School District of Palm Beach County
Alternative Certification Program (ACP)
Frequently Asked Questions
The Alternative Certification Program (ACP) is a free, two-year, web-based program
which meets the required college course work needed to reach Professional
Certification for non-education majors.
1. Who might benefit from the Alternative Certification Program?
Any new teacher on a temporary certificate who did not take education classes or do
student teaching.
2. What are the qualifications for acceptance into the ACP?
 Be a paid full-time K-12 instructional employee of The School District of Palm
Beach County in a teaching assignment that does not vary from day to day
 Hold a temporary teaching certificate from the Florida Department of Education
 Obtain the hiring principal’s signature on the ACP application
 Complete and submit an ACP application as an agreement of participation
3. What are some of the advantages of the ACP?
It is free and online and offers an additional layer of support through the ACP area
mentor and district ACP personnel. The new teacher will not have to take college
classes for their required course work.
4. What do ACP participants do in lieu of taking college courses to meet education
certification requirements?
ACP participants collect documentation of activities and compile a comprehensive
portfolio of tasks based on the Florida Educator Accomplished Practices (FEAPs).
5. What are the program components required for ACP completion?
 Teaching full-time in a district school, under the supervision of the ACP Support
Team for the entire time of participation in the ACP
 Completion of Tips for New Teachers I Workshop or the online Classroom
Management course
 Achieving a passing score on the Professional Education Test
 Completion of Reading Competency #2
 Successful completion of twenty-three Florida ACP tasks
 Demonstration of competency in each of the Florida Educator Accomplished
Practices through successful teaching performance as verified by the buildinglevel administrator on the Competency Verification Report
6. If someone is in the ACP, do they have to complete the ESP?
Yes. Additional support for the new teacher is provided through completion of the ESP
Program. Three of the ESP tasks can be used for the ACP.
7. What if someone has already completed the ESP and is now in the ACP?
A couple of the forms are the same including the Individual Professional Development
Plan (IPDP) and Competency Verification Report. They do not have to be redone. Some
of the observations from the ESP can be transferred to the ACP forms.
8. Are there classroom observations involved?
Yes. The school-site mentor will complete the ACP observations and provide copies to
the Assistant Principal.
9. Does the school-site mentor have to be trained in Clinical Education?
Yes. The mentor should be someone who has expertise in the classroom and can
devote time to support the new educator through the entire process. The school-site
mentor is selected by the school-site administrator.
10. What is the purpose of the Competency Verification Report?
This form verifies teacher competence. It is completed by the building administrator. In
order to check HAS on the form, a teacher must demonstrate competence in all areas.
HAS NOT is checked if the teacher has not demonstrated competence in all areas. In
order to complete the ACP, all FEAPs must be demonstrated.
11. Are there other options available?
Yes. PBSC offers a program as well as the American Board for Certification of Teacher
Excellence (ABCTE).
12. Who do I contact for more information?
Julie Williams, 561.776.3687, Julie.williams.1@palmbeachschools.org
Donna Pawlik, 561.366.6104, donna.pawlik@palmbeachschools.org
Nancy Bourgeois, 561.366.6102, nancy.bourgeois@palmbeachschools.org