Florida Approves First-in-the-Nation Resiliency Endorsement for Teachers

NOCATEE, Florida — Florida education officials have signed off on a new professional credential that lets teachers formally specialize in helping students build resilience, a step state leaders describe as the first of its kind in the country.

First Lady Casey DeSantis announced that the State Board of Education has released the Resiliency Educator Endorsement, an optional certification that classroom teachers can add to their Florida educator certificate. The endorsement grows out of the Resiliency Florida program she started in 2021, which aims to teach young people how to handle setbacks, make sound choices, and grow into confident adults.

Teachers who earn the credential will learn classroom strategies tied to Florida's 11 resiliency characteristics. It becomes one of 14 endorsements educators can attach to their certification, and the state says it draws on more than 100 free resources already offered through the Resiliency Florida effort. Those who complete the training and meet every requirement can then attach the specialization to an active teaching license.

> "For several years, the Resiliency Florida initiative has led the nation in reframing the way mental health is taught in schools." — First Lady Casey DeSantis

Commissioner-Designate Henry Mack said the credential gives teachers access to professional learning that supports students as they work through difficulties, while State Board of Education Chair Ryan Petty said it equips educators with practical ways to build perseverance in the classroom.

The First Lady launched Resiliency Florida in February 2021, and the State Board adopted her recommendations for the approach in March 2023, embedding the concepts across early and later grades. The state says the standards also fold in citizenship and mentorship themes, encouraging students to act as responsible, engaged members of their communities.

Nocatee, a master-planned community in St. Johns County near Ponte Vedra, is served by the St. Johns County School District, one of the state systems whose certified teachers would be eligible to pursue the new endorsement.

Sources: Executive Office of the Governor of Florida (July 24, 2026): https://www.flgov.com/eog/news/press/2026/first-lady-casey-desantis-announces-first-nation-resiliency-educator-endorsement