The Florida House on Day 60 approved CS for CS for HB 875 as amended, an educator-preparation package that changes teacher preparation coursework, testing, and mentorship requirements.

Representative Rizzo explained the House amendment, which restores two new courses — Introduction to Education and High-Impact Teaching Strategies — and allows successful completion of those courses to substitute for the general knowledge test. The amendment also preserved the creation of a Florida Center for Teaching Excellence at Miami Dade College that will collaborate with the Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning at the University of South Florida.

On the House floor, members questioned provisions dealing with mentor qualifications for teacher apprenticeships, concerns that changes might loosen mentor experience requirements, and whether the amendment would create a loophole permitting high‑school graduates to teach advanced-placement or fine‑arts AP classes without subject-specific certification. Representative Rizzo said the bill keeps certification requirements for AP-level courses and pledged to return to fix any loopholes.

The amendment also adjusts mentor eligibility by adding “effective” (in addition to “highly effective”) to broaden the pool of potential mentors, a change justified in debate as needed to expand apprenticeship availability for local education agencies.

After debate and a roll call, the House recorded 91 yeas and 22 nays on final passage of the bill as amended. Supporters described the package as reducing barriers to the teaching profession while maintaining expectations; critics warned of unintended certification or content gaps that could arise and pressed for clearer guardrails in rulemaking.