Monday, March 25, 2024
The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) recently announced eligible teachers can enroll in a free professional development course to help earn Indiana's Literacy Endorsement.
This new course was created through House Enrolled Act 1558 during the 2023 legislative session and provides the tools and training necessary for teachers to provide science of reading instruction.
Funding for the course, which was included in the state's 2024-25 budget, will be available through June 2025.
The course is certified by the International Dyslexia Association and eligible teachers can receive up to $1,200 in stipends for completion of the course.
During the 2024 legislative session, Senate Republicans made improving literacy rates among Hoosier children their top priority.
According to recent IREAD results, nearly 1 in 5 third graders struggle to read at their grade level.
Senate Enrolled Act 1, Senate Republicans' top priority this year, offers a comprehensive plan to help students achieve reading proficiency by addressing curriculum, assessment, remediation and, as a last resort, retention.
SEA 1 ensures schools provide kindergarten through eighth grade reading instruction aligned with the Science of Reading curriculum. Senate Republicans previously championed several laws to ensure the Science of Reading is taught in every Indiana classroom, including the 2023 state budget, which provided $60 million in funding for reading initiatives.
SEA 1 requires schools to give the IREAD test to students in second grade, allowing those who pass at this stage to be exempt from taking the test again. Students who do not pass in second grade will be given targeted support during third grade to help improve their reading skills.
After three chances to take the IREAD, and a full year of remediation, SEA 1 requires some students to be retained if they are unable to pass the test.
Another bill Senate Republicans worked on this year is Senate Enrolled Act 6, which requires IDOE to develop methods for schools to support and identify students in fourth through eighth grade who are at risk for not being proficient readers.
Both of these laws will work in tandem to ensure Hoosier children are reading proficiently and are ready for high school and beyond.
To learn more about the Indiana Literacy Endorsement, and the course offered by IDOE, click here.
