Certification

All instructional employees with the Hernando County School Board must be Highly Qualified to teach the subject area(s) to which they are assigned.

If an out-of-state teacher was highly qualified, he/she must have an Out-of-State Highly Qualified Verification Form filled out by their previous district.
Out-of-State HQ Verification Form for Elementary Ed
Out-of-State HQ Verification Form

ESOL training completion has strict guidelines. Please click the link below to view the guidelines/timelines.

Timelines for Completion of the ESOL Training Requirements

For detailed information regarding the Reading Endorsement, please click the link below.
Reading Endorsement Information

Please feel free to contact Susan M. McKinney at 352-797-7070, ext. 446 or email her with any certification questions.

Become a Hernando County Teacher

Steps to Certification:

Steps to Become a Teacher in Hernando County

1. Apply online for certification in the subject(s) for which you are seeking employment http://www.fldoe.org/edcert/apply.asp.

2. Apply online for employment at www.hernandoschools.org (under Employment).

3. Provide the following documentation in support of your employment and certification applications.

Request two sets of official transcripts and mail one set to each address listed below.

Hernando County School District

Attn: Certification Department

919 N. Broad Street

Brooksville, FL 34601

Florida Department of Education Bureau of Educator Certification

325 W. Gaines Street, Room 201
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400

To be placed under contract and paid as a regular teacher in the Hernando County School District, you must be certified and deemed “Highly Qualified” for your teaching assignment. You must document certification eligibility and provide proof that you have passed the Florida subject area examination which covers the courses you will be assigned to teach; or, you have Verification of an Out-of-State HOUSSE Plan (if applicable).

Out-of-State Applicants:

Mail a copy of your valid out-of-state certificate to the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) at the address provided above.
Mail Verification of a Highly Qualified Out-of-State HOUSSE Plan to the Hernando County School District at the address provided above.

4. View our vacancies at Hernando County School Employment/ Current Vacancies.

After an Offer of Employment has been Extended

A. The hiring site will submit a recommendation for your employment to the District’s Human Resources Department.

B. The Human Resources Department will email you regarding your next step. After receiving an email, you must come to the Human Resources Department to complete and bring all required employment paperwork.

C. You must complete your Post-Offer Fingerprinting and Drug Testing after you have completed Step B above.

D. Once you have completed Steps B and C, and all results are cleared, you will be issued a Clearance to Work Form and ID Badge. You will then be eligible to begin working.

Alternative Certification Education

If your Status of Eligibility lists required coursework, you may choose these alternatives:

Complete required college and university courses with a grade of “C” or higher.
Complete Alternative Certification Program at with the Hernando County School District. Contact Susan M. McKinney at (352) 797-7000, ext. 446 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for further information.
Complete Educator Preparation Institute (EPI) at Pasco Hernando Community College. Contact them at (727) 816-3714, or visit their website at www.phcc.edu/epi.
Complete American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence (ABCTE). Contact them at (877) 669-2228, or visit their website at http://www.abcte.org/teach/florida.

Renewal Requirements

Florida Educator Certification Renewal Requirements

* If a current certificate holder is employed by a public school district in Florida, the certificate holder may download a Renewal Application and submit the completed application directly to the school district's Certification Department along with a $75.00 check or money order made out to the Hernando County School District.

* If a current certificate holder is employed by a private school, or is not currently employed as an educator, the certificate holder must go to www.fldoe.org/edcert to apply for renewal online or to request Application Form CG-10R for submission to the Bureau of Educator Certification.

Florida Department of Education
Bureau of Educator Certification
Room 201, Turlington Building
325 West Gaines Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0400
Phone In-State: 1-800-445-6739
Phone Out-of-State: 1-850-488-2317
Website: www.fldoe.org/edcert
Email Address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Please feel free to contact Susan M. McKinney at 352-797-7070, ext. 446 or email her with any certification questions.

FAQ?

Do I have to be Highly Qualified for the courses that I am teaching?

Yes, all Hernando County School Board instructional personnel must be Highly Qualified for the course(s) that they are assigned to.

What is Highly Qualified? And, how do I become Highly Qualified?

In order to be Highly Qualified in a subject area, you must have the subject on your certificate. In order to be considered Highly Qualified in the areas of Elementary Education, Music and Art at the elementary level, and Social Science, you must pass the subject area exam or provide proof that you were considered Highly Qualified in another county/state.

I already hold a certificate from another state. Does Florida have reciprocity with other states?

Yes, Florida does have reciprocity. Be sure to send a photocopy of your certificate to the Florida Department of Education, along with your application, fee and official transcript(s). Make sure that your social security number is on every page of information that is sent to the Florida Department of Education. The following must apply:

The certificate must be a standard certificate and valid at the time of application for the Florida certificate.
The certificate must be issued in a subject in which Florida offers certification.

I have been told that I need to take a Subject Area Exam. Where do I go to register?

To register for a Subject Area Exam, go to www.fl.nesinc.com.

Is it true that Florida no longer requires the CLAST Exam?

The General Knowledge Examination replaced the CLAST as of July 1, 2002. The state will continue to accept any portions of the CLAST passed before July 1, 2002. If an applicant is trying to use the CLAST to replace the General Knowledge Examination, they must provide an official score report to the Florida Department of Education. CLAST scores shown on an official transcript do not constitute an official score report. If the applicant no longer has an official CLAST score report, they can contact the Testing Agency at (413) 256-2893 or visit http://www.fl.nesinc.com/ for information on how to order a duplicate official score report. Remember, the General Knowledge Examination requirement must be completed in the first year of employment.

What happens if I am terminated because I did not complete requirements?

You will not be eligible for reemployment until you have completed all requirements for a Professional Florida Educator's Certificate. Once you have your Professional Certificate, you can reapply to the District.

When I graduated from college, I had taken the courses for the ESOL Endorsement, but it is not on my certificate. What do I need to do for it to show on my certificate?

In order to receive the endorsement, you must go to www.fldoe.org/edcert to apply and pay the associated fee for it to be added to your certificate.

What are the Florida Department of Education's certification fees?

Temporary Certificate - $75 per subject
Professional Certificate $75 for same subject(s) already on Temporary Certificate
Renewal $75 for all subjects combined Additions - $75 per subject
Name Change and Duplicate Certificate - $20

Please feel free to contact Susan M. McKinney at 352-797-7070, ext. 446 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. her with any certification questions.

Last Updated on Wednesday, May 15 2013 09:04