READ Act Teacher Training

READ Act Informational Webinars

The Office of Elementary Literacy and School Readiness will host monthly live informational webinars to provide updates on the READ Act teacher and school administrator trainings.

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Evidence-Based Training in Teaching Reading Requirements

All teachers who provide literacy instruction to students in grades K-3 and reading interventionists K-12 must complete evidenced-based training in teaching reading. Below are the definitions of teacher and reading interventionist in READ Act Rule.

Reading Interventionist: An individual employed to teach students and whose primary job duties include providing reading intervention to students on READ Act Plans during regular school hours to supplement core academic instruction and who is employed in any of grades K-12.
Teacher: 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 (in grades K-3), special education teacher, Title I teacher or other personnel who are identified as effective in the teaching of reading and who has been employed to teach kindergarten or any of grades one through three.

Deadlines

K-3 teachers who provide literacy instruction

August 1, 2023: evidence-based training in teaching reading must be completed
August 15, 2023: documentation should be submitted to the Colorado Online Licensing (COOL) system (licensed teachers only; guidance for non-licensed teachers to come.)

4-12 reading interventionists

August 1, 2024: evidence-based training in teaching reading must be completed
August 15, 2024: documentation should be submitted to the Colorado Online Licensing (COOL) system (licensed teachers only; guidance for non-licensed teachers to come.)

Learn How to Submit Documentation

Teacher Training
Frequently Asked Questions

Jump to a section:

About the Training
Requirements

Training
Options

District/BOCES
Options for Teachers

About the Training Requirements

Colorado school districts are required to ensure all K-3 teachers who provide literacy instruction and K-12 reading interventionists complete evidence-based training in teaching reading as a result of changes to the Colorado READ Act in SB 19-199 (PDF) and SB22-004 (PDF). Districts, BOCES, and charters that do not meet the requirements will be ineligible for READ Act funds.

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

Consist of a minimum of 45 hours;
Address the content of the educator preparation literacy standards referenced in the state board's Rules for the Administration of Educator License Endorsements, 1 CCR 301-101, section 4.02(5) through 4.02(12) (effective May 30, 2019); and
Include an end of course assessment that teachers can provide evidence of passing.

State law and State Board of Education rules allow the following options for teachers to meet the training requirements.

Options to Fulfill Training Requirements

Teachers need to only complete one of these options to meet the READ Act teacher training requirements. Teachers need to meet this training requirement only once.

Option 1 - Reading Teacher or Reading Specialist Endorsement

Teachers who have a Colorado Reading Teacher or Reading Specialist endorsement meet the training requirement.

Explore Reading Endorsements

Option 2 - State Board Approved Assessment of Knowledge of Teaching Reading

Teachers who have completed one of the approved evidence-based training options but lack proof of an end of course assessment may take and pass an alternative assessment authorized by the State Board.
The Praxis Teaching Reading: Elementary 5205 exam with the passing score of 159 was approved by the state board in April 2020.

Explore Alternative Board Approved Assessments

Option 3 - Appropriate Undergraduate or Graduate University Course in Teaching Reading

Teachers may submit evidence of successfully completing an undergraduate or graduate course in teaching reading for the CDE to review to determine whether it meets the statutory requirements.
Educator Preparation Program staff may submit a course in teaching reading for the CDE to review to determine whether it meets the statutory requirements.

Teachers:

Teachers may submit evidence of successfully completing a course in teaching reading appropriate for license renewal for the CDE to review to determine whether it meets the statutory requirements.

Explore Course Appropriate for License Renewal

Option 5 - CDE-Provided Training

Teachers will have the option to successfully complete a CDE-provided training (online course or face-to-face) at no cost to the teacher.

Teachers will have the option to successfully complete a district- or BOCES-provided training approved by the CDE and can check with their district or BOCES whether this option will be available to them.

Explore District and BOCES Training

Option 7 - Training Program from the CDE Advisory List of Professional Development

Teachers can successfully complete a training program included on the CDE Advisory List of Professional Development that has been designed to meet this requirement.