PLA Offerings: 2026-2027 School Year

The BEESS Portal to Professional Learning Alternatives (PLA) is a partnership between the Florida Department of Education Bureau of Exceptional Student education (BEESS) and the Bureau of Educator Certification. Available to Florida educators since 2003, the courses are funded by the Florida Department of Education Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services (BEESS). Courses are coordinated by the Florida Diagnostic and Learning Resources System (FDLRS) Administration Project and the eighteen FDLRS Network Associate Centers, a FLDOE/BEESS project, in collaboration with the Florida Center for Interactive Media at FSU.

The courses listed on this page are the ones that are facilitated by our FDLRS Galaxy center, and will be taught by FDLRS Galaxy personnel. For the 2026-2027 school year, educators can elect to register for ANY of the PLA courses offered through any FDLRS Center. The list of Facilitated courses and their descriptions can be found on the statewide portal (BEESS Portal), and registration is centrally located on the statewide FDLRS Upcoming Courses page. There is also a General FAQ document available that has additional details about what a Facilitated PLA Course entails.

Participants will access the materials through the online learning portal for PLA courses, in addition to attending mandatory Zoom "face-to-face" meetings. Participants will receive information about their first virtual meeting, which will occur on Day 1 of the course, in the week prior to the start date. During this first meeting, login information and how to access materials will be discussed, as well as class pacing and other details about coursework.

Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee, and St. Lucie counties will all register using either the links listed with each course below.

Registration links are available to sign up. Please note you will not get an email from us until two weeks prior to the start date.

Gifted Endorsement Offerings: 2026-2027 School Year

The Gifted Endorsement is designed to increase the level of knowledge, expertise, and understanding of educators working with students who are gifted. The endorsement is intended to raise the awareness of the unique characteristics, emotional/social needs, and other challenges and issues associated with the students who are gifted. It is designed to foster an understanding of historical, state, and national trends, policies and guidelines to ensure implementation of appropriate academic curriculum, differentiation strategies, educational intervention, and support for this diverse population.

FDLRS Galaxy's free Gifted Endorsement Courses offered locally will be taught by Maryssa Block-Moore. You will have mandatory virtual "face-to-face" meetings combined with online assignments, quizzes, and/or discussions on the Moodle platform. You must complete all coursework and submit your evaluation by the course end dates listed with each course in order to receive inservice credit.

The Gifted Endorsement Add-On Program consists of five courses (300 hours). Four Gifted courses will be offered through FDLRS Galaxy during the 2026-2027 School Year: Theory and Development of Creativity, Guidance and Counseling for the Gifted, Special Populations of Gifted Students, and Curriculum and Instruction for the Gifted. You can enter the course cycle at any time, but you must complete all five courses in order to receive the Gifted Endorsement. Please see below for course descriptions and registration information.

Registration links are available to sign up. Please note you will not get an email from us until two weeks prior to the start date.

Guidance and Counseling for the Gifted

• Course Dates: September 14 through December 14, 2026 
• Inservice Points: 60 Hours
• Instructor: Maryssa Block-Moore
• Description: Guidance and Counseling for the Gifted provides an overview of the theory, research, practical strategies, and resources on guidance and counseling, with an emphasis on classroom applications in the gifted classroom. Participants will understand holistic developmental characteristics of gifted children, will be able to identify risk factors related to gifted students, and will be able to support social skills, career exploration, and leadership development of gifted students.
• Registration Link: Closed! 
• Meetings: The first virtual meeting will be on September 14, 2026 at 5:00PM. Participants will receive instructions the week prior.
• Deadline to Register: August 21, 2026

 

Education of Special Populations of Gifted Students 

• Course Dates: January 11, 2027 - March 3,2027
• Inservice Points: 60 Hours
• Instructor: Maryssa Block-Moore 
• Description: Education of Special Populations of Gifted Students provides an overview of the challenges and issues that face diverse populations of gifted students as they struggle to gain acceptance, recognition, and access to appropriate gifted education to meet their individual needs. It examines policies and procedures to screen, identify, and provide appropriate modifications to curriculum for these gifted students. The module provides an overview of the different types of perspectives and their impact on the development of gifted abilities.
• Registration Link: Click Here for Registration 
• Meetings: The first virtual meeting will be on January 11, 2027 at 5:00PM. Participants will receive instructions the week prior.
• Deadline to Register: December 18, 2026

 

Nature and Needs of the Gifted

• Course Dates: April 5, 2027 - June 21, 2027
• Inservice Points: 60 Hours
• Instructor: Maryssa Block-Moore
• Description: Nature and Needs of Gifted Students provides an overview of the evolution of gifted education on the national, state and local level. Major events affecting gifted education are described as well as major policies, and procedures governing the delivery of gifted education. Cognitive, social, and emotional characteristics common to individuals who are gifted are identified along with strategies that can be used to meet the academic needs of different categories of students who are gifted.
• Registration Link: Click Here for Registration 
• Meetings: The first virtual meeting will be on the first day of the course. Participants will receive instructions the week prior.
• Deadline to Register: March 12, 2027

ASD Endorsement Offerings: 2026-2027 School Year

The Autism Spectrum Disorder Endorsement Program is designed to increase the level of knowledge, expertise, and understanding of educators working with K-12 students diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The endorsement is intended to raise awareness of the unique characteristics, emotional/social needs, and other challenges and issues related to students with Autism Spectrum Disorder and its range of pervasive developmental disorders that adversely affect functioning and result in the need for specially designed instruction and related services. It is designed to foster an understanding of policies and guidelines to ensure implementation of appropriate curriculum, differentiation, strategies, educational intervention, and support for this population.

FDLRS Galaxy's free ASD Endorsement Courses offered locally will be taught by Maryssa Block-Moore. You will have mandatory virtual "face-to-face" meetings combined with online assignments, quizzes, and/or discussions on the Moodle platform. You must complete all coursework and submit your evaluation by the course end dates listed with each course in order to receive inservice credit.

There are three modules (80 hours each) in the Autism Spectrum Disorder Endorsement which cover assessment, diagnosis, behavior analysis, positive behavior supports, assistive technology, communication systems, and field experience (embedded in each course). Participants must complete all three modules. Please see below for course descriptions and registration information.

Participants should verify with their school district that ASD Endorsement courses are in the District's Professional Learning Catalog, that the courses have been approved by the district, and are eligible for points. Please be advised that an endorsement is a rider on a valid Florida teaching certificate with another subject coverage. It cannot stand alone on the certificate. It is important to note that this add-on endorsement can only be added to your professional certification in conjunction with certification in any exceptional student education area.

Registration links are available to sign up. Please note you will not get an email from us until two weeks prior to the start date.

Nature and Needs, Assessment, and Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders with Field Experience

• Course Dates: July 21 through October 13,2026 
• Inservice Points: 80 Hours
• Instructor: Maryssa Block-Moore
• Description: Participants will be able to identify characteristics associated with Autism Spectrum Disorders(ASD), demonstrate an understanding of current trends and research-based methodologies used to create appropriate instructional programs for these students, and become familiar with formal and informal assessments used for diagnosis and instructional planning.
• Meetings: The first virtual meeting will be July 21, 2026 at 10:00AM. Participants will receive instructions the week prior.
• Link to Register: Closed 
• Deadline to Register: June 20, 2026

 

Augmentative/Alternative Communication Systems and Assistive/Instructional Technology for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders with Field Experience

• Course Dates: October 27, 2026 through January 19, 2027
• Inservice Points: 80 Hours
• Instructor: Maryssa Block-Moore
• Description: Participants will be able to describe and analyze communication needs, design strategies to facilitate intervention, and demonstrate an understanding of various communication interventions for students with Autism Spectrum Disorders; including AAC/AT. Participants will understand the importance of transition planning for students with ASD.
• Meetings: The first virtual meeting will be October 27, 2026 at 5:00PM. Participants will receive instructions the week prior.
• Link to Register: Click Here!  
• Deadline to Register: October 16, 2026

 

Applied Behavior Analysis and Positive Behavior Supports for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders with Field Experience

• Course Dates: January 26 through April 27, 2027
• Inservice Points: 80 Hours
• Instructor: Maryssa Block-Moore
• Description: This course provides participants with an understanding of how applied behavior analysis principles pertain to individuals with ASD, including implementation associated with teaching various skills and supporting behavior in educational settings. The functional assessment of problem behavior as well as proactive and preventative methods for addressing problem behavior will be addressed. In addition, evidence-based instructional strategies to develop communication, social, self-help, and academic skills will be emphasized and linked to behavioral needs.
• Meetings: The first virtual meeting will be January 26, 2027 at 5:00PM. Participants will receive instructions the week prior.
• Link to Register: Coming Soon
• Deadline to Register: January 06, 2027

 

Register for a variety of virtual learning options throughout the 2026 -2027 school year.

Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee, and St. Lucie counties will all register using either the links listed with each course below.

Digital Accessibility 

• Dates: September 29, 2026 -  5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
• Inservice Points: 1.5 Hours
• Instructor: Maryssa Block-Moore/ Katie Parrish 
• Description: The purpose of this professional learning is to help teachers understand the importance of creating and curating accessible content, instructional materials, and digital platforms for students
• Link to Register: Registration Click Here

 

Executive Functioning

• Dates: November 19, 2026 -  5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
• Inservice Points: 1.5 Hours
• Instructor: Maryssa Block-Moore/Katie Parrish
• Description: This professional learning will allow you to learn the three primary components of executive function and understand how executive functioning skills and deficits impact learning. You will then consider strategies to improve executive functioning skills.
• Link to Register: Registration Click Here

 

Visual Supports 

• Dates: February 23, 2027 -  5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
• Inservice Points: 1.5 Hours
• Instructor: Maryssa Block-Moore/Katie Parrish
• Description: This professional learning not only focuses on the why it is important to use visual supports in a classroom but also on how.
• Link to Register: Registration Click Here

 

Sensory Island 

• Dates: March 16, 2027 -  5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
• Inservice Points: 1.5 Hours
• Instructor: Maryssa Block-Moore/Katie Parrish
• Description: Participants will learn about sensory integration difficulties. It is designed to be a tool to help understand the sensory systems and how to manage input. This professional learning opportunity explains the difference between behavior and a sensory response. It covers proprioceptive, tactile, olfactory (smell), auditory, visual, gustatory (taste) and vestibular senses. The best part is that it provides lots of strategies for each of the senses and it can be implemented upon the teachers, paras, and behavior techs return to the classroom.
• Link to Register: Registration Click Here

 

Accommodations

• Dates: April 22, 2027 -  5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
• Inservice Points: 1.5 Hours
• Instructor: Maryssa Block-Moore/Katie Parrish
• Description: The purpose of this professional learning is to support ESE teachers and general education teachers meet the needs of their students with disabilities by understanding accommodations that can be made and implemented to increase, maintain or improve student academic performance. Participants will define accommodations and modifications; identify types of accommodations; determine who is eligible; select and implement appropriate accommodations and integrate accommodations with instructions.
• Link to Register: Registration Click Here

 

Twice Expectational 

• Dates: May 13, 2027 -  5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
• Inservice Points: 1.5 Hours
• Instructor: Maryssa Block-Moore/Katie Parrish
• Description: The professional learning is on Twice Exceptional: An Overview, includes participants learning the definition of Twice Exceptional, recognizing asynchronous development and identifying characteristics Twice Exceptional students display, as well as becoming familiar with the challenges Twice Exceptional students face. Participants will learn considerations to make and effective strategies to implement when teaching Twice Exceptional students
• Link to Register: Registration Click Here