Having a criminal history could disqualify you from receiving a Florida Educator Certificate. It depends on the type of offense that you have on your record.
Investigation
Office of Professional Practices Services conducts an investigation when an applicant has a criminal history or has an administrative sanction against a professional license. Disciplinary action against another state-issued educator certificate will also cause Office of Professional Practices Services to investigate. In order to get your teaching license, you must give your fingerprints so that the government can check your criminal history. Thus, it’s important to answer questions about your criminal history honestly on your application. If you don’t answer honestly, Florida considers this to be application fraud and may take disciplinary action.
Professional Practices Services will send you a letter requesting important documents. It’s necessary to send these documents on time. Sending the documents to your employer is a separate process. Employers won’t pass on your documents to Professional Practices Services.
Types of offenses
Registered sex offenders aren’t eligible for a teaching license. Florida education law also rejects those who have pled guilty or nolo contendere to murder, manslaughter, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, kidnapping, voyeurism, indecent exposure, prostitution and robbery. You may check Section 1012.315, Florida Statutes for a complete list of offenses that disqualify you for a teaching license.
Sealed, expunged and juvenile offenses
Florida education law requires that you admit to having sealed, expunged and juvenile offenses in your application. The application has a section to address sealed, expunged and juvenile offenses, so there’s no need to worry about the absence of those important details related to your past offenses.
It’s mostly sexual and violent offenses that disqualify you for a teaching license in Florida. When you apply for a teaching license, it’s important to answer honestly about your criminal history even if the court sealed or expunged it.