Professional Learning
To Access Professional Learning:
GoSignMeUp
FDLRS Sunrise courses are managed through an external system, GoSignMeUp. You can always view our most up-to-date listing of professional learning offerings by visiting our GoSignMeUp page
Moodle
For online, facilitated courses created and/or hosted locally, the course material will be found in Moodle.
- Polk County Schools Moodle (Pathways) – Most courses will be on this system. Users will need to access the system once before they can be enrolled in their courses.
- FDLRS State Moodle – System used less frequently. User accounts will be set up for participants.
BEESS Portal
The BEESS Portal to Professional Learning Alternatives (PLA) offers a variety of online courses for Florida educators that will increase their ability to respond to the needs of students with disabilities. The courses from the PLA site and the PL Portal site have been combined to create a “one-stop” for professional learning related to students with disabilities.
The BEESS Portal offers two types of professional learning modules:
- Facilitated Modules – Courses with an official start and end date, completed with a cohort of participants. Participants in a facilitated courses have a contact person to reach out to when they encounter difficulties.
- Independent Study Modules – Self-paced courses that can be accessed and completed at any time. Participants need only have a school administrator to verify a follow-up activity.
To Complete Professional Learning:
Follow-Up Activities
Completion of Professional Learning through FDLRS Sunrise is dependent upon submission of follow-up activities and evidence of implementation with students.
For educators not currently on the classroom, be aware that this may present a barrier. Your facilitator may be able to help brainstorm ideas for implementation.
FDLRS Sunrise does not award partial credit for professional learning opportunities.
Independent Study Courses
The online independent study modules are not processed individually, but are batch processed, downloading all module completers during the quarter and running them all through the GoSignMeUp system at once. You will receive an email from our office when your ‘batch’ is downloaded, with additional details on how the process will progress.
To expedite the process:
- Be sure you have completed the Satisfaction Survey in the course. Your record is not released to be downloaded until all aspects of the course, including the survey, are complete.
- If you have not done so, create an account on GoSignMeUp. If you are a current or former Polk County Schools /Lake Wales Charter Schools employee (or another charter school who renews through Polk County), be sure to include your SAP number.
Important Information About Independent Study Courses
Anyone completing the BEESS Portal Independent Study Courses should be familiar with the following information, excerpted from the PLA Independent Study FAQs.
#11. What are the requirements for earning inservice credits for an independent study course?
If you are seeking inservice credits, you must complete all course requirements listed below:
- Complete a pre-assessment
- Review all course content, including additional resources, external links and videos
- Pass the Check Your Knowledge quizzes
- Pass the final assessment with 80% accuracy
- Complete the follow-up activity (when applicable)
- Upload the Follow-up Activity and Verification Form, signed by your Florida administrator or supervisor who reviewed your completed follow-up activity (If applicable)
- Complete the satisfaction survey
#12. If I enroll in a course that has a follow-up activity and I am not currently working in the field of education, who can sign the Follow-up Activity and Verification Form?
If you have enrolled in an independent study course with a follow-up activity, it must be reviewed and verified for satisfactory completion by a Florida school district administrator or supervisor in the field of education. FDLRS staff do not review and verify follow-up activities. It is your responsibility, prior to starting a course, to ensure that you have a Florida school district administrator or supervisor who is willing to verify the completion of your follow-up activity. If you do not have one, you may want to register for a different course that does not require an administrator’s verification signature.
#16. How do I get my inservice credits recorded with my school district or private school agency?
For currently employed Florida educators, your local FDLRS PLA coordinator will report course completers on a quarterly basis (at the end of March, June, September and December) to the school districts in their service region. Verification of completion will be sent to private school agencies upon request. Districts or private school agencies have the option of requiring additional follow-up activities in order to award inservice credits.
#17. How do I get my inservice credits recorded with the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE)?
Florida school districts or private school agencies with an approved Professional Learning Catalog (formerly MIP) or its equivalent are responsible for reporting inservice credits to FLDOE. FDLRS does not report inservice credits directly to FLDOE.
For further information, download the full PLA Independent Study FAQs.
To Receive Credit for Professional Learning:
For Current Florida Teachers
Public and Charter School Teachers in Polk County and Lake Wales Charter
Upon successful completion of your professional learning opportunity, FDLRS Sunrise will submit your in-service record to Polk County Public Schools' NetConnect system. To ensure your points are awarded without a delay, please confirm that your SAP number is correctly listed in GoSignMeUp.
Public School Teachers in Hardee County
Your certificate of completion will be emailed to you upon completion of the course. Submit this certificate, along with the relevant documentation, to receive credit for in-service.
Private School Teachers in Polk & Hardee County
Your certificate of completion will be emailed to you upon completion of the course. Verify with your certification authority that this documentation will suffice; if not, please contact your facilitator to request additional documentation.
Teachers working outside of Polk or Hardee County
Your certificate of completion will be emailed to you upon completion of the course. Verify with your certification authority that this documentation will suffice; if not, please contact your facilitator to request additional documentation.
For Educators Not Currently Teaching in Florida
If you are not currently employed in education in Florida, it is your responsibility, prior to starting the course, to contact your former school district or private school agency to determine if they are able to submit in-service credits to FDOE for you. FDLRS Sunrise does not submit records of any kind directly to FDOE.
For Educators Previously Employed by Polk County Public Schools
For your professional learning points to be applied to your Polk County in-service transcript, you will need to create a guest account in NetConnect - contact the Polk County Schools Professional Development office for assistance.
Notice for Educators Renewing in 2025
Please be advised that, if you took advantage of the extension on recertification offered by FLDOE in 2020 and renewed between 6/30/2020 and 12/31/2020, your NetConnect transcript may reflect points that were already applied towards your renewal. Because these points were earned outside of the normal validity period, NetConnect’s filters may display these points as available when they are not. It is in your best interest to keep this in mind as you prepare for your next renewal in 2025. To see what points are available to you, please review your NetConnect transcript. If you still have questions or concerns after reviewing your NetConnect transcript, please contact: certificationoffice@polk-fl.net or fdlrs.mobile@polk-fl.net.