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