CDE K-3 Evidence-Based Reading Requirements

St. Vrain’s Plan for Colorado’s K-3 Evidence-Based Reading Training Requirements

What is the new Colorado K-3 Teacher Evidence-Based Reading Training Requirement?

To support literacy development in grades K-3, the Colorado legislature revised the READ Act in SB 19-199 requiring educators that provide literacy instruction to students in kindergarten through third grade to complete evidence-based training in teaching reading by the beginning of the 2021-22 school year. The revised READ Act mandates that approved training consists of a minimum of 45 hours.

Teachers need to meet this training requirement only once.

Who must complete the new Colorado K-3 Evidence-Based Reading Training Requirement?

The rules for the Colorado READ Act define a Kindergarten through 3rd grade teacher as a professional responsible for the literacy instruction of the student(s) and may include the main instructor for a class, a literacy teacher, reading interventionist, special education teacher, ELD/ESL teacher, Title I teacher, or other certified personnel who are identified to provide reading instruction to K-3 students.

How can I meet the Colorado K-3 Evidence-Based Reading Training Requirements?

There are seven state-approved options by which K-3 teachers of literacy can meet the training requirements under the READ Act, one of which is to complete our approved district provided training.

What will the St. Vrain K-3 Evidence-Based Reading Training look like?

The literacy staff from the Office of Priority Programs, Professional Development, and the Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Department have been collaborating to develop and deliver a high quality series of professional development components to support K-3 teachers in providing evidence-based reading to their students. The components of our CDE approved K-3 Evidence-Based Reading Training are embedded in the these three trainings:

Component A – Core Curriculum Training
Component B – Orton-Gillingham Training
Component C – Essentials in Evidence-Based Literacy Instruction

For most teachers in St. Vrain, Component A refers to our district adopted curriculum training in ReadyGEN and Fundations. For teachers at our charter schools, the core curriculum training is that which has been provided in alignment with their adopted core curriculum. Component B can be any variety of Orton-Gillingham Training (Yoshimoto OG International, IMSE, etc.). Component C is a class called Essentials in Evidence-Based Literacy Instruction.

St. Vrain K-3 teachers will need to complete all three components including a district-developed comprehensive assessment of learning if they desire to meet the Colorado mandate through the district-provided option.

What other options are available to me to meet the Colorado K-3 Evidence-Based Reading Training Requirements?

There are seven options by which K-3 teachers of literacy can meet the training requirements under the READ Act:

Reading Teacher or Reading Specialist endorsement – CDE Info Link
- Teachers who have a Colorado Reading Teacher or Reading Specialist endorsement meet the training requirement. No other training is required.
Appropriate undergraduate or graduate university course in teaching reading – CDE Info Link
Appropriate course for license renewal – CDE Info Link
- Teachers may submit evidence of successfully completing a course in teaching reading appropriate for license renewal for CDE to review to determine whether it meets the statutory requirement.
CDE-provided training – CDE Info Link
- Teachers will have the option to successfully complete a CDE-provided training (online course or in-person) at no cost to the teacher.
- Access to the CDE online training course is currently available.
- In-person training scheduling will depend on relaxed social distancing requirements related to COVID-19.
District provided training
- Teachers will have the option to complete St. Vrain developed training approved by CDE.
Training program from the CDE Advisory List of Professional Development – CDE Info Link
- Teachers can successfully complete a training program included on the CDE Advisory List of Professional Development that has been designed to meet this requirement.
Teachers may submit evidence of successfully completing an undergraduate or graduate course in teaching reading for CDE to review to determine whether it meets the statutory requirement.

How can I complete the St. Vrain K-3 Evidence-Based Reading Training?

Our Curriculum Department has incorporated the St. Vrain CDE approved K-3 Evidence-Based Reading modules into our core literacy curricula (ReadyGEN and Fundations) training and will continue to do so for all new teacher hires and anyone else who requires it. Charter schools have also provided mandatory training for their teachers in alignment to their core curriculum and will continue to do so for any new teacher hires and others who need it.

Therefore, there are only two remaining courses to complete for any professional desiring to select the St. Vrain CDE-approved district option to meet the state training mandate:

Orton-Gillingham Training
(OG is a prerequisite to Essentials in Evidence-Based Literacy Instruction)

Essentials in Evidence-Based Literacy Instruction (new course)
(OG is a prerequisite to Essentials in Evidence-Based Literacy Instruction)

These classes are posted to our St. Vrain Online Catalog – http://opd.svvsd.org/

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I take these courses if I teach literacy to preschool, fourth, or fifth grade students?

Yes, you can certainly take these courses if you teach literacy to fourth or fifth grade. In fact, if you plan on ever teaching kindergarten through third grade, we advise it. The state now mandates completion of evidence-based training in reading for any professional delivering literacy instruction to kindergarten through third grade students.

Can administrators, and others who are interested attend as well?

Yes. Our St. Vrain training is open to any interested district employee, however we will prioritize for those covered by the mandate. The state-provided training for K-3 is limited to teachers in those grades. CDE will consider expanding participation to educators in grades outside of this range at a later date.

Are SPED teachers, ELD and literacy teachers also required to complete the required K-3 Teacher Training?

Yes. The READ Act rules define ‘teacher’ as the professional responsible for the literacy instruction of the student(s) and may include the main instructor for a class, an instructional coach, reading interventionist, special education teacher, CLDE Teacher, Title I teacher, or other personnel who are identified as effective in the teaching of reading.

If I completed Orton-Gillingham training on my own or with another district, will it still count?

Yes. If you have a certificate of completion for any past Orton-Gillingham training, it can be used as part of the St. Vrain approved pathway. Please send your Certificate of Completion to Amy Magyar ([email protected]) in the Office of Professional Development.

Is there a way for teachers to “test out” of the requirement for evidence-based teacher training?

Yes. On April 8th, 2020, the State Board of Education determined that teachers who score at least 159 on the ETS Praxis Teaching Reading Elementary assessment (5205) will have met the evidence-based teacher training requirement established in SB 19-199.

What professional development will CDE offer for the K-3 Teacher Training?

Independent review committees selected Keys to Literacy’s “Keys to Beginning Reading” to provide face-to-face training via synchronous virtual delivery or in-person and Public Consulting Group, Inc.’s “Building a Strong Foundation: Developing Early Literacy Skills” to provide online training. Information regarding CDE’s free virtual asynchronous training can be found here. Information regarding CDE’s free face to face virtual and in-person training can be found here.

Can I choose to complete another professional development program that is different from the St. Vrain or CDE training to meet the requirements of the K-3 evidence based teacher training?

Yes. READ Act statute includes a provision allowing the State the option to accept other evidence-based training in teaching reading as long as it is approved by CDE. This list of other approved evidence-based training can be accessed on the CDE READ Act web-page here.

Additional Questions

Direct questions regarding the St. Vrain K-3 Evidence-Based Reading Training to Diane Lauer, [email protected], Assistant Superintendent of Priority Programs and Academic Support.

To inquire about CDE training options, go to https://www.cde.state.co.us/coloradoliteracy/teacher-training for more information.