Contacts

Colleen Rafatti	(863) 784-7403
Director, EPI and Child Development Programs

 

Educator Preparation Institute (EPI)

Are you interested in a career in teaching?
EPI's traditional track can help you become a highly qualified teacher!

Are you currently employed as a teacher on a Temporary Teaching Certificate?
EPI’s transitional track can help you acquire your Professional Teaching Certificate!

What is EPI?

South Florida Community College's EPI is an alternative teacher certification program, designed to alleviate Florida’s critical shortage of highly qualified teachers. EPI provides adults who hold non-education baccalaureate degrees with the course work they need to successfully complete the components of Florida teacher certification preparation - in approximately nine months! Once EPI graduates receive their professional teaching certificate from the Florida Department of Education, they may teach anywhere in Florida.

Beginning in August of 2010, EPI will offer two models for program completion:

Traditional Model - for individuals who are not employed as full-time teachers. Traditional model classes are delivered primarily through on-campus classes conducted mostly on Saturdays. Traditional EPI is a flexible and non-sequential program that accommodates working and parenting adults. Students may begin their studies at any time during the year that a new EPI course begins and may complete their courses in any order. You do not need to be employed as a teacher to be accepted into the traditional EPI program.(Download information sheet PDF).

Transitional Model* - for individuals who hold a valid Florida Temporary Teaching Certificate and/or are employed full-time as teachers in a K-12 public or private school. Transitional EPI students complete courses through a combination of on-campus course work on Saturdays, hybrid online courses, and instructor-directed Web-based projects. Transitional students must begin their studies in August of each academic year with an accelerated Summer Institute, and complete their EPI courses in a specified order. Transitional students must be referred to the program by the school or school district that employs them. (Download information sheet PDF).

* Beginning in fall 2010, this EPI model will be the primary program for alternative certification completion to which new teachers in five of the six Heartland Educational Consortium (HEC) school districts will be referred. (Districts include DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry and Highlands counties.)

What are the EPI Admission Requirements?

To be eligible for either EPI model, you must:

• Hold a baccalaureate or higher degree from a nationally or regionally accredited college or university approved by the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE)
• Be accepted as a student at South Florida Community College
• Provide an Official Statement of Status of Eligibility document from FLDOE showing “eligibility” to pursue teacher certification in Florida
• Demonstrate competency in basic writing, math, and computer skills
• Pass level 2 criminal background clearance and fingerprinting

To be eligible for the transitional EPI model, in addition to the requirements noted above, you must:

• Hold a valid Florida Temporary Teaching Certificate prior to the starting date of EPI classes
• Provide documentation of full-time employment as a teacher in a public or private K-12 Florida school
• Be referred to the EPI program by your employing school or school district.

How is the EPI Program Structured?

The curriculum for both EPI models consists of seven core courses and two field experiences (totaling 21 credit hours of college course work):

• EPI 0001 Classroom Management (3 credit hours)
• EPI 0002 Instructional Strategies (3 credit hours)
• EPI 0003 Technology (3 credit hours)
• EPI 0004 Teaching and Learning Process (3 credit hours)
• EPI 0010 Research-Based Practices in Reading (3 credit hours)***
• EPI 0020 Professional Foundations (2 credit hours)
• EPI 0030 Diversity (2 credit hours)
• EPI 0940 Professional Foundations Field Experience (1 credit hour)**
• EPI 0945 Diversity Field Experience (1 credit hour)**

** Each field experience course requires you to complete a minimum of 15 hours of observation and supervised teaching practice in approved local public or private schools.

*** Transitional model EPI participants who document prior successful completion of FOR-PD will be given credit for this course and will not be required to repeat it.

You will register for EPI courses through the regular SFCC registration mechanisms and pay standard SFCC tuition and fees. Your EPI classes are taught by faculty who are currently employed as teachers or administrators in local schools, by teachers with expertise in a highly specialized content area such as reading, or by recently retired educators who have extensive background in public or private school education.

What Teaching and Learning Strategies are Applied in EPI Courses?

EPI classes are taught through traditional lecture, interactive discussion, Web-enhanced course work, and self-directed study. The competency-based curriculum provides the practical information, essential theory, and real practice you need to become a skilled and knowledgeable classroom teacher. Each course addresses at least one of the 12 pre-professional Florida Educator Accomplished Practices and requires that you submit assigned projects for a mandatory electronic portfolio that documents your mastery of these practices.

EPI courses are supported by your free access to the SFCC Panther Central online learning community and course management system. Panther Central is Internet-based and can be accessed from any computer with an Internet connection.

When is an EPI Certificate of Completion Issued?

Your EPI certificate of completion will be issued when:

• You have successfully passed each EPI course with a grade of C or higher
• You have earned a passing score on each required Florida teacher certification examination as outlined on your Status of Eligibility letter from the FLDOE, which may include the:
  • General Knowledge Exam†,
  • Professional Education Exam, and
  • One or more Subject Area Exam(s), including the subject area for which you designated as your official certification area and grade level for your EPI studies
• You provide a valid (not expired) Official Statement of Status of Eligibility letter from FLDOE, in your designated certification subject area and grade level
• Competency in each of the 12 Educator Accomplished Practices has been documented through your FACTS.ORG portfolio products and other methods
• All SFCC fees and obligations have been satisfied.

† Transitional model EPI participants will be required by their employing school district to successfully pass all portions of the General Knowledge Exam within their first year of employment, per state regulations.

To learn more about teacher certification in Florida, go to www.fldoe.org/edcert and www.teachinflorida.com.

What is the Cost of the EPI Program?

EPI students pay regular SFCC community college student tuition and fees. The current in-state (Florida resident) tuition rate for SFCC students is $92.17 per institutional credit hour. The out-of-state (non-Florida resident) student tuition rate is $347.74 per institutional credit hour. (Prospective students new to Florida should check with the SFCC Registrar’s Office for more information about determining Florida resident status.)

EPI students typically register and pay for their classes prior to the start of each class. Tuition is typically not paid in one lump sum for the entire program. Arrangements can be made through the SFCC Cashier's Office for payments to be made directly by an employer, when applicable.

Is Financial Aid Available to EPI Participants?

Yes! You may wish to explore several types of financial aid, including Federal Student Loans and Pell Grant. (Several student loan “forgiveness” programs are available for teachers who are later employed in high-need schools.) Military veterans or their spouses may be eligible for special Troops to Teachers or Spouses to Teachers scholarships. SFCC also offers you the FACTS tuition installment plan (TIP).

If you wish to explore these financial aid options, meet with an SFCC financial aid advisor as soon as possible. Contact the SFCC Financial Aid Office at (863) 784-7108 for an appointment and additional information.