Endorsements

​​​Florida Statutes Section 1012.575 - Alternative preparation programs for certified teachers  to add additional coverage gives a district school board the authority to design Add-On Alternative Teacher Preparation programs to enable persons already certified to prepare to add an additional coverage to their certificate to teach exceptional education classes or other areas of critical shortage. Each Add-On Alternative Teacher Preparation Program is reviewed and approved by the Department of Education. Volusia County Schools has five (5) add-on endorsement programs. These programs are for current employees only.

Athletic Coaching Endorsement

The Athletic Coaching Endorsement in-service certification program was developed to meet the following needs of the School District of Volusia County:

Florida Statute 1012.55 requires that anyone employed to coach in a Florida public school hold a state issued certificate. This in-service program, leading to a Coaching Endorsement, has been developed to meet the certification requirements for part-time coaches who do not hold a state issued certificate. The program fulfills the specialization requirements as outlined in State Board of Education Rule 6A-4.0282.  Successful completion of this in-service program will also provide coaches holding a Florida Professional Educator's certificate with the necessary in-service for adding the Coaching Endorsement to a current certificate. Participants must be employed as a teacher or part-time coach in the Volusia County Public Schools or recommendation of the school principal, and must possess a current Temporary Part-Time Coaching certificate or a current Professional Educator's certificate. Individuals must earn a total of 180 in-service credits or the equivalent college credit, by successfully completing the prescribed set of courses listed below:

For more information about the Athletic Coaching Endorsement, contact Lawrence Beal, Specialist, Alternative Programs, Athletics & Security, at extension 20220. 

Autism Endorsement

The Volusia County In-service Certification Program for an endorsement in Autism Spectrum Disorders has been approved by the school board and the Florida Department of Education. The program is based upon the specialization requirements for endorsement in Autism Spectrum Disorders as stated in State Board of Education Rule 6A-4.01796. This Autism Endorsement program is equivalent to 12 semester hours as designated in the specialization requirements. The training components include: 

For more information about the Autism Endorsement Program, contact Melissa Bisesi​, FDLRS Learning Resouce Specialist, Extension 38431.

ESOL Endorsement

The Volusia County ESOL In-service Certification Program is an in-service training program leading toward the addition of an endorsement in ESOL to a Florida Educator's Certificate. The Consent Decree in the League of United Latin American Citizens et al. v. the State Board of Education, 1990, Florida Statute 1003.56 and State Board of Education Rule 6A-6.0907 specify certification requirements for teachers of Limited English Proficient students. The ESOL agreement specifies that teachers of basic ESOL and/or English to Limited English Proficient students have ESOL coverage or an ESOL endorsement to another coverage. Program participants must be employed as a teacher in the Volusia County Public Schools, possess a current Florida Educator's certificate, and be recommended by principal. Participants must earn a total of 300 in-service credits, equivalent to 15 semester hours of college credit by successfully completing the prescribed set of in-service components included in this program. Participants must earn 60 in-service credits in each of five (5) components as listed below:

For more information about the ESOL Endorsement program, contact Mayra Santiago​, ESOL Staff Development Specialist.

Gifted Endorsement

Volusia County School's Gifted In-service Certification Program allows teachers to complete the required coursework for the Gifted Endorsement through in-service courses and/or college credit.  (Important - Teaching experience cannot be used with the in-service add-on program.) The In-service Add-on Certification Program for the Gifted Endorsement was developed to assist Volusia County teachers in obtaining the Gifted Endorsement. Participants are required to successfully complete 60 in-service points or the equivalent in college credit for all five courses listed below which fulfill the specialization requirements outlined in State Board of Education Rule 6A-4.01791 for the Gifted Endorsement.

For more information about the Gifted Endorsement Add-on Certification Program, contact Cindy Garber, Specialist, ESE Department, at extension 20505.

Reading Endorsement 

Volusia County Schools has offered the Reading Endorsement Certification Program since 2004 when the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act required that all reading teachers be "highly qualified". In an effort to offer current and relevant content as well as simplify the process for teachers, the Office of Professional Development and Support continuously reviews our reading endorsement program. Thus, the process to obtain the reading endorsement has been restructured. If you have questions/concerns after reviewing the information, please contact the Office of Professional Development and Support. The Reading Endorsement Add-on Certification Program consists of five competencies which must be taken in order. Each competency includes specific indicators. This program meets State  Board of Education Rule 6A-4.0163.

If you wish to participate in the Reading Endorsement Program and you have completed college coursework in the area of reading within the last 10 years, submit a copy of your transcript(s) to Meg Roa, Specialist, Office of Professional Leaning for review. If your transcript is already on file with the Human Resources Department, contact the Certification Office and ask for a copy of your transcript to be sent to Meg Roa. 

For more information about the Reading Endorsement Add-on Certification Program, contact Meg Roa, Specialist, Professional Learning & School Improvement, at extension 20548.