READ Act Principal/Administrator Training

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K-3 Principal/Administrator Training Options

For the 2024-25 budget year and budget years thereafter, districts are required to submit evidence that each K-3 principal and each K-3 administrator as defined in the rules successfully completed evidence-based training designed for K-3 principals and administrators in in the science of reading. 

The evidence-based training designed for K-3 principals and administrators in the science of reading must include a minimum of 20 hours. However, for a K-3 principal or administrator who has previously completed the CDE-approved evidence-based training in teaching reading for teachers, as described in section 13.01(C), the evidence-based training designed for K-3 principals and administrators in the science of reading may be abbreviated and must include a minimum of 5 hours. Any evidence-based training designed for K-3 principals and administrators in the science of reading must address the following standards

To meet this training requirement, State Board of Education rules require that the evidence-based training in teaching reading must:

• Consist of a minimum of 20 hours (or 5 hours if the principal or administrator has already completed a CDE-approved evidence-based training in teaching reading for teachers);
• Address the content of the principal literacy standards referenced in the state board's Rules for the Administration of The Colorado Reading to Ensure Academic Development Act (Read Act), 1 CCR 301-92, section 13.01(D)(1) (effective December 30, 2022); and
• Include an end of course assessment that school administrators can provide evidence of passing.

Principals and administrators who serve grades K-3 are required to complete evidence-based training designed for school administrators in the science of reading. 

Definitions:

• Administrator: Any school-based or centrally- or regionally-based employee of an LEP who is responsible for designing, implementing and/or providing professional development on the elementary literacy instructional program for kindergarten or any of grades one through three in any school or LEP in the state, and who is not the principal. This would include an assistant or vice principal of an elementary school. It also includes any employee of the LEP conducting observations of and/or providing coaching to a teacher providing literacy instruction in kindergarten or grades one through three.
• Principal: Any person who is employed as the chief executive officer of any school in the state that serves kindergarten or any of grades one through three.

Below are the options listed in Statute and Rules. We encourage administrators and principals to take the Building a Strong Foundation: Developing Early Literacy Skills course on the Pepper platform until such time that another source is available. Administrators and principals that complete the Pepper course can use their certificate of completion as proof of meeting 15 hours of the school administrator training requirement. To learn more about the K-3 teacher training, please visit: K-3 Teacher Evidence-Based Reading Training Requirements. 

K-3 administrators and principals need to only complete one of these options to meet the READ Act principal/administrator training requirements. K-3 administrators and principals need to meet the training requirements only once. 

If you have additional questions about the K-3 principal/administrator training, please contact ReadActTraining@cde.state.co.us.