Pathways to ESOL Endorsement

• Take all five ESOL Endorsement courses through Pasco County Schools.
• Enroll in one to five ESOL Endorsement courses offered by any online institution, such as the Schultz Institute, CTechEd, a university, or a college. Expenses related to courses taken outside of Pasco County will not be reimbursed.
• Take 60-hour college courses aligned with the FLORIDA TEACHER STANDARDS for ESOL ENDORSEMENT. All college courses must be evaluated before credit is awarded. Please complete the ESOL Transcripts Review form and review the Checklist.

---

Pathway to ESOL Coverage

Pass the Florida Teaching Certification Examination (FTCE) test for ESOL K-12 and take two ESOL Endorsement courses. Click HERE for Test Preparation Strategies.

---

---

Teachers who have previously completed ESOL Endorsement courses at colleges or universities should request a transcript review using this link: College Courses Review. Please also remember to download this Checklist.

---

ESOL Courses and Teacher Categories

The Consent Decree is the state of Florida's framework for compliance with federal and state laws and jurisprudence regarding the education of English Language Learner (ELL) students. The Consent Decree addresses the civil rights of ELL students, foremost among which is their right to access to all educational programs. In addressing these rights, the Consent Decree provides a structure that ensures the delivery of comprehensible instruction to which ELL students are entitled. It also requires teachers to obtain training and use ESOL strategies when delivering instruction to ELL students.                                                   

Category I

Teachers of:

• Elementary School Language Arts
• English Developmental Language Arts
• Intensive Reading
• Reading

Endorsement Pathways

• Complete five in-service ESOL Endorsement online courses (300 hours/in-service points total): ESOL Assessments, ESOL Culture, ESOL Curriculum, ESOL Language and Literacy, and ESOL Methods. Each online course is worth 60 in-service points and may be taken in any order;  OR
• Complete five college courses (15 semester hours) covering the Florida Teacher Standards for ESOL;  OR
• Pass the ESOL Subject Area Exam and complete any two of the five 60-hour ESOL Endorsement courses (120 in-service points) within three years of passing the exam; OR
• Complete five ESOL Endorsement Courses through an authorized learning center.

Timeline once flagged as Out Of Field (OOF) for ESOL

• Three semester hours or 60 ESOL Endorsement in-service points by the end of the second year of being tagged, and 60 ESOL Endorsement in-service points each year of the following years until all five courses are completed, OR
• Six semester hours or 120 ESOL Endorsement in-service points during the first three years, when passing the ESOL Subject Area Exam.

---

Category II 

Teachers of:

• Social Studies
• Math
• Science
• Computer Literacy

Compliance Pathways:

• Complete one district in-service ESOL Endorsement online course (any of the five 60-hour ESOL Endorsement in-service points total);  OR
• Complete one college course (3 semester hours) covering any of the Florida Teacher Standards for ESOL;  OR
• Pass the ESOL Subject Area Exam; OR
• Complete one ESOL Endorsement Course through an authorized learning center.

Timeline once assigned an ELL student: 

• One year to complete.

---

Category III

Teachers of other subjects not included in Categories I and II (Physical Education, Music, Art, School Psychologists, School Social Workers, Speech Pathologists, World Languages).

Compliance Pathways:

Complete ESOL for Content Areas online course through district or an outside authorized learning center (18 hours/in-service points total).

Timeline once assigned an ELL student:

• One year to complete.

---

Category IV

School Administrators and School Counselors.

Compliance Pathways:

Complete ESOL for School Administrators and Counselors online course through district or an outside authorized learning center  (60 hours/in-service points total).

Timeline:

• One year to complete.

---

Important Note: If a Category I teacher is flagged as Out of Field (OOF) for ESOL and later transfers to a position within another category, the teacher must complete Category I requirements.

 

ESOL Endorsement Courses for Category I and II teachers (60 hours each). These courses can be taken in any order.

Testing and Evaluation of ESOL (TE):  Instruction is informed by teachers assessing student understanding in multiple ways (e.g., progress monitoring, formative, and summative). Teachers use assessment data to identify the appropriate instructional approach, select appropriate scaffolds, guide differentiation of instruction, and use corrective feedback.Teachers use a variety of assessment tools to monitor student progress, achievement, and learning gains

Communication and Understanding for English Language Learners (ELLs) (CU): Teachers demonstrate strategies that support ELLs’ learning of academic content and language for measurable academic progress

Curriculum and Materials Development (CM): Teachers will plan and deliver lessons that include English language acquisition and meet the needs of ELLs at varying English proficiency levels. Teachers use technological tools and benchmarks-aligned resources to effectively meet the needs of ELLs at varying English proficiency levels

Applied Linguistics (AL):  Teachers will demonstrate understanding that language is a system to support ELLs’ acquisition of English at varying proficiency levels.

Methods of Teaching ESOL (MT): Teachers will apply knowledge of evidence-based practices and requirements in the field of ESOL. Teachers will apply evidence-based practices to deliver instruction that supports and accelerates English language acquisition. Teachers will ensure ELLs have access to benchmarks-aligned academic content to provide language support at varying English proficiency levels

 

ESOL Course for Category III teachers (18 hours)

ESOL for Content Areas: Addresses theories related to the effect of culture on language learning and school achievement for ELLs from diverse backgrounds. 

 

ESOL Course for Category IV teachers (60 hours)

ESOL for School Administrators and Counselors: Addresses the history, public policy, research, and current practices in ESL/ESOL as it relates to administration and student services.