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 on or after July 1, 2025 

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 deadline to apply is 2/20/2026 at 5PM EST. If you meet these requirements, complete the APPLICATION today.

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