Florida state statute requires the Reading Endorsement for teachers who provide reading intervention instruction for students.  Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) provides teachers with the necessary skills and resources to teach struggling readers.  This program is based on the Science of reading instruction and leverages decades of research including the latest neuroscience that reveals how students learn to read and how to teach reading with effective instruction.  The comprehensive program provides a depth of content beyond other literacy professional development solutions-covering all essential components of reading, language, spelling, and writing.  

LETRS is approved by the Florida Department of Education as an effective professional learning program that meets the needs of struggling readers, and Clay County District Schools has received program approval from FLDOE for using LETRS as the district Reading Add-On Endorsement. 

“The LETRS professional development course of study is unique in many ways. Because reading is a language-based skill, simply learning strategies to address reading as a text-based skill is inadequate. LETRS is grounded in the fundamental idea that reading difficulties can be best addressed by teaching the structures and functions of language directly. Teachers learn what, when and how language skills need to be taught and ways to develop language for both prevention and intervention of struggling readers. Oral language is the basis for later reading comprehension. Second language learners and children who come to school from a background of poverty need extra support at the oral language level in order to give them the best chance of becoming proficient readers. Yet our teachers seldom have the opportunity for undergraduate work, graduate work or professional development in oral language and its impact on literacy learning. When we combine instruction in language with instruction about reading foundational skills like phonemic awareness and basic phonics, we are creating a strong basis upon which strategies and skills for advanced decoding, vocabulary development, fluency, deep reading comprehension of various text genres and writing can develop. 

While deeply grounded in the science of reading, LETRS gets teachers involved in their own learning throughout the units of study. As teachers learn about instructional practices that align with the theory and research they are learning in their classes, text and online units of study, there are activities and self-evaluations in the text and online that give teachers the grounding in classroom instruction they desire and need. Teachers create a reflective journal throughout their study and work and have constant opportunities that bridge the research and theory about instruction and assessment directly into their classrooms to help them internalize the knowledge as they apply and practice what they are learning. 

Louisa Moats says, “Teachers do better, when they know better.” LETRS allows teachers to increase their knowledge base and their understanding of why they do what they do as they teach children to read. As committed as LETRS is to empowering teachers, we never lose sight of why this work is so important. We always stay focused on the student, because it is the student whose life can be changed by a well-informed and caring teacher. One of the first activities we do in the beginning of our first unit of study is to ask teachers to think of a student who they taught and who they wished they could have helped more. We then have the teachers dedicate their study to that student. Every teacher knows that they could do better if they knew better! Teachers love LETRS because they know that it adds value to their practice and through those changes that occur it helps them change the lives of the students they care so much about. 

In reviewing the Florida Reading Endorsement matrix, it is clear that the full scope of LETRS aligns with the scope and goals of the FL Reading Endorsement and Florida’s dedication to developing the strongest reading teachers. In addition, the blend of print, online and face-to-face resources/trainings match the time requirements of the Reading Endorsement process (60 hours for each competency – 300 total hours).”

It is estimated that approximately 600 Clay County teachers need the Reading Endorsement to educate the 5500 students requiring reading intervention. Approximately 200 teachers throughout the district were Reading Endorsed when the statute went into effect, and 300 teachers received the Reading Endorsement during the 2019-20 school year through the Job Embedded Reading Endorsement and the Traditional Reading Endorsement pathways. 

It is estimated that approximately 600 Clay County teachers need the Reading Endorsement to educate the 5500 students requiring reading intervention. Approximately 200 teachers throughout the district were Reading Endorsed when the statute went into effect, and 300 teachers received the Reading Endorsement during the 2019-20 school year through the Job Embedded Reading Endorsement and the Traditional Reading Endorsement pathways. 

The contract with LETRS will provide for 90 additional teachers to receive their Reading Endorsement thereby increasing their capacity to teach reading to all students and particularly to struggling readers.

Goal 1: Develop a High Quality & Aligned Instructional System, Goal 5: Develop and support great educators, support personnel, and leaders.  

Strategy 1.1 Provide teachers and students with the tools and resources necessary to meet the demands of the Florida Standards and students' individual needs., Strategy 5.2: Provide ongoing training and support for teachers, support staff, and leaders.

That the Clay County School Board approve the contract for LETRS for the Reading Add-On Endorsement