As many of you have heard, the state has announced some exciting news in regards to the General Knowledge Test. Below is the information we know at this time - we do not have any additional specifics. We are waiting for the FLDOE Bureau of Educator Certification to provide us with additional guidance. The FLDOE has recently updated the General Knowledge website, to include this new information. We wanted to let you know in case you are planning on taking the General Knowledge Test in the near future and you meet the qualifications below. Once we have additional specifics we will share it with you.
If you have already passed the General Knowledge Test, currently hold a Professional Educator Certificate or have a Department of Health License, then this information does not apply to you. There is no need to contact us!
As of July 1, 2021 the state has made a recent change to certification rule (HB1159) to allow a Master's degree or higher from an U.S. accredited institution to satisfy the four-part General Knowledge requirement. The Master's degree can be in ANY field to satisfy this requirement. Educators who submit applications after July 1, 2021, will be under the new law. This can be initial, add, or upgrade applications. The master's degree must be on file at the time of application.
If you currently hold a Temporary Educator Certificate and still need to fulfill the General Knowledge requirement to upgrade to a Professional Educator Certificate, and you have a Master's degree or higher from an U.S. accredited institution or equivalent, you will need to have official transcripts or original credential evaluation sent to the Florida Department of Education's (FLDOE) certification office if you have not already done so, in order to be eligible.
**Please Note** - The FLDOE can only accept electronic transcripts via the SPEEDE or FASTR systems. If your institution does not utilize one of these systems, you will need to have official transcripts sent via U.S. Mail to:
Bureau of Educator Certification
Room 201, Turlington Building
325 West Gaines Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400
If you have already passed the General Knowledge Test, currently hold a Professional Educator Certificate or have a Department of Health License, then this information does not apply to you. There is no need to contact us!
Please note that at this time this is all the information we have. However, if you would like to ask a question please email certinfo@palmbeachschools.org.