K - 12 READING ADD-ON ENDORSEMENT
About the K - 12 Reading Add-On Endorsment
The K-12 Reading Add-on Endorsement will enable teachers to meet the demands for highly-qualified teachers in
reading, as required by the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and by the Florida Department of Education
requirements under the Just Read, Florida initiative. Teachers who instruct secondary students in reading or
K-5 teachers teaching elementary reading courses who do not hold a Florida Elementary Education certificate are
required to earn 300 hours of specialized in-service training in the following areas:
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Competency 1: Foundations in Language and Cognition - 60 points
Participants will acquire meaningful knowledge of language structure and function and cognition of the five major components of the reading process. These components include: phonemic awareness, phonics instruction, fluency instruction, vocabulary instruction, and comprehension instruction. The participant will also acquire specific understandings of reading as a process of student engagement in both fluent decoding of words and construction of meaning. This 60 hour course will count towards the 300 hour Florida Reading Endorsement. (Note: There are no prerequisites for this course.) -
Competency 2: Foundations of Research-Based Practices - 60 points
The focus of Competency 2 is on research-based qualities of effective reading instruction, Florida’s formula for effective approaches to teaching reading, assessment, and teacher growth in reading. This 60 hour course will count toward the 300 hour K-12 Florida Reading Endorsement. (Note: Prerequisite for this course is Competency 1.) -
Competency 3: Foundations of Assessment
- 60 points
Participants will acquire meaningful knowledge of "Foundations of Assessment". Participants will be able to 1) develop a portfolio of formal and informal assessments, 2) interpret and analyze the date, 3) demonstrate knowledge of the characteristics, administration, and interpretation of both quantitative and qualitative instructional assessment, 4) utilize assessment information for appropriate instruction. This 60 hour course will count toward the 300 hour Florida Reading Endorsement. (Note: Prerequisites for this course are Competency 1 and 2.) -
Competency 4: Foundations of Differentiation - 30 points
Competency 5: Application of Differentiated Instruction - 30 points
Participants will learn theory, assessment, action research and differentiation for the five areas of reading: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. As part of the requirements for this course, participants will complete a portfolio on three students. During the course, teachers will gain an understanding of how to diagnose student problems, develop an action plan to remediate those problems, and implement this plan over a six to nine week period. Competency 4/5 is a combined competency. Both competencies must be completed before 60 in-service points will be awarded. This 60 hour course will count toward the 300 hour Florida Reading Endorsement. Participants must attend all sessions of course to receive points. (Note: Prerequisites for this course are Competency 1, 2 and 3.) - Competency 6: Demonstration of Accomplishment (Practicum) - 60 points
This course is a supervised practicum for participants to obtain experience in increasing the reading performance of students with the prescription and utilization of appropriate strategies and materials. Course content is based upon scientifically-based reading research to address the prevention, identification, and remediation of reading difficulties. Participants will learn how to apply knowledge of reading development to reading instruction with sufficient evidence of increased student reading proficiency for struggling students, including students with disabilities and students from diverse populations. The 60 hr. course includes 12 hrs. of traditional classroom instruction and 48 hours of supervised practicum. (Note: Prerequisites for this course are Competency 1, 2, 3, and 4/5.)
For the Participants
The participant will learn how to recognize, assess, and diagnose students with reading problems. The
competencies prepare the participant to know how to help struggling readers in the reading courses and in the
academic content areas. Participants will be considered as highly effective after earning the K-12 Reading Add-on
Endorsement and will be able to add the endorsement to their teaching certificates.
Special Features
- The Schultz Center for Teaching and Leadership offers the reading competencies online as well as face-to-face. Competency 6 is offered face-to-face because it is designed as the practicum.
- The competencies are designed to be taken in numerical order due to the scaffolding of the courses building on prior knowledge.
- All competencies are offered each semester (fall, spring and summer) with the exception of Competency 4/5 and 6 which are offered during the school year to provide the required classroom lab experience with students.
- All Schultz Center K-12 Reading Add-on Endorsement trainers hold the required reading endorsement or certification.
More Information
- To view a complete listing of reading endorsement courses or to electronically enroll in reading endorsement courses using the online course registration system, click here. Log in and click "Course Catalog." Click the down arrow next to category, select "Reading/Literacy," and then click "Search." Click on either a course title to view details or click "Register" to the left of that course title to register for the course.
- For more information about the K-12 Reading Add-On Endorsenment program , contact Kay Earhart at earhartk@duvalschools.org or via phone at (904) 348-5757.
- For more information about the Florida Reading Endorsement from the State, click here.
