READ Act K-3 Teacher Training Requirement: Educator Preparation Program Course Application

Background

The Colorado Reading to Ensure Academic Development Act (READ Act), passed by the Colorado legislature in 2012, focuses on early literacy development for all students in kindergarten through third grade and especially for students at risk of not reaching grade-level proficiency in reading by the end of third grade.  Included in the READ Act is  a requirement that, by the beginning of the 2021-22 school year and continuing for each school year thereafter, each Local Education Provider (LEP) that receives per-pupil intervention money or a grant through the early literacy grant program in any budget year starting with the 2019-20 budget year shall ensure that each teacher employed to teach kindergarten or any of grades one through three successfully completes or has successfully completed evidence-based training in teaching reading as described in C.R.S. 22-7-1208(6)(a).

Educator Preparation Program Course Pathway

State law and State Board of Education rules allow multiple pathway options for teachers to meet this training requirement. One option allows for teachers to successfully complete and pass a CDE-approved educator preparation reading course and end of course assessment of learning from an approved Colorado program. The CDE has established this application process for Educator Preparation Program staff to submit courses designed to fulfill this training requirement for review and approval. 

Application Process for Educator Preparation Program Courses

As of January 2021, CDE will accept applications from Colorado Educator Preparation Program staff who have designed a course or courses to meet the requirements of the evidence-based training in teaching reading required by the READ Act (C.R.S.12-7-1208(6)(a)). 

Internal Review

Each Educator Preparation Program that submits a course or courses for review is required to complete an internal review of their course(s) before the application will be considered for review by the CDE. The internal review should be completed by a team comprised of a variety of stakeholders representing various roles within your system. This team will utilize the CDE K-3 evidence-based teacher training rubric (linked below) to score the application and materials being submitted.

This team will be required to complete the rubric and provide notes to the CDE for each rating selected for each criterion throughout the rubric.

This pre-scored rubric will be submitted to the CDE within electronic application.

Application Timeline 

The Educator Preparation Program course application is a “rolling application” and can be submitted at any time.

Applications will be reviewed by a CDE review team in the order they are received. The CDE will make every effort to review two applications a month. 

All application documents are linked below.  

Application Resources

• Educator Preparation Program Course Application *NOTE: Minor updates were made to this application on March 17, 2021 to reflect the allowance for submission of multiple courses to fulfill the requirement. 
  • This version of the application is intended only as a reference document for instructions and application planning purposes.
  • This application is intended for submission by Educator Preparation Program staff.
  • Applications will be submitted online via the Smartsheet form linked below.
  • Submission of application materials either in hard copy or via email will not be accepted.
• SmartSheet Form Application
• Educator Preparation Program Course Rubric
• Section H: Agreement of Completion Form

Application Questions

Please email [email protected] with any questions related to this application process. 

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