FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
     
    S
      
    TATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
     
    F. PHILIP HANDY,
    Chairman
    T. WILLARD FAIR,
    Vice Chairman
     
    Members
    DONNA G. CALLAWAY
    ROBERTO MARTÍNEZ
    PHOEBE RAULERSON
    KATHLEEN SHANAHAN
     
    LINDA K. TAYLOR
     
    John L. Winn
    Commissioner of Education
      
     
      
     
      
     
     
     
     
     
     
    June 22, 2006
     
    M E M O R A N D U M
     
     
    TO:
    District Reading Endorsement Contacts
    District Staff Development Contacts
     
    FROM:
    Kathryn S. Hebda
     
      
      
    SUBJECT: READING COMPETENCY TWO (2) AVAILABLE THROUGH
    EDUCATOR PREPARATION INSTITUTES
     
     
    Section 1004.85 of the Florida Statutes authorizes accredited and approved postsecondary
    institutions to develop Educator Preparation Institutes (EPI) to provide some or all of the
    following services:
     
    1.
     
    Professional development opportunities to assist teachers in improving classroom
    instruction and in meeting certification and/or recertification requirements
    2.
     
    Instruction to assist potential and existing substitute teachers in performing their duties
    3.
     
    Instruction to assist paraprofessionals in meeting education and training requirements
    4.
     
    Instruction for baccalaureate degree holde
    competency-based, alternative certification programs
     
    Students who complete the competency-based, alternative teacher certification program at an
    approved EPI will receive instruction in scientifically-based reading principles that meet the
    requirements for Competency 2 of the Reading Endorsement. Regardless of the reading
    curriculum in use at a specific EPI (FOR-PD, LETRS, or other institutionally-developed
    modules), the Just Read, Florida! Office has verified that each approved, competency-based,
    alternative certification program has a Reading Module that
    Competency 2.
     
     
    325 W. GAINES STREET • TALLAHASSEE, FL 32399-0400 • (850) 245-0505 • www.fldoe.org

    Postsecondary institutions may also offer the Reading Module from their competency-based,
    alternative certification program as a stand-alone professional development opportunity. Only
    EPIs that are approved to provide professional development may deliver the Reading Module in
    this way. A list of approved Educator Preparation Institutes and the services that they are
    approved to offer is available via the Internet at:
    http://www.teachinflorida.com/PreCollegiate/EPI.asp
     
    Remember that colleges and universities offer a wide range of educational opportunities in credit
    and noncredit formats that may also be focused on professional development for teachers. The
    contents of this memo apply to offerings through the Educator Preparation Institutes only.
     
    Please note that postsecondary institutions typically charge tuition and fees, so there may be a
    cost associated with taking the Competency 2 Module. To take advantage of these opportunities,
    districts need to amend their district add-on reading endorsement plan to include the
    postsecondary institution option for Competency 2. This can be accomplished by e-mailing
    Barbara Elzie at Barbara.Elzie@fldoe.org.
     
    Since you are the Staff Development/Reading Endorsement Contact in your district, I wanted
    you to be aware of the potential for collaboration with postsecondary institutions in your area. It
    should also be noted that since FOR-PD is an option that has been available for many years to
    teachers in school districts, and since you are well-versed in that registration process, you may
    choose to continue to access FOR-PD through your district sections or open enrollments.
     
    If you need to verify that a current teacher has satisfactorily completed an EPI competency-based
    alternative teacher certification program, or a Competency 2 Module, you may contact the EPI
    Coordinator at your teacher’s institution of attendance. A list with contact information for all
    EPI Coordinators may be found at: http://www.teachinflorida.com/PreCollegiate/EPI.asp
     
    Additional information about community college Educator Preparation Institutes may be
    obtained through Ian Neuhard at Ian.Neuhard@fldoe.org. Questions about state university EPIs
    should be directed to Sundra Kincey at Sundra.Kincey@fldoe.org. Finally, for questions about
    the Reading Endorsements or Competency 2, please contact Barbara Elzie at
    Barbara.Elzie@fldoe.org.
     
    C: Barbara Elzie
    Ian Neuhard
    Sundra Kincey
    EPI Coordinators
     

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