• Understanding the Statement of Status of Eligibility

    What is a Statement of Status of Eligibility (SOE)?

    A SOE is a written evaluation of your eligibility for a teaching certificate.

    Who receives one and how?

    Individuals interested in teaching full-time must be certified to teach or eligible for teacher certification.  To determine eligibility, a complete application package must be submitted to the Department of Education (DOE), Bureau of Educator Certification, for an evaluation of your credentials. Once your credentials have been evaluated, a Statement of Status of Eligibility (SOE) is mailed to the address listed on your application form.

    What is the purpose of a SOE?

    • A SOE states whether or not you are eligible for a teaching certificate in the subject area you requested.
    • Your SOE also provides you with a customized list of requirements you will need to complete to become eligible for a temporary and/or professional certificate from the State of Florida.
    • A SOE is valid for three years from the date of issuance. The expiration date is firm and cannot be changed. Revisions to a SOE may occur as the Bureau of Educator Certification receives official documentation.  Revisions to a SOE do not change the expiration date.
    • Once you receive your SOE, it is your responsibility to satisfy requirements for certification within the prescribed time frames. 
    Below is a sample of a SOE to use as a guide. Following the sample you will find numbered explanations that provide detailed information.
     
    State of Florida                                                                                                                                                                                               Bureau of Educator Certification
    Department of Education                                                                                                                                                                              325 West Gaines Street, Room 201

                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0400

     Official Statement of Status of Eligibility

    Ima Teacher                                                                                                                                                       Applicant ID Number: 123456789
    1000 Orchid Drive                                                                                                                                             Processing Date: July 27, 2008
    Naples, FL 34010                                                                                                                                              Expiration Date: July 27, 2011

     

      

    1 YOU ARE ELIGIBLE FOR A FLORIDA EDUCATOR'S CERTIFICATE AS SHOWN BELOW.

    TEMPORARY CERTIFICATE:  For issuance of a three-year nonrenewable Temporary Certificate covering ENGLISH (GRADES 6-12), the following requirements must be completed, and official documentation must be submitted to the Bureau of Educator Certification:

    • 2 verification of employment and request for issuance of certificate on the appropriate certification form from a Florida public, state supported, or nonpublic school which has an approved Professional Education Competence Program
    • 3 results of your fingerprint processing from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the FBI. Your employer will assist you in completing the fingerprint process.  If your application or fingerprint report reflects a criminal offense or suspension/revocation record, your file will be referred to Professional Practices Services for further review.  Issuance of your certificate will be contingent upon the results of this review.

     4 PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATE:   For issuance of a Professional Educator’s Certificate valid for five years covering ENGLISH (GRADES 6-12), the above requirements for a Temporary Certificate must be completed, and a CG-10 Application Form, appropriate non-refundable application fee, and official documentation of the following requirements must be submitted to the Bureau of Educator Certification:

    • 5 a passing score on the Florida General Knowledge Test. Current Florida law requires that an individual satisfy this requirement within one year from the date of employment in a Florida public school to continue employment in any Florida public school under the Temporary Certificate. Contact your employer for important information concerning this deadline.
    • 6 a passing score on the Professional Education Test
    • 7 a passing score on the ENGLISH (GRADES 6-12) subject area examination
    • 8 completion of a Florida approved Professional Education Competence Program administered and documented by your employer
    • 9 a minimum of 15 semester hours in education courses with credit in each of the professional education areas listed below. Please note that it may require more than the minimum number of semester hours identified in this bullet to satisfy all of the following education course requirements
      • Classroom management with a focus on creating safe learning environments for students
      • Child and adolescent development including theories and principles of learning
      • Educational assessment practices that include analysis and application of data to improve instruction and learning
      • Effective instructional techniques, strategies, and materials to meet the needs of diverse learners, including students with disabilities
      • Instructional strategies for teaching students of limited English proficiency including instruction in the English language
    Please note that all the above courses, except human development and learning, must be taken at the junior, senior or graduate level.
    • 10 the Practical Teaching Experience requirement by completing one year of full-time teaching experience in an elementary or secondary school
    This evaluation outlines one educator preparation route and pathway to certification. For other options, please select “Alternative & Traditional Certification” from our home page (www.fldoe.org/edcert).

                                                                                         Find Certification information online at http://www.fldoe.org/edcert

                                                                                     Contact our office at (US domestic calls) 800-445-6739 or (outside the US) 850-245-5049

     

     

    So what does it all mean?

    The dates highlighted in yellow indicate the time period the SOE is considered valid. If the SOE expires and you have not fulfilled the requirements to be eligible for an educator certificate, you will have to reapply for evaluation (application and fee) to receive a valid SOE based on current laws in effect at the time the application was received by the Bureau of Educator Certification.

    1 Indicates whether or not you are eligible for certification.

    2 Obtain full-time employment with a school district in Florida that is accredited and approved to verify your competency as a teacher.

    3 Once employed, the school district will submit your fingerprint record and an issuance request verifying your employment.  Once issued, your temporary certificate is valid for a three-year period. Since the certificate is nonrenewable, you will need to work towards DOE requirements to obtain your initial professional, renewable certificate.

    4 To become eligible for a professional certificate, you must complete the requirements as outlined.

    5 The General Knowledge requirement must be satisfied within the first 12 months of employment. If not satisfied within the prescribed time frame, your employment will terminate. It is important to understand your deadline to avoid termination. 

    You may demonstrate mastery of General Knowledge by any one of the following: 
    • Achievement of a passing score on all four areas of the Florida General Knowledge Test earned no more than ten (10) years prior to the date of application
    • A valid standard teaching certificate issued by a US state or territory
    • A valid certificate issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards or the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence
    • Completion of two (2) semesters of full-time college teaching experience or the equivalent in part-time college teaching experience
    • Effective for tests administered on or after July 1, 2015, achievement of passing scores, as identified in Rule 6A-4.0021(12), F.A.C., on test sections of the GRE® revised General Test
      • GRE Analytical Writing combined score of 4 out of 6 acceptable for GK Essay
      • GRE Quantitative Reasoning scaled score of 147 acceptable for GK Mathematics
      • GRE Verbal Reasoning scaled score of 151 acceptable for both GK English Language Skills and GK Reading 

    6 You must take and pass the Professional Education Test (PEd). This test assesses knowledge of pedagogy and professional practices in the field of education. The PEd is available through a computer-based format. Please visit the Florida Teacher Certification Examination website at www.fl.nesinc.com for more information and to register.

    7 You must take and pass the Subject Area Examination (SAE) for each subject area listed on your temporary certificate. SAEs measure content area knowledge specific to the subject area. SAEs are available via computer-based format. To obtain more information and register, please visit www.fl.nesinc.com.

    8 Professional Education Competence must be demonstrated either through written verification from your principal (for non-education majors) or by graduation from a state- approved education program.  Non-education majors participate in the New Teacher Orientation program (NTOP). Upon completion of the NTOP, principals verify whether or not you have completed the program.

    9 Non-education majors are required to establish professional preparation competence. The requirement includes a minimum of 15 semester hours in education courses with credit in each of the professional education areas listed below. The purpose is to prepare you for the classroom. The following are examples of the required coursework:

    • classroom management with a focus on creating safe learning environments for students
    • child and adolescent development including theories and principles of learning
    • educational assessment practices that inlude analysis and application of data to improve instruction and learning
    • effective instructional techniques, strategies, and materials to meet the needs of diverse learners, including students with disabilities
    • applications of research-based instructional practices in reading
    • instructional strateiges for teaching students of limited English proficiency including instruction in the English language
    *One year of teaching experience in the subject area may be applied in lieu of three (3) semester hours of undergraduate college credit to satisfy one (1) specific course requirement in a course-by-course evaluation for any certification subject coverage or endorsement, with the exception of ESOL.

    10 The Practical Teaching Experience requirement means you must complete one year of full-time teaching (or service in the instance of positions not involving classroom teaching) in an elementary or secondary school within the validity period of your temporary certificate.

    Useful Websites:

    http://www.fl.nesinc.com/ – Florida Teacher Certification Examination Department

    http://www.fldoe.org/teaching/ - Department of Education (DOE)