As of July 1, 2022, Florida issues a 5 year Temporary Certificate for military veterans who have not yet earned a bachelor’s degree and meet the following preliminary requirements:

• Minimum of 48 months of active duty military service with an honorable discharge or a medical separation on a DD214;
• Minimum of 60 college credits with a minimum grade point average of 2.5 on an official transcript; and
• Passing score on a Florida subject area examination for bachelor’s level subjects (except Exceptional Student Education K-12) which demonstrates mastery of subject area knowledge.

Applicants who meet the preliminary requirements will be issued a Statement of Eligibility with the following final requirements:

• Employment in a Florida school district, including charter schools, with an assigned mentor
• Cleared background screening

The law further provides that a temporary certificate will be valid for a period of five (5) years. Veterans who successfully obtain their 5 year temporary teaching certificate will be assigned a mentor teacher for a minimum of two years to support their classroom teaching endeavors. They must also earn their bachelor’s degree during the 5 year period to be eligible for a full professional certificate; the temporary certificate cannot be renewed once it expires. Veterans utilizing this temporary certificate may not teach subject areas that require a Master’s Degree.

Military spouses and families are not eligible for this certification pathway.

Before applying for this pathway, complete a waiver request for the Military Certification Fees Waiver (MCFW). The online application for Temporary Military Veterans Certificate can be found at: https://web03.fldoe.org/TeacherCertFeeWaiver

For more information please visit the FLDOE at: https://www.fldoe.org/veterans/

Pasco County Schools is proud to participate in Florida’s Heroes in the Classroom Bonus Program, a state initiative designed to address the national teacher shortage by welcoming a new generation of educators—retired first responders and military veterans. 

What is the Program?
This Florida law offers a one-time sign-on bonus of $4,000 to eligible individuals who become full-time classroom teachers. An additional $1,000 bonus is available for those who teach in high-demand subject areas.

Who is Eligible?
To qualify, applicants must:

• Be an honorably discharged or retired military veteran or retired first responder
• Provide documentation of their honorable discharge or retirement
• Show proof of no disciplinary action during the last five years of service
• Be a NEW teacher hired by Pasco County Schools with an Instructional hire date of on or after July 1, 2026 

Make a Difference. Be a Hero.
If you’ve served your country or community, now’s your chance to serve in a new way—by shaping the future in the classroom.

The APPLICATION for the 26-27 school year is now open! Due to limited funding, eligible individuals are encouraged to apply early, as funds may be exhausted before the application deadline.

**Funding for the Heroes in the Classroom Grant is limited and subject to availability. Approval of eligibility does not constitute a guarantee of payment. All awards are contingent upon available funding and satisfaction of program requirements. Payments are subject to applicable federal payroll withholding and other required payroll deductions in accordance with federal laws and regulations.** 

Contact Kelly Smith at kelsmith@pasco.k12.fl.us for more information.