As of July 1, 2021, the Utah State Board of Education (USBE) offers two new competency-based endorsement options in literacy: (1) Literacy Specialist K-12, and (2) Secondary Literacy Interventionist. Learn more about the USBE competency-based endorsements here. Beginning July 1, 2023, USBE will ONLY offer these two literacy endorsement options: (1) Literacy Specialist K-12 and (2) Secondary Literacy Interventionist. If you began the Retiring Application for the Level 1 Reading Endorsement prior to June 30, 2023, you may submit the application to USBE any time prior to June 30, 2025 for the Reading Level 1, Reading Level 2, and Reading Interventionist Endorsement. However, USU does not offer many of the courses for these retiring endorsements, unless a district cohort is arranged.
USU offers coursework to meet the competencies of the Secondary Literacy Interventionist endorsement, which is designed to strengthen the classroom teacher’s knowledge of literacy content and pedagogical knowledge and assessment. Graduates learn to read, interpret, and apply evidence-based practices gleaned from the research literature. The application can be reviewed here: https://www.schools.utah.gov/file/e582d2fc-3a47-4025-9cfd-e0afe0accc95.
The competencies for the Secondary Literacy Interventionist endorsement are met by successful completion of courses at USU:
- TEAL 5380 Effective Writing Instruction (summer), 3 credits
- TEAL 5320 Foundations of Literacy (fall)*, 3 credits
- TEAL 6350 Literacy Assessment and Intervention (fall), 3 credits
- TEAL 6340 Adolescent Literacy Development and Engagement (spring), 3 credits
- TEAL 6310 Multi-Component Literacy Instruction and Interventions (spring), 3 credits
*If you have completed LETRS training, you can be exempt from taking TEAL 5320.
The Secondary Literacy Interventionist endorsement program is designed for working professionals, with courses offered in the evenings and summers. Courses are typically taught once a week during the fall semester and the spring semester and twice a week during the summer (summer semesters are 7 weeks long instead of 15 weeks). Courses are currently offered through the Statewide Campuses and follow a schedule so that students can complete the endorsement in one year (summer, fall, and spring).
*Additional courses can be offered on-site at school locations in collaboration with school districts. Please contact Dr. Nicole Pyle at nicole.pyle@usu.edu or 435-797-0392 if you are interested in this option.
There are two ways to pursue a Secondary Literacy Interventionist endorsement at USU: (1) as a non-matriculated graduate student for the literacy endorsement only, or (2) as a master's degree student with the literacy endorsement courses used as electives. To become a non-matriculated graduate student, you must complete an online application here: http://rgs.usu.edu/graduateschool/apply/. Browse all instructions for the application.
For the Secondary Literacy Interventionist endorsement courses to count towards a Master of Education in Curriculum & Instruction at USU, please review the master's degree program https://cehs.usu.edu/teal/graduate/master-of-ed or contact Dr. Max Longhurst: max.longhurst@usu.edu. To apply for the master's degree program, you must apply to the School of Graduate Studies: http://rgs.usu.edu/graduateschool/apply/.
We highly recommend that you pursue the second path. If you start taking classes as a non-matriculated student, please be aware that if you change your mind and decide to enroll in the master's program, only 12 of the non-matriculated credits can be transferred into your master's degree program.
Questions? Please ask!
Nicole Pyle, Associate Professor
435-797-0392
nicole.pyle@usu.edu