325 West Gaines Street

i

Room 203

i

Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0400

i

(850) 487-3663

i

FAX (850) 488-3352

http:/www.firn.edu/doe

An affirmative action/equal opportunity employer

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

  

D

AVID

C

.

A

SHBURN

C

HARLIE

C

RIST

D

IRECTOR

Commissioner

D

IVISION OF

P

ROFESSIONAL

E

DUCATORS

CONTACT PERSON:

Name:

Beverly Gregory

Phone:

850/488-2317

Fax:

850/488-3352

Email:

edcert@mail.doe.state.fl.us

DPE:

 

M E M O R A N D U M

TO:

School District Superintendents

Deans and Directors of Colleges of Education

District Directors of Staff Development

Certification Contacts

FROM:

David C. Ashburn

DATE:

July 17, 2002

SUBJECT:

This document is to provide information regarding the new certification Reading Endorsement and an

amendment to the Reading (grades K-12) coverage area. These rules were approved by the State Board of

Education on June 25, 2002, and are effective July 30, 2002.

Please note that the Reading Endorsement may be added to any coverage area issued by the Department

of Education Bureau of Educator Certification requiring a bachelor’s or higher degree. It is expected that

the approval of the new endorsement and modified reading certification area will result in more teachers

acquiring the appropriate skills and competencies to identify reading problems very early and to provide

the required interventions and assistance to improve reading for all students.

Copies of the new and revised rules are included with this memorandum. The certification code for the

new endorsement is 1046/E. The Reading coverage code remains the same 1046/6. Guidance for the

partnership manual and evaluation of appropriate courses will be provided after further review and

consultation with reading specialists. If you have specific questions or need further clarification, please

do not hesitate to contact the person shown above.

DA/bg

Attachments

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325 West Gaines Street

i

Room 203

i

Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0400

i

(850) 487-3663

i

FAX (850) 488-3352

http:/www.firn.edu/doe

An affirmative action/equal opportunity employer

Class.

(1) Plan One. A master's or higher degree with a graduate major in reading, or

(2) Plan Two. A bachelor's or higher degree with thirty (30) semester hours in reading to include the areas

specified below:

(a) Six (6) semester hours in foundations of reading instruction to include the elementary and secondary

levels,

(b) Six (6) semester hours in diagnosis of reading disabilities and techniques of corrective or remedial

reading,

(c) Three (3) semester hours in educational measurement,

(d) Three (3) semester hours in literature for children or adolescents,

(e) Three (3) semester hours in methods of teaching language arts at the elementary or secondary level,

(f) Three (3) semester hours in administration and interpretation of instructional assessments with

instructional strategies and materials based upon scientifically based reading research for the prevention

and remediation of reading difficulties, and

(g) Three (3) semester hours in a supervised reading practicum to obtain practical experience in

increasing the reading performance of a student(s) with the prescription and utilization of appropriate

strategies and materials based upon scientifically based reading research to address the prevention,

identification, and intervention of reading difficulties.

Specific Authority 229.053(1), 231.15(1), 231.17(1) FS. Law Implemented 231.02, 231.145, 231.15,

231.17 FS. History - New 7-1-90, Amended 7-30-2002.

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325 West Gaines Street

i

Room 203

i

Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0400

i

(850) 487-3663

i

FAX (850) 488-3352

http:/www.firn.edu/doe

An affirmative action/equal opportunity employer

Academic Class.

(1) A bachelor's or higher degree with certification in an academic, degreed vocational, administrative, or

specialty class coverage, and

(2) Fifteen (15) semester hours in reading coursework based upon scientifically based reading research

with a focus on both the prevention and remediation of reading difficulties to include the areas specified

below:

(a) Six (6) semester hours in understanding reading as a process of student engagement in both fluent

decoding of words and construction of meaning;

(b) Three (3) semester hours in the administration and interpretation of instructional assessments to

include screening, diagnosis, and progress monitoring with purposes of prevention, identification, and

remediation of reading difficulties;

(c) Three (3) semester hours in understanding how to prescribe, differentiate instruction, and utilize

appropriate strategies and materials based upon scientifically based reading research in order to address

the prevention, identification, and remediation of reading difficulties in order to increase reading

performance; and

(d) Three (3) semester hours in a supervised practicum to obtain practical experience in increasing the

reading performance of a student(s) with the prescription and utilization of appropriate strategies and

materials based upon scientifically based reading research to address the prevention, identification, and

remediation of reading difficulties.

Specific Authority 229.053(1), 231.15(1), 231.17(6) FS. Law Implemented 229.053, 231.145, 231.15(1),

231.17(6) FS. History - New 7-30-2002.