CENTER FOR EFFECTIVE READING INSTRUCTION

CERTIFICATION OF TEACHERS AND OTHER EDUCATION - PROFESSIONALS - IN 2016, THE CENTER IMPLEMENTED A TEACHER CERTIFICATION PROGRAM, WHEREBY INDIVIDUALS WHO MET PREREQUISITE CRITERIA WERE PERMITTED TO APPLY FOR AND TAKE A CERTIFICATION EXAM AND OBTAIN A CREDENTIAL CERTIFYING THE INDIVIDUAL HAS MET CERTAIN KNOWLEDGE REQUIREMENTS RELATIVE TO TEACHING READING TO ALL STUDENT POPULATIONS, ESPECIALLY THOSE STRUGGLING WITH DISABILITIES OR LANGUAGE BARRIERS. THE CENTER ALSO EDUCATED TEACHERS, PRINCIPALS, SUPERINTENDENTS, AND SCHOOL BOARDS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING TEACHERS EQUIPPED TO TEACH TO THESE STUDENT POPULATIONS. THE CENTER'S CERTIFICATION PROGRAM FURTHERS THE CENTER'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE BY EQUIPPING TEACHERS WITH THE KNOWLEDGE BASE FOR EFFECTIVELY TEACHING READING TO ALL STUDENTS IN THE CLASSROOM, PARTICULARLY TO THOSE TO WHOM READING IS A CHALLENGE, AND BY AWARDING A CREDENTIAL TO INDICATE MASTERY OF THE SUBJECT MATTER. THE CENTER PROVIDED WEB BASED TRAINING MODULES TO EDUCATE TEACHERS AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL PROFESSIONALS ABOUT THE STANDARDS AND THE WAYS IN WHICH THE STANDARDS MAY BE MET. THERE ARE 10 MODULES WHICH WERE DEVELOPED IN THE FIRST YEAR, INCLUDING AN ONLINE KNOWLEDGE COMPONENT AND VIDEO RECORDINGS. THE SUBJECTS OF THE TRAINING ARE PRIMARILY FOR TEACHERS ALREADY IN THE CLASSROOM WHO DID NOT RECEIVE THIS TRAINING IN THEIR COLLEGES OR ON THE JOB, BUT MAY ALSO INCLUDE ADMINISTRATORS, ALLIED PROFESSIONALS, SUCH AS SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS, PARENTS AND OTHERS INTERESTED IN LEARNING THIS CONTENT. IN ADDITION TO TRAINING MODULES, THE CENTER WAS A RESOURCE FOR INFORMATION ABOUT RESEARCH ON BEST PRACTICES IN THE FIELD. THIS ACTIVITY FURTHERS THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE CENTER BY MAKING TRAINING AND INFORMATION ACCESSIBLE TO A LARGER NUMBER OF TEACHERS AND EQUIPPING THEM TO TEACH READING TO ALL STUDENT POPULATIONS.