Advisory committee recommends tightening reading specialist endorsements to align with literacy law

The Certification Advisory Committee voted Nov. 19 to recommend changes to Rule R7-2615 that reshape three reading specialist endorsements and align them with the state’s 2021 literacy law. Jamie Wilber, Deputy Associate Superintendent for Certification, Ed Prep and Educator Recruitment & Retention, presented the package and said the changes were informed by internal work and statewide stakeholder input going back to November 2023.

Wilber told the committee the proposal would rename the endorsements to “Reading Specialist K–8,” “Reading Specialist 6–12” and “Reading Specialist K–12” to make clear the endorsements authorize holders to serve as reading specialists, interventionists, coaches or similar roles. She said the revisions add explicit prerequisite certificate types, retain practicum requirements, and introduce a science-of-reading requirement for coursework.

The changes would: require targeted coursework (examples include science of reading and reading assessment systems), keep a supervised practicum component (three semester hours or clock-hour equivalent) that must include relevant grade-span experience, and replace ambiguous leadership language with a specific three-semester-hour requirement in administration and supervision of a reading program at the appropriate grade level. Wilber said the Department will honor existing approved coursework for applicants with coursework completed before the rule’s effective date and will permit approved trainings to substitute for some semester-hour requirements to reduce cost barriers.

Committee members asked about the stakeholder mix and course availability. Wilber said 23 educators were invited to the stakeholder meeting, 15 participated directly, and additional feedback was collected via survey; she also said many aligned courses or approved trainings are available online or through the Department’s Academic Standards listings. Member Lighting pushed staff to provide the attendee list; Wilber read a roster of district and higher-education invitees when requested.

Members raised technical and practical questions about practicum logistics and how college coursework and Department-approved trainings would be substituted. The committee heard that practicum is defined in R7-2-601 as a period of structured observation and supervised practice (student teaching, internship, residency or observation course). Staff and some members noted districts often arrange coverage to allow teachers to complete practicum requirements.

Member Horn moved to recommend the proposed rule changes (covering letters F–H and repurposing existing text to break the three endorsements into top-level citations); Member Lighting seconded. The committee approved the motion by voice vote and the recommendation will be included in the packet to the State Board for its rule-making process.

What happens next: if the Board opens the package at its December meeting, the rule-making process would take at least two months with public hearing opportunities; the Department said it has provisionally reserved space on the December agenda. Staff indicated they will include the full endorsement package (the reading endorsements plus remaining items) for Board consideration.

The committee’s action formally forwards the reading-specialist amendments to the State Board; the Board and Department will handle detailed implementation timelines and any technical edits during the formal rule-making process.