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OK all you former teachers...I need some advice. I basically have a little less than a year before my teaching certificate expires and I can't let that happen, in case I go back to teaching. In the past when I was up for recertification, I had plenty of points banked.

Right now, I'm 69 pts. short. I've done some research on what I can do/take to get those pts., but Im stil really confused about what I should do.

If anyone out there has any advice, I would LOVE to have it. I'm stressing out about this and have been having a hard time getting a straight forward, specific answer from someone.

I was in the same boat last summer but luckily Iwas still on leave (it was right before I quit) and I was able to take something the school board was offering. Unfortunately with budget cuts it doesn't seem that they are offering much right now. I have a friend who is doing the reading certification online. I will ask her the details and then post later.

There are numerous ways besides inservice points to obtain recertification. If you take and pass a subject area exam you earn recertification points, enough to actually cover the points needed. Many of these exams are computer based tests and are offered at local colleges. Also, you may want to check for an online college course many of those are 15 weeks or less, there is a list of approved courses. If you need esol points this would be wise, you can earn points for recertification and ESOl at the same time. There is online offerings that have continual rolling enrollements. You can also contact the local school board office, they have a person who deals with teacher recertification and get advice/ resources from her. Hope this helps!

Hi, Coopellie:

Go to www.watermatters.org. This is the Southwest Florida Water Management District's website. They have several workshops that are free, they will provide you with your inservice points for science, and they are lots of fun and interesting. I know someone who works there who is involved with teacher education, plus I have taken a few of the workshops myself. Hope this helps.

Thanks ladies! Keep the advice coming

Mom of 3...I've looked into the reading certification online. It would work well w/ my SAHM status and it's free, I believe. Any info. you can get from your friend would be aweswome!

mlb...I've gotten in touch w/ several people at the school board office and am trying to narrow down some details about how I go about getting and turning in paperwork to recertify. Not sure how the process works. Where do I get the list of approved courses you are speaking of? I'm trying to go the cheapest way possible For the subject area exam...is there specific study material that goes along w/ it?

clare...thanks for the info. I'll check it out! Fun is definitely the best way to go

If you go to the Florida Department of Education website fldoe.org and click on the link to the right "educator certification" then from there click on "certification renewal." You need to print out the applications and fill those out once you have completed the requirements and a $75 check. Also, if you scroll down you will see that there are links to lists of approved colleges/ universities etc to take courses from. Just below that is a section that details out types or approved courses (huge list) to obtain points. If you do the college course route you will have to send a copy of an official transcript with your application, be sure to pass with a "c" or higher, too. Depending on the number of subject areas on your certificate will determine how many hours you need, that info is on the DOE website.

If you want to take the subject area exam route, when you walk into the personnel building at the county office (the one closest to Osceola Middle school) right at the inside entrance there is a whole wall of papers. On that wall you will find a booklet that is the sign up and info packet for the certification test (this is the only way to sign up for them). Inside that booklet you will find the application for taking the test, types of tests, locations of test centers (they offer computer based tests, too) and a website for study guides. For the study guides, go to the website, you have the choice of having a paper copy sent to you by mail or downloading it on your computer, they cost $5 each.

At the county office, if you go behind the personnel building there are several portables. The portable closest to the back parking lot is the office of the lady who handles recertification. She has always been nice when I have gone in there and maybe able to guide you through the process, especially if you have worked for Marion County. I have found it is easier to deal with them in person rather than on the phone

Sorry for such a long reponse, very detailed oriented

WOW! mlb! That is great info. and I've made a contact w/ the school board now that has sent some very helpful information.

Have you recently gone through this? What do you think is the easiest way to get the 60 pts? My hubby is out of town ALOT and I don't have much babysitting help w/ the kids, so that limits my options, as far as doing things out of the house.

I am on the right track now! Thanks again for everyone's help.

Yes, my recert is due in July 2009. I am a SAHM with a 3.5 year old and one on the way in Sept. I am a virtual school teacher so I had to get creative too.

I would either do an online course or take an SAE test. If you need the ESOL points too then definetly the online courses. If you need ESOL, I think I have a website in my files for an approved company who offers them online.

The quickest (and probably cheaper) is just to take the subject area exam (SAE), you can either take the area that you are certified in now or add a new one so if you ever have to go back to the class room you have more options (that is what I did).

BTW, when ever you complete the requirements go ahead and submit the recert. Just because you submit it earlier does not mean that you have to recert next time earlier. For example, I completed my recert this year 2008 and it is not due until 2009, the new period does not start until july 2009 and will not be up again until 2014. This way if anything goes wrong, you have time to correct it.

Good advice about sending it in early.

I just heard about the Wellness Challenge. (worth 60 pts.) It sounds like an awesome choice and good for me physically, too. I'm in the process of making a connection at my old school to see if I can get on their roster.

I also am looking into watching Harry Wong videos and filling out coordinating worksheets that go with them for 10 pts.

Here's some more info on the reading certification.....
*Here is the web address for Marion County's breakdown of the hours:
http://www.marion.k12.fl.us/dept/std/docs/300%20MIP%20P...ing%20Web%20Page.pdf

*This is the web address for one of the agencies offering online coursework:
http://www.nefec.org/dl/folac/

*Here is the address for the FOR-PD (Florida Online Reading Professioal Development)
http://forpd.ucf.edu/

*Also, on the Marion County Schools website, under staff development or something, they also have some information (may actually be under reading endorsement?).

Hope this helps!