Endorsement Plan
Reading Specialist
A Reading Specialist endorsement empowers licensed Arkansas teachers with the specific skills aimed at planning, teaching, and evaluating instruction for students having trouble reading or writing. A reading specialist is also trained to improve reading achievement for all students by supporting teachers and other personnel in the district. Our courses can be applied toward the Reading Specialist endorsement in Arkansas and will help licensed teachers prepare for the required Reading Specialist PRAXIS exam. Additionally, these courses may be applied to the Educational Specialist degree program.
The College of Education and Health Professions provides the coursework required by the State of Arkansas Department of Education for licensure endorsement as a Reading Specialist. Check the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education website for application forms and information.
Traditional financial aid and scholarships are not available for endorsement programs. Those teaching outside Arkansas should check with their home state's department of education to see if this coursework will be accepted for licensure endorsements in their home states.
100%
Online
21
Credit Hours
GRE
Exempt
Grounded in Research and Literature
Our coursework aligns with the statewide initiative Reading Initiative for Student Excellence in Arkansas, which is grounded in research and literature forming the science of reading. It also reflects the latest K-12 content competencies for reading specialists required by the Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education and impacts the way reading is taught.
University of Arkansas faculty developed the coursework after consulting DESE’s required content competencies, the content addressed in the latest Reading Specialist Praxis exam, various national and state standards documents including the International Literacy Association’s Standards for Reading Professionals, and the International Dyslexia Association’s Knowledge and Practice Standards for Teachers of Reading (2018), as well as leading research in the literacy education field.
The goals of the plan of study focus on the competencies developed by the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education required for licensure as a K-12 Reading Specialist, as well as the Teacher Excellence Support System (TESS) for Specialty Areas (Instructional Specialist Framework).
Courses
- CIED 50603 - Disciplinary Literacies in Education
- CIED 51703 - Literacy Assessment and Intervention
- CIED 55303 - Teaching Language Arts
- CIED 55703 - Foundations of Literacy
- CIED 57903 - Practicum in Literacy
- SPED 55403 - Dyslexia Teaching Practicum
- SPED 56803 - Teaching Literacy Skills to Students with Disabilities
Details about other endorsement plans offered through the University of Arkansas are listed on the Teacher Education website.
| Tuition / credit hour | $446.29 |
| Fee / credit hour | |
|---|---|
| Library | $4.68 |
| Network & Data Systems | $13.10 |
| Off-campus | $30 |
| Online Facilities | $2 |
Tuition and fees per credit hour reflect fall 2024 rates for students studying completely online. Students in online programs who take an on-campus course will pay on-campus fees, mandatory and college fees, for only the on-campus course.
Endorsement programs are not eligible for financial aid
Contact
- Heather Young
Associate Professor
Curriculum and Instruction
hkindall@uark.edu
How to Apply
If you are not a current University of Arkansas student and want to take an online class or classes, you will need to apply for admission as a non-degree seeking student.
- Select the Graduate Admissions Application
- Select Start a New Application - see instructions below
- Create an account using personal e-mail at the bottom of the page
- Activate your account with the PIN sent to your e-mail.
- Click Start New Application at the bottom of the page
- Select the appropriate Application Type:
- Walton College of Business Graduate Application
- Non-degree Graduate School Application
- Graduate School Application
- Create an account using personal e-mail at the bottom of the page
- Start a Non-Degree Graduate School Application
- Under Term Information, select "Yes" to study primarily online as a non-degree seeking student.
