Content Area Reading Professional Development (CAR-PD) Incentive

To: All Middle/High School Principals
All Middle/High School Assistant Principals
All Middle/High School Teachers

From: Wynne Tye, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction

David J. Steele, Ph.D., Chief Information and Technology Officer

Subject: Reading Endorsement Incentive and Teaching Supplement

Content Area Reading Professional Development (CAR-PD) Incentive

Reading is the District’s #1 priority. We recognize the importance of providing scientifically research-based reading instruction in all classrooms and therefore encourage all teachers to earn the state-approved Add-On Reading Endorsement.

The Highly Qualified Teacher requirement mandates that teachers of state-coded reading courses in Grades 7-12 earn either the Reading Endorsement or Reading Certification to be considered highly qualified in the field of reading. This mandate went into effect July 1, 2007.
Given the importance of developing highly qualified reading teachers, the Reading Endorsement Incentive and additional Teaching Supplement were proposed and accepted as part of our District’s Comprehensive K-12 Reading Plan and will be funded in the 2008-2009 school year.

All Grade 6-12 teachers who successfully complete the state approved 300 inservice hour district Add-On Reading Endorsement, complete Reading Endorsement for English for Speakers of Other Languages (REESOL), or complete a University Approved Add-On Reading Endorsement program by May 30, 2009, are eligible to receive a one-time program completion incentive of $1,000.

In addition, all Grade 6-12 teachers who have satisfactorily taught a state-coded reading course for the 2008-2009 school year AND have successfully completed one of the following --- District Add-On Reading Endorsement, REESOL, University Approved Add-On Reading Endorsement program (at any time prior to May 30, 2009) or are certified reading teachers --- will be eligible to receive an additional $500 teaching supplement.

Grade 6-12 Content Area Reading Professional Development (CAR-PD) teachers, who complete the CAR-PD 150 inservice hour qualification by May 30, 2009, are eligible for a one-time program completion incentive of $500. (CAR-PD teachers have not received the Reading Endorsement and are not eligible for the $500 Teaching Supplement.) Grade 6-12 CAR-PD qualified teachers may provide reading intervention to specified FCAT Level 2 students within their content and/or elective courses.

Applications requiring documentation of program completion will be made available beginning April 2009 in FirstClass email. The application will be located within the "District" icon under "District Forms." The Reading Endorsement Incentive and Teaching Supplement as well as the CAR-PD Incentive will be awarded at the end of the 2008-2009 school year.

We value all of our teachers and the added training required to raise student reading proficiency levels. Thank you for being a partner in providing outstanding literacy instruction to our middle and secondary students. If you have any questions, please contact one of the following:

District Add-On Reading Endorsement Candidates and CAR-PD Incentive Candidates:
Sandra Tune, Staff Development DRT for Reading Endorsement, 840-7016
University Add-On Reading Endorsement Candidates:
Karen Davis, Office of Educator Certification, 840-7180