.A. degree program at the University of Florida. The class schedules were flexible, and most had an online option. The best part was the internships. The coordinators were great about matching you with the perfect school and teacher in the community to model. The feedback from the instructors was really helpful, and all of the instructors had a solid history of teaching a variety of grade levels. I wish there was even more time required for student teaching, but I feel I did get enough experience to perform as a solo teacher in my area. I would recommend any of the teaching degree tracks at UF to anyone wanting to obtain a teaching certificate.” -Mary B., student at Florida State University

Student Review: “FSU is an awesome school. Florida State has so many opportunities for students to be successful. They have classes taught by some of the leading professors in their fields, and despite the size, the faculty seems to make the university feel small, particularly as you advance in your major. While I was a student at Florida State, I had the opportunity to be selected for an international internship. I was able to live and work in London and I was paid by the university to do it. It was an once in a lifetime opportunity. My story is not unique, nor is the opportunity I had to study abroad. Florida State has many other exceptional programs and campuses all over the world within their International Programs. Whatever your academic interests I would recommend Florida State to anyone seeking a quality education.” -Jennifer K., student at Florida State University

Gulf Coast Community College
5230 West Highway 98
Panama City, FL 32401
(850) 769-1551
www.gulfcoast.edu/admissions/

Hobe Sound Bible College
11298 SE Gomez
Hobe Sound, FL 33455-1065
(772) 546-5534
www.hsbc.edu

Indian River State College
3209 Virginia Ave
Fort Pierce, FL 34981-5596
(772) 462-4772

Jacksonville University
2800 University Blvd N
Jacksonville, FL 32211-3394
(904) 256-8000

Lake Sumter Community College
1405 County Road 526A
Sumterville,FL 33585
(352) 568-0001

Student Review: “I received a degree in Early Childhood Education at Lake-Sumter Community College. My first impression of the program was that it was very organized. I consulted with my advisor the first day of college and planned my course of action. I was required to take multiple courses including Early Childhood Development and Microcomputer Applications. My degree required a total of 60 credit hours in order to fulfill all requirements per my degree. Lake-Sumter was very welcoming and encouraging. The teachers that I had were very nice, informative, and helpful. I enjoyed all my classes and it took me only 2 years to receive the degree I planned to achieve. I am contemplating returning to college to receive a bachelor’s degree.” -Hunter S., student at Lake Sumter Community College

Manatee Community College
5840 26th St W
Bradenton, FL 34207
(941) 752-5000

Miami Dade College
300 NE 2nd Ave.
Miami, FL 33132-2297
(305) 237-8888
www.mdc.edu/prospective/

Nova Southeastern University
3301 College Ave
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314-7796
(954) 262-7300
www.nova.edu/cwis/admissions.html

Palm Beach Atlantic University-West Palm Beach
901 S. Flagler Drive
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
(561) 803-2000
www.pba.edu/admissions/

Palm Beach Community College
4200 Congress Ave
Lake Worth, FL 33461-4796
(561) 967-7222
www.pbcc.edu/x1280.xml

Pensacola Junior College
1000 College Blvd
Pensacola, FL 32504-8998
(850) 484-1000
www.pjc.edu/students/studentsGettingStarted.asp

Ridge Career Center
7700 State Rd 544
Winter Haven, FL 33881-9518
(863) 419-3060

Saint Thomas University
16401 NW 37th Ave
Miami Gardens, FL 33054-6459
(305) 625-6000
www.stu.edu/Admissions/tabid/100/Default.aspx

South Florida Community College
600 W College Dr
Avon Park, FL 33825-9356
(863) 453-6661

Southeastern University-Lakeland
1000 Longfellow Blvd
Lakeland, FL 33801-6034
(863) 667-5000
www.seuniversity.edu/admission/

St Petersburg College
14025 58th Street North
Clearwater, FL 33760
(727) 341-4772
www.spjc.edu/webcentral/forms/apply.htm

Student Review: “The Tarpon Springs campus of St. Petersburg College is home to the College of Education where I took most of my classes. The program was very well respected in the community and the graduates are known by the local school for being prepared to enter the teaching world. The class sizes are small so there is a lot of opportunity for individual education and mentoring by experienced staff members. They place a high importance on hands on experience and we spent more time volunteering in classes via practicums and internships than most programs. The only improvements I would have made were more convenient places to eat on campus and more parking. I feel like the program prepared me to enter the classroom as a teacher as well as they could. I recommend SPC to any student.” -St Petersburg College

Stetson University
421 N Woodland Blvd
DeLand, FL 32723
(386) 822-7000
www.stetson.edu/admissions/

The Baptist College of Florida
5400 College Dr
Graceville, FL 32440
(850) 263-3261

The University of Tampa
401 W Kennedy Blvd
Tampa, FL 33606-1490
(813) 253-3333
www.ut.edu/landingtemplate.aspx?id=100

The University of West Florida
11000 University Parkway
Pensacola, FL 32514-5750
(850) 474-2000
uwf.edu/admissions/

Traviss Career Center
3225 Winter Lake Rd
Lakeland, FL 33803
(863) 499-2700

University of Central Florida
4000 Central Florida Blvd
Orlando, FL 32816
(407) 823-2000
www.ucf.edu/admissions/

Student Review: “The MATESOL graduate program at the University of Central Florida proved to be a wonderful experience. Initiallly, you are given the option of a thesis or a four-hour comprehensive written exam. The thesis or exam material had to relate to the five core courses of the teaching program, which was Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. I opted for the comprehensive exam and passed with flying colors. I found the teachers were friendly and always available in/after class for questions. I still speak and correspond with a couple of my teachers, who have now become mentors. The classes, themselves, were challenging but also enlightening. Because of my experience at UCF, I have now moved on to become a university teacher myself.” -Catherine M., student at University of Central Florida

Student Review: “My experience in the University of Central Florida has been an overall positive one. I have been able to make many friends through the very large number of clubs offered at the school. With a student body of 60,000 I am able to make new friends everyday. The classes seem to be highly applicable to real life, and the professors are both talented and kind. The food served in the cafeteria is actually surprisingly good, and well worth the price. The only negative thing I could say about the school is the lack of wireless Internet in the dorms, and the cost of parking in the school lots is a little high. Other than these minor gripes I would say my college experience has been wonderful.” -Forrest T., student at University of Central Florida

University of Florida
355 Tigert Hall
Gainesville, FL 32611-3115
(352) 392-3261
www.admissions.ufl.edu

Student Review: “The University of Florida is undoubtedly the finest overall school that the state has to offer. With a student population of over 50,000, it is one of the largest schools in the country. UF boasts an extremely high rate in post-graduate job offerings. On campus, the facilities are constantly renovated and state-of-the-art, most notably the Southwest Recreation Center and Reitz Student Union. Transportation is readily available through buses for student without cars. As far as social life goes, midtown and downtown are a constant source of nightlife and activity. As a student of 3 years entering my senior year, I can say that it has been an incredible experience attending the University of Florida and I am not looking forward to leaving. I will always look back on my college years with nostalgia, as it has provided me with memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life.” -Matt G., student at University of Florida

University of Miami
University of Miami
Coral Gables, FL 33124
(305) 284-2211
www.miami.edu/index.php/admission/

University of North Florida
1 UNF Drive
Jacksonville, FL 32224-2645
(904) 620-1000
www.unf.edu/admissions/

University of South Florida
4202 East Fowler Ave
Tampa, FL 33620-9951
(813) 974-2011
www.usf.edu/Admissions/

Student Review: “USF Tampa has its faults, but has offered a positive experience overall. It is a relatively new University with some definite room for improvement that can easily be achieved with time. The restaurant selections on campus have grown significantly within the last few years which is a definite plus. As it is on most college campuses, USF’s student housing varies wildly from extremely pleasant to downright miserable, however it is up to the student to make the right call before signing (stay away from the Andros area, if possible). The students have a massive amount of school pride which is probably due, in part, to our football tem’s recent successes in this past season. One thing that is severely lacking, however, is USF’s willingness to work with the Greek system and allow it to grow and flourish. This is unfortunate, because a strong Greek Alumni base greatly contributes to the future of a growing University.” -Kaila K., student at University of South Florida

Valencia College
P.O. BOX 3028
Orlando, FL 32802
(407) 299-5000
valenciacollege.edu/

Student Review: “The teaching program at Valencia College was a really great experience for me. The program combines a good mix of academics and actual classroom experience. I personally have an easier time learning about the dos and don’ts of teaching when I am able to see a real teacher working in a classroom, and the observation/student teaching hours allowed me to do just that. I now feel like I have a good understanding of the practical knowledge required for teaching as well as the necessary pedagogical information. The program gives students the option to take fully online courses or on campus courses. The courses are intensive and last only 8 weeks, but I never felt too rushed to finish my assignments or projects. I like that I was able to complete the program in a relatively short amount of time.” -Ellen T., student at Valencia College

Student Review: “Valencia College is great for its willingness to go above and beyond the normal range of duties for a school. There was one class that I really needed to keep going with my degree and I had missed the enrollment date but they still gave me a permit to take the class. Everyone I interacted with from the administration and counseling center was very helpful and pleasant. The professors I had were very informed and experienced in their fields and always provided a great amount of information to any question you had.” -Neal S., student at Valencia College

Warner University
13895 Hwy 27
Lake Wales, FL 33859-8797
(863) 638-1426

Page edited by Charles Sipe.