The Heartland Educational Consortium and the six LEA member districts of DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands and Okeechobee were awarded a Transition to Teaching grant on October 1, 2002.  The federal money served to supplement the districts’ efforts in the implementation of an alternative certification program as required by Florida Statue S.1012.56 (7)(a). Alternative Certification (AC) participants’ tuition fee of $2,000 plus $140 for books was paid through the grant with the stipulation that participants agree to teach for three years within one of the six consortium districts or repay the funds to the federal government. 

The Alternative Certification Training (ACT) Program is designed for content-degreed individuals seeking teacher certification from the State of Florida who are eligible for a temporary teaching certificate according to state criteria.  The fourteen month long program is a reflective, performance based, pre-service program based on the twelve competencies set forth in the Educator Accomplished Practices (EAPs).  The ACT Program in collaboration with Eckerd College provides quality preparation components designed to prepare new teachers for successful teaching experiences.

The program is built around the following components:

1.      Teaching Skills Assessment Program (TSAP)

2.      Professional Development

• Face to face classes on Saturday or Tuesday evening

• Summer ESOL

• Florida On-Line Reading Professional Development (FOR-PD)

3.      Observations of teaching

4.      Florida Professional Education Test

5.      Assessment

Developed by Eckerd College, the Teaching Skills Assessment Program (TSAP) is a series of seven instruments designed to assess teaching competencies.  The instruments use multiple modes of measurement multiple times to identify current state knowledge and skills.  The assessment is taken on-line at the convenience of the teacher.  The results are compiled into reports both as a matrix with a numerical score and a narrative explanation.  A Professional Action Plan is generated from the scores of the teacher.  This action plan contains a series of developmental tasks designed to enhance competency in any educator accomplished practice that received a score of 3 (out of a score
of 5) or less.

Professional development is delivered using several different methods.  

• Face to Face Classes meet once a month for ten months.  Classes are based on the  twelve Florida Educator Accomplished Practices (EAP) with each class based on a main EAP topic and interwoven throughout the other nine classes.  Instructors are practitioners with master’s degrees or higher who have recent teaching experience. Attendance is mandatory at all classes. Class contact time is from 8:30-2:00 on Saturday or 4:00-9:30 on Tuesday evening.  One make-up will be allowed in the event of an emergency.
• Summer English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) will be offered in June for all teachers needing this component.  This will count as 60 hours of in-service toward ESOL endorsement.
• Florida On-Line Reading Professional Development (FOR-PD) is a 14 week reading component that is required by the Florida Department of Education for all Alternative Certification participants.  Teachers can choose either the January or June semester to take this course.
   

The school administrator will formally observe each ACT teacher a minimum of two times during the school year.  These observations are part of the overall district approved evaluation plan.  Additional observations to provide assistance and feedback will be conducted by district mentors and Eckerd observers throughout the first year of program participation.  District assigned mentors should informally observe a minimum of four times.  ACT/Eckerd observers will be responsible for a minimum of two informal observations.  ACT coaches will provide further assistance on an identified as-needed basis.

A passing score on the Florida Professional Education Test is required prior to completion of the ACT program.  Additional state certification exams are also state-mandated, (General Knowledge and Subject Area) however, they are not requirements of the alternative certification program as is the Professional Education Test.

The ACT assessment has been designed to provide information, set forth criteria and guidelines for assessing qualifications and criteria for inspiring non-professionally trained educators.  Best Practices Research suggests this is best accomplished through self-reflection, data gathering, observation, performance feedback, and focusing on improvement activities.

Upon completion of the Heartland Educational Consortium’s ACT program, these assessment activities will serve as documentation of the demonstration of essential teaching competencies as specified in the Florida Department of Education’s Accomplished Practices. Successful assessment of the ACT program will be based on the following:

•  Attendance at all Face to Face classes or one emergency make-up

• Exceeding or meeting criteria for class assignments (assessed by instructors)

• Exceeding or meeting criteria for TSAP assignments (assessed by ACT coaches)

• Satisfactory evaluation of teaching by school administrators (assessed by school administrators) and recommendation for rehire
  by district
• Completion of Competency 2 Reading (FOR-PD)
• Completion of 60 hours of ESOL
• Passing score on Florida Professional Education Test

The participants will place above documentation in a notebook for review by the ACT Steering Committee. The notebook becomes property of the districts and will not be returned to participants.

CANDIDATES WHO DO NOT MEET THE ABOVE CRITERIA MAY JEOPARDIZE RENEWAL OF THEIR CONTRACT AND BE DIRECTED TO SEEK CERTIFICATION THROUGH OTHER ROUTES.