Mar 28, 2024  
University Catalog 2016-2017 
    
University Catalog 2016-2017 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Reading and Literacy Leadership Specialist Credential


The Reading and Literacy Leadership Specialist Credential is issued by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.  It fulfills the requirements of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, as well as the International Reading Association’s guidelines for Reading Specialists/Literacy Coaches.  It authorizes the holder to provide the following services as a Reading and Literacy Leadership Specialist in any grade level PreK-12, or in classes organized for adults:

  • Develop and coordinate reading and language arts programs at the school, district, or county level
  • Select and adapt reading and language arts instructional materials
  • Plan and conduct reading and language arts staff development
  • Assess student progress and monitor student achievement in reading and language arts
  • Provide direct reading and language arts intervention work with students
  • Assist and support the classroom teaching in reading and language arts instruction and teaching strategies

Admission to the Program

For admission to the program, applicants must:

  1. Meet university requirements for admission to graduate status,
  2. Have a 3.0 or higher grade point average in their last 60 semester (or 90 quarter) units attempted, and
  3. Have completed a basic course/s in teaching reading and writing (EDEL 4150 and EDEL 4160, or EDSE 4501 & EDSE 4502, or equivalent) or hold a basic teaching credential.

Requirements for the Specialist Credential (30 units)


Students must complete 30 units of required coursework, fulfill additional co-requisites listed below, and pass the comprehensive examination (EDCI 5960) for the M.A. Degree in Education: Option in Reading.

Corequisites


In addition to the above requirements, students must satisfy the following:

  • Complete ENGL 4101 (3), or TESL 4000 (3), or an equivalent course in English linguistics by the end of the second semester in the program.
  • Have a preliminary basic California Teaching Credential (i.e., A Multiple Subjects, Single Subject, or Educational Specialist Teaching Credential).  Students may work towards the Reading and Literacy Leadership Specialist Credential while they are completing the requirements for their preliminary teaching credential.
  • Have verified completion of “Intensive Teaching Experience” (three years of successful full-time teaching experience after receiving a basic teaching credential at any grades authorized by their credential), and “Extensive Teaching Experience” (20 clock hours of successful experience with either Prek-3rd or 4th grade-adult, whichever of these differs from their “Intensive Teaching Experience”). (The Extensive Teaching Experience requirement can often be met through successful completion of EDCI 5400.)  Students who finish the program before they complete their experience requirements will be eligible for the specialist credential once they finish this requirement.

Comprehensive Exam (0 units)


Students should take the comprehensive examination for the M.A. degree in Education: Option in Reading Program (EDCI 5960) after they have completed all course work in their program and must comply with college and division requirements. Under special circumstances, and with prior approval from their program coordinator, students may take EDCI 5410 concurrently during the semester they take their Comprehensive Examination.

An M.A. in Education: Option in Reading and/or a California Reading Certificate (issued by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing) and/or a Postsecondary Reading Certificate can be earned concurrently with this Reading and Literacy Leadership Specialist Credential.

For admission to the program(s) and for information on how to earn an M.A. in Education: Option in Reading and/or a California Reading Certificate and/or a Postsecondary Reading Certificate concurrently with the Reading and Literacy Leadership Specialist Credential, see a faculty member who advises for the programs. A list of these faculty members and their office hours is available in King Hall C2097.

EDCI 5960 - Comprehensive Exam:  (0 units)