ESOL
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The Consent Decree requires teachers to obtain and use teaching strategies when instructing Limited English Proficient (LEP) students. The categories and requirements for teachers are shared below:
CATEGORY I - Elementary Level Teachers, English, Developmental Language Arts, and All Reading Teachers
REQUIREMENTS: 15 semester hours or 300 in-service points or Passing the ESOL Subject Area Exam
TIMELINE: 6 years allowed for the completion of the ESOL Endorsement. If the exam is passed, then 3 years to complete 2 Cat 1 courses.
CATEGORY II - Social Studies, Math, Science, Computer Literacy Teachers
REQUIREMENTS: 3 semester hours or 60 in-service hours
TIMELINE: 1 year to complete
CATEGORY III - Teacher of other subjects not included in Category I or II (Music, Art, Psychologists, Social Workers, P.E., Speech Therapists, World Languages)
REQUIREMENTS: 1 semester hour or 18 in-service points
TIMELINE: 1 year to complete
CATEGORY IV - Administrators and Counselors
REQUIREMENTS: 3 semester hours or 60 in-service points
TIMELINE: 3 years to complete
IMPORTANT NOTE:
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Upon employment ALL Category I teachers will be required to complete either 3 semester hours or 60 in-service points within one year of employment as a Language Arts instructor. The teacher will be required to complete 3 semester hours or 60 in-service points each subsequent year until a total of 15 semester hours or 300 in-service points have been earned. Based on the Florida Administrative Code 6A-1.0503.
If a teacher starts in Category I and transfers to another position that has Category II – IV requirements, the teacher must complete the Category I requirements.
