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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.

View READ Act Informational Webinars and Register!

 

 

Evidence-Based Training in Teaching Reading Requirements

All teachers who provide literacy instruction to students in grades K-3 and 4-12 reading interventionists 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.

View the complete Rules for the Administration of Colorado Reading to Ensure Academic Development Act (Read Act) (PDF)

Note: All K-12 teachers that have already completed one of the approved training options to meet the READ Act teacher training requirements and have the READ Act designation on their license, will not need to also complete the updated K-12 training Building a Strong Foundation for Lifelong Literacy Success. 

 

 Deadlines

K-3 teachers who provide literacy instruction

  • August 1, 2025: evidence-based training in teaching reading must be completed
  • August 15, 2025: documentation should be submitted to the Colorado Online Licensing (COOL) system (licensed teachers only; non-licensed teachers must reach out to their district to learn how to submit their documentation.)

4-12 reading interventionists

  • August 1, 2025: evidence-based training in teaching reading must be completed
  • August 15, 2025: documentation should be submitted to the Colorado Online Licensing (COOL) system (licensed teachers only; non-licensed teachers must reach out to their district to learn how to submit their documentation.)

Learn How to Submit Documentation


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Frequently Asked Questions



About the Training Requirements

Colorado school districts are required to ensure all K-3 teachers who provide literacy instruction and 4-12 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:

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.

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.

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.

Option 4 - Course Appropriate for License Renewal

  • 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.

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.

Option 6 - District- or BOCES-provided Training

  • 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.

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.