Become a Heath Teacher in Florida

<h2 id="section---InfoForFloridaHealthTeacher">Info for Florida Health Teacher</h2> <p>To become a health teacher in Florida, you must first obtain a bachelor's or higher degree in health through an educator preparation program approved by the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE). Candidates must also pass three Florida Teacher Certification Examinations (FTCE): Health K-12, General Knowledge, and Professional Education. The table below offers more details on the requirements of a health teacher in Florida. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><td> Education/Experience Required </td><td> Bachelor's or higher degree in health through state-approved educator program</td></tr> <tr><td> Exams Required </td><td> FTCE Health K-12,<br /> FTCE General Knowledge, <br />FTCE Professional Education</td></tr> <tr><td> License Validity Period </td><td> Professional license valid for five years, can be renewed for another five</td></tr> <tr><td> Renewal Requirements </td><td> Six semester hours of credit which must include one-hour teaching students with disabilities</td></tr> <tr><td> Mean Salary (May 2018)* </td><td> $50,400 (kindergarten school teachers), <br />$50,070 (elementary school teachers),<br /> $53,140 (middle school teachers),<br /> $54,120 (high school teachers)</td></tr> <tr><td> Estimated Job Growth (2016-2026, nationwide)* </td><td> 7% (kindergarten and elementary school teachers),<br /> 8% (middle school teachers), 8% (high school teachers)</td></tr> </table><p><i>Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)</i> </p> <h3 id="section---EducationAndExamRequirements">Education and Exam Requirements</h3> <p>For health teacher certification in Florida, candidates must acquire a bachelor's or higher degree in the subject from a state-approved teacher preparation program. The FLODE website offers a list of accredited colleges where future health teachers can earn their degree. </p> <p>As for the testing, candidates must pass FTCE Health K-12, a two-and-half hour computer-based test which features 120 multiple-choice questions and a passing score of 200. Further, they are required to pass FTCE General Knowledge, which evaluates the basic skills needed to become a teacher in Florida and includes four subtests: Essay (50 mins, passing score of a minimum of eight points out of 12), English Language Skills (40 mins, passing score of 200), Reading (55 mins, passing score of 200), and Mathematics (100 mins, passing score of 200). Then there is FTCE Professional Education to gauge the prospective teacher's grasp of pedagogy, which has the same time limit and passing score as the subject matter test. </p> <h3 id="section---ApplyingForALicense">Applying for a License</h3> <p>Applicants who have completed the abovementioned requirements can apply for a teaching license by clicking on the certification link that can be found on the Educator Certification pages of the FLDOE website. There they must create an account to gain access, carefully fill in all the necessary fields and complete the payment. Applicants must also send over their official transcripts, such as degree or credits, electronically or by mail to the Department of Education. </p> <h3 id="section---EmploymentAndFingerprintingRequirements">Employment and Fingerprinting Requirements</h3> <p>The final step to receiving a teaching license is to obtain instructional employment in the state. The website www.teachinflorida.com provides detailed information on employment for future teachers in Florida. Once they obtain employment, candidates will receive their professional certificate with the proviso that they clear the fingerprint-based background screening; employers typically help with the screening process. </p> <h3 id="section---RenewalRequirements">Renewal Requirements</h3> <p>To renew the professional certificate, Florida teachers must complete six semester hours of college credit, which must include at least one hour in teaching students with disabilities. All renewal requirements must be completed before the current license expires.</p>