The Next Generation Content Area Reading-Professional Development course (NGCAR-PD) is designed to provide teachers with the tools needed to enable students to comprehend complex text in all content areas. Completion of NGCAR-PD would make a content area teacher eligible to serve as a reading intervention teacher in their content area class in accordance with the Florida K-12 Comprehensive Reading Plan. Content area teachers include, but are not limited to, math, science, social studies, language arts, fine arts, and career and technical educators. Teachers who are teaching academic reading courses in grades 6-12, however, would still need to earn the reading endorsement or K-12 reading certification in order to be in-field and highly qualified to teach reading. Please note that only degreed teachers with reading certification or reading endorsement may teach the academic reading courses.

NGCAR-PD combines strong research-based instructional practices with an approach that emphasizes reading deeply in multiple disciplines about multiple topics. Comprehension strategies are taught in an integrated fashion with instructional coherence and direct application. The approach fosters respect for the content area while illustrating for teachers how to provide the necessary scaffolds for students to successfully read in content area classes. A practicum course for participants to obtain experience in increasing the reading performance of students is required for completion of NGCAR-PD.

The NGCAR-PD consists of 2 courses:

1. NGCAR-PD (60 in-service points) An eight day face-to-face course or online course
2. NGCAR-PD Practicum (30 in-service points) Six two-hour evening sessions with application in the classroom documented through observation and portfolio requirements

*NGCAR-PD does not satisfy requirements for the reading endorsement, and therefore is not reflected on an educator's teaching certificate. However, the NGCAR-PD 90 hours of credit earned will be appropriate for renewal of all certification subject coverages.