FSCA Advocates for School Counseling

FSCA Advocacy Committee, Board of Directors, and an appointed FSCA Task Force provided a number of recommendations to the Florida Department of Education, Bureau of Educator Certification Office, for revision of the FL DOE certification rule for how someone can become certified to be a Florida school counselor. The revised ruling went into effect on December 22, 2019. See the decision at http://www.fldoe.org/teaching/certification/certificate-subjects/administrative-rules/6a-4-0181.stml

Q and A responses from the Bureau of Educator Certification

1. When does the new ruling go into effect? This rule will go into effect on December 22, 2019.
2. Will any students be grandfathered in under the previous ruling? Anyone who is certified under the current rule will remain so until the end of their certification validity period. Applications received on or after December 22^nd will be subject to the requirements outlined in the new rule.
3. What is the DOE’s considering a counseling degree? For instance do the CACREP approved counseling degrees meet the DOE’s interpretation: CMHC, Rehab, College Counseling and Student Affairs, Addictions, Career Counseling, Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling, Counselor Education and Supervision?  The Department will accept a graduate degree if it includes a minimum of six-hundred (600) clock hours of supervised internship with school-aged children and their families with at least nine (9) semester hours of graduate credit in the areas outlined in the rule.
4. How is someone to earn 9 credits (three courses) that cover all these topics?  Does the DOE expect that student take 4 classes (12 credits) or is it a pick and choose from the four courses for a total of 9 credits?  The rule states that “at least 9 semester hours” are required. It may take up to 12 or 15 semester hours for some applicants, but at least 9 must be completed. It would ultimately depend on the type of courses taken and the number of semester hours earned for those courses.
5. Are the passing scores on all sections of the Professional, General Knowledge, School Counseling Specialty FTCEs also required? The requirements for a Professional Certificate have not changed for educators serving in the capacity of a classroom teacher. However, we are proposing language in Rule 6A-4.004 that would create a new class of certificates for educators serving in a capacity other than that of classroom teachers, and school counselors would be included. Therefore, under the proposed new language, those who apply for a “restricted professional certificate” would not have to demonstrate General Knowledge (GK) mastery. All other requirements for the Professional Certificate would apply, though. Keep in mind, these are proposed changes, and this rule has not been formally approved yet.