A news release from the State Department of Education on July 9, 2010, announced that it was changing the Highly Qualified Status for some Alabama Reading Teachers. The release state, in part:

 

“… the SDE is creating a preliminary certificate through exception for teaching Reading in Grades P-12.

 

 This will allow for a local superintendent to request the preliminary certification for any teacher who taught reading during      2009-2010 above the highest grade on the teacher’s certificate. While holding this one-year certificate, the teacher must complete a free, eLearning course entitled; Kids, Content and Comprehension. Teachers holding a second, one-year preliminary certificate, must complete another on-line learning course entitled Reading Intervention for Struggling Readers. 

 

We anticipate the two eLearning courses will consist of six sessions of two hours each. Teachers who have taught Reading during both the aforementioned years and completed both on-line courses may apply for a teaching certificate with an endorsement for Reading in prekindergarten through 12th Grade (P-12). 

 

Superintendents must request the first and second preliminary certification by October 1, 2010, and October 1, 2011 respectively. Eligible teachers are those who teach Reading at least part time, but are full time employees. Teachers who are eligible are encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity to add the valuable P-12 Reading endorsement.”

 

The first of those courses, REA3455: Kids, Content and Comprehension is available for enrollment through STIPD. There are four sessions of the course identified for HQ reading teachers that begin the first Wednesday of September, 2010; November 2010; January 2011; and March 2011. Each session is limited to the first 100 who enroll. The course is free and will earn graduates 30 contact hours (3.0 CEUs). There is also a session of the course for the general teaching public that will begin on October 6th – this course described on our website under the link titled Course Listing.

 

The second course in the series, REA3403: Reading Intervention for Struggling Readers will be available in the fall of 2011. For further information, we have provided links to two documents you may wish to read in their entirety:

 

State Department of Education Revising Highly Qualified Status For Some Alabama Reading Teachers , dated July 9, 2010

 

New Preliminary Certificate Through Exception Option and New HOUSSE Portfolio Option Available for Selected Teachers of Reading,  dated July 9, 2010.