Are School Counselors and Speech Language Pathologists required to complete the Science of Reading Professional development course?
No. Related Service Providers (Speech and Language Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, and Physical Therapists) and School Counselors are
not required by law to to complete the professional development and do not qualify for the stipend.
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Does the Department's Science of Reading Professional Development Course count towards fulfilling the Dyslexia Professional Development requirements?
Yes. On April 23rd, the Ohio Dyslexia Committee voted to approve the Department’s Science of Reading professional development course as an approved course to meet the Dyslexia Professional Development requirements. Effective immediately, teachers and intervention specialists who complete either Pathway A or Pathway C of the
Department’s Science of Reading Professional Development course will fulfill both the
Dyslexia Professional Development requirements and the
Science of Reading Professional Development requirements.
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How will retirement costs and taxes be factored into stipend reimbursements from the Department?
The Department is partnering with the Management Council of the Ohio Education Computer Network to develop a system to reimburse schools and districts for the cost of teacher stipends. Districts and schools are responsible for paying the stipend to teachers who complete the course prior to submitting a claim for reimbursement. The amount of the stipend paid to the teacher $1,200 or $400 is subject to the
employee portion of the required retirement contribution and any applicable taxes. However, the payment from the Department will include reimbursement of the
employer portion of the required retirement contribution and federal Medicare tax (bringing the reimbursement total to $1,385.40 or $461.80). Districts and schools will make the determination of the timing, manner, and mechanisms for paying stipends to their teachers who complete the course.
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What is the science of reading? How can I find more information about the science of reading?
- Informs how students learn to read and write proficiently;
- Explains why some students have difficulty with reading and writing;
- Indicates that all students benefit from explicit and systematic instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension and writing to become effective readers;
- Does not rely on any model of teaching students to read based on meaning, structure and syntax, and visual cues, including a three-cueing approach.
More information on the science of reading is available in the Department’s
Science of Reading toolkit.
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When do teachers and administrators need to complete professional development in the science of reading and strategies for effective literacy instruction required under state law?
Districts and schools shall require
all teachers and administrators to complete a course provided by the Department not later than June 30, 2025, except that any teacher or administrator who has previously completed similar training, as determined by the Department, shall not be required to complete the course. Teachers shall complete the course at a time that minimizes disruptions to normal instructional hours.
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Which Science of Reading Professional Development Course Pathway Should K-5 Unified Arts Teachers (e.g. Art, Music, PE, etc.) Complete?
These teachers should take Pathway A of the Department's Science of Reading professional development course.
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Who is required to complete professional development in the science of reading and strategies for effective literacy instruction?
Districts and schools shall require
all teachers and administrators to complete a course provided by the Department, except that any teacher or administrator who has previously completed similar training, as determined by the Department, shall not be required to complete the course. In addition, administrators are required to complete a course provided by the Department but are not eligible to receive a stipend. Teachers or administrators who have previously completed similar training, as determined by the Department, are not required to complete the course.
Related Service Providers (Speech and Language Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, and Physical Therapists) and School Counselors are
not required by law to to complete the professional development and do not qualify for the stipend.
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If a teacher or administrator has completed previous training in the science of reading, are they required to complete additional professional development under this requirement?
Teachers or administrators who have previously completed similar training, as determined by the Department, shall not be required to complete the course. A list of training determined by the Department to meet this requirement is available on the professional development webpage. Training completed by educators that are not included on the list of approved similar trainings are not considered to meet the requirements under state law.
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How will the Department develop professional development courses to meet the requirements under state law?
The Department has partnered with
Keys to Literacy to develop Ohio’s professional development in the science of reading to meet the requirements under state law. Keys to Literacy is a well-known professional development provider of training and courses aligned to the science of reading K-12. Keys to Literacy’s Keys to Beginning Reading training is accredited by the International Dyslexia Association (IDA).
The Department will provide multiple professional development course sequences or pathways to meet this requirement. Pathways will be specific to educator roles and prior training completed to meet Ohio’s Dyslexia Support Laws.
All professional development sequences within the courses offered by the Department will consist of online modules completed in the Department’s Learning Management System in addition to face-to-face facilitated meetings with a trained facilitator.
The Department anticipates the professional development being available statewide in early 2024.
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Who is eligible to receive stipends?
Under state law, stipends are available for the following:
- $1,200 for each of the following:
- A teacher of grades kindergarten through five;
- An English language arts teacher of grades six through twelve;
- An intervention specialist, English learner teacher, reading specialist, or instructional coach who serves any of grades pre-kindergarten through twelve.
- $400 for each teacher who teaches a subject area other than English language arts in grades six through twelve.
Stipends are available
only for the completion of all of the professional development courses/hours in a specified pathway developed by the Department to meet the requirements under state law.
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How can districts and schools seek reimbursement from the Department for the cost of educator stipends?
The Department is partnering with the Management Council of the Ohio Education Computer Network to develop a system to reimburse schools and districts for the cost of teacher stipends. Districts and schools are responsible for paying the stipend to teachers who complete the course prior to submitting a claim for reimbursement. Instructions to access the stipend reimbursement portal are available in
this document.
The Department will not directly pay teachers for professional development stipends. However, the Department will reimburse districts and schools for paying teachers professional development stipends. The following are the general steps for stipend reimbursement to districts and schools:
- Teacher completes course.
- School or district verifies teacher’s course completion.
- School or district pays teacher a stipend.
- School or district requests reimbursement.
- Department provides reimbursement though the state foundation funding mechanism.
The Department (through the Management Council of the Ohio Education Computer Network) may verify the teacher completed the course and require documentation the teacher was paid. Stipend reimbursement requests will be collected from districts and schools by the Department periodically.
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Educators have recently been completing professional development to meet the requirements of Ohio’s Dyslexia Support Laws. How will the requirements for professional development in dyslexia and the science of reading fit together?
The Department will provide multiple professional development course sequences or pathways to meeting the requirement for professional development in the science of reading, based on an educator’s role and prior training completed to meet Ohio’s Dyslexia Support Laws.
If an educator has already completed the 18 hours of professional development required under the Dyslexia Support Laws, either through
training developed and delivered by instructors of structured literacy certification programs or through the
Department’s Introduction to Dyslexia course, will only be required to completed a shortened professional development sequence.
Educators who have completed training accredited by the International Dyslexia Association or training approved by the Ohio Dyslexia Committee for structured literacy certification are considered to have previously completed a similar training in the science of reading and have met the requirements for both laws.
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How will pre-service teachers receive professional development and training in the science of reading and strategies for effective literacy instruction?
The Department is collaborating with the Department of Higher Education and institutions of higher education that offer educator preparation programs to align the coursework of the programs with the science of reading and evidence-based strategies for effective literacy instruction.
Individuals holding pre-service permits issued by the State Board of Education under
ORC 3319.0812, may access the Department's professional development courses in the science of reading and evidence-based strategies for effective literacy instruction. For information about the pre-service permit, please contact
Educator.Licensure@SBOE.ohio.gov.
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Can the professional development in the science of reading required under state law count for license renewal and continuing education credit?
Under
House Bill 33 of the 135th General Assembly, local professional development committees (LPDCs) are required to count completion of the science of reading professional development course toward professional development coursework requirements for teacher licensure renewal. LPDCs must permit teachers to apply any hours earned in the science of reading that exceed the minimum number of hours required for professional development coursework for teacher licensure renewal to the next renewal period for the license.
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