Standards for Reading Professionals—Revised 2003

A Reference for the Preparation of Educators in the United States, Developed by the Professional Standards and Ethics Committee of the International Reading Association

Copyright © 2004 by the International Reading Association, Inc.

Please note: This online version of the current standards document reproduces the core content of the printed version, and is intended for browsing purposes. The printed version contains additional resources, including a glossary, list of related websites, description of review dissemination, contact information, and the IRA code of ethics.

For additional information about these standards and their application within educational settings, contact the Professional Standards and Ethics Committee or the Research Division of the International Reading Association, 800 Barksdale Road, PO Box 8139, Newark, DE 19714-8139, USA; tel. +302-731-1600.

Acknowledgments

Standards for Reading Professionals—Revised 2003 [Standards 2003] was developed by a task force of the Professional Standards and Ethics Committee of the International Reading Association. Many individuals were involved in the revision of the Standards. It was a long and difficult task, as Task Force members considered and reviewed hundreds of contributing comments from members of the education community.

In particular, IRA wishes to express its gratitude to the cochairs, Barbara Chesler and Lynn Romeo, for their unfailing dedication to this revision; the numerous hours spent drafting and revising the standards; the weekend meetings and conference calls; and for their patience, good humor, and congenial dispositions during this entire project.

IRA would also like to recognize the contributions of all the members of the Task Force who put time and effort into writing and reviewing drafts, attending meetings, and wading through hundreds of comments from contributors. We want to express thanks to Cathy Roller for her leadership and direction and to Gail Keating for her general management of the project in keeping the Task Force motivated, meeting deadlines, and moving the process forward.

Standards Task Force

Barbara Chesler, cochair Longwood University, Virginia
Lynn Romeo, cochair Monmouth University, New Jersey
Allen Berger Miami University, Ohio
Jeri Gillin Providence College, Rhode Island
Daniel R. Hittleman Queens College, New York
William Earl Smith Ohio University, Ohio
Gail Keating, Ex Officio International Reading Association, Delaware
Cathy Roller, Ex Officio International Reading Association, Delaware

In revising these Standards we sought to reflect the many different voices, interests, and concerns of our diverse contributors. We would like to thank all those in the education profession who contributed to this revision by reviewing the drafts developed during the revision period. Their constructive comments are reflected in this document.

Lastly, we would also like to acknowledge the support of IRA’s Electronic Services Department, in particular David Roberts and Ed Broadbelt, in getting the draft Standards 2003 on IRA’s website.

Standards for Reading Professionals is revised periodically. The following individuals served on the Professional Standards and Ethics Committee during the three-year revision period and offered extensive contributions.

2002–2003
Barbara J. Chesler, cochair, Longwood University, Virginia
Lynn Romeo, cochair, Monmouth University, New Jersey
Charline Barnes, University of Northern Iowa, Iowa
Anita Corey, Radford University, Virginia
Jeri Gillin, Providence College, Rhode Island
Sherry E. Kragler, Ball State University, Indiana
Jill D. Lewis, New Jersey City University, New Jersey
Hanfu Mi, State University of New York, Oneonta, New York
Diane J. Quatroche, Indiana State University, Indiana
Mary E. Robbins, Sam Houston State University, Texas
William Earl Smith, Ohio University, Ohio
Adrienne Andi Sosin, Adelphi University, New York
Karen J. Sweeney, Wayne State College, Nebraska
Allen Berger, Ex Officio, Miami University, Ohio
Gail Keating, Ex Officio, International Reading Association, Delaware
Cathy Roller, Ex Officio, International Reading Association, Delaware

2001-2002
Barbara J. Chesler, cochair, Longwood University, Virginia
Lynn Romeo, cochair, Monmouth University, New Jersey
Paula Boxie, Miami University, Ohio
Diane E. Bushner, Salem State College, Massachusetts
Jeri Gillin, Providence College, Rhode Island
John J. Hobe, Armstrong Atlantic State University, Georgia
Adrienne Andi Sosin, Pace University, New York
Allen Berger, Ex Officio, Miami University, Ohio
Gail Keating, Ex Officio, International Reading Association, Delaware
Cathy Roller, Ex Officio, International Reading Association, Delaware

2000-2001
Allen Berger, chair, Miami University, Ohio
Paula Boxie, Miami University, Ohio
Diane E. Bushner, Salem State College, Massachusetts
Barbara J. Chesler, Longwood College, Virginia
Cay Evans, Louisiana State University, Louisiana
Margaret Genisio, University of Wisconsin, Wisconsin
Jeri Gillin, Providence College, Rhode Island
John J. Hobe, Armstrong Atlantic State University, Georgia
Bonnie A. Konopak, University of Northern Colorado, Colorado
Lynn Romeo, Monmouth University, New Jersey
Gail P. Silkebakken, East Central University, Oklahoma
Adrienne Andi Sosin, Pace University, New York
Gail Keating, Ex Officio, International Reading Association, Delaware
Cathy Roller, Ex Officio, International Reading Association, Delaware

Introduction

Standards for Reading Professionals—Revised 2003 [Standards 2003] provides criteria for developing and evaluating preparation programs for reading professionals. These standards answer the question, What should new reading professionals know and be able to do? The focus is on candidate performance and emphasizes the knowledge and skills of candidates as they complete their preparation programs. (These standards do not describe seasoned professionals who would be expected to demonstrate even higher performance levels.) Standards 2003, a revision of Standards for Reading Professionals—Revised 1998 [Standards 1998], summarizes a deliberative process that drew from professional expertise and research in reading and reading instruction.

How are the Standards 2003 changed from Standards 1998?

The most important change from the Standards 1998 is the increased focus on candidate performance. The criteria included in this document are performance based. This change is a response to shifts in the field of education toward a focus on the outcomes of learning rather than inputs.

The second change is related to format. There are five standards:

1. Foundational Knowledge

2. Instructional Strategies and Curriculum Materials

3. Assessment, Diagnosis, and Evaluation

4. Creating a Literate Environment, and

5. Professional Development

Each standard includes several elements. The standard is articulated in a single sentence followed by the stem “As a result, candidates:” The stem is followed by a table that lists the elements of the standard down the rows and the reading professionals across the columns. The table replaces the competency matrix of previous versions of the Standards. The word candidate is included in these category labels—Paraprofessional Candidate, Classroom Teacher Candidate, Reading Specialist/Literacy Coach Candidate, Teacher Educator Candidate, and Administrator Candidate—to emphasize that we are describing performance at the end of a preparation program and not the higher performance expectations of a seasoned professional. The elements specify particular knowledge and skills relevant to the standard. Within each cell of the table the criteria for the performance of that element of the standard are stated for that reading professional. The criteria for each professional category are specific and measurable.

The criteria for Paraprofessional and Administrator Candidates are independent of other candidates. The Classroom Teacher must meet the criteria for Paraprofessional as well as those listed under the Classroom Teacher. The Reading Specialist/Literacy Coach candidate must meet the criteria for Paraprofessional and Classroom Teacher as well as those listed under Reading Specialist/Literacy Coach, and the Teacher Educator must meet the criteria for Paraprofessional, Classroom Teacher, and the Reading Specialist/Literacy Coach as well as those listed under Teacher Educator.

From the previous description, the third change in Standards 2003 is evident: There are standards for only five reading professional categories (referred to as “roles” in Standards 1998). A fourth change is the inclusion of a table that provides references to research related to each element of each standard. This change is in response to the increasingly ubiquitous call for the use of research-based practices in schools. The included references are to research syntheses that summarize a large number of individual studies related to particular research questions.

A fifth important change is in response to changing population demographics that have created more culturally and linguistically diverse educational contexts. Throughout this document we will refer to "cultural and linguistic diversity." By this term we mean to emphasize that students' cultures and their linguistic backgrounds are crucial characteristics that can have powerful effects on learning. Preparation programs must pay close attention to those differences and prepare all candidates to teach responsively in ways that capitalize on students’ cultural and linguistic backgrounds.

A sixth important change is that Standards 2003 places a much heavier emphasis on the use of technology for teaching children and preparing teachers. The reason for the emphasis is quite evident. The use of technology is growing at exponential rates, and teachers and children need to learn to make good use of the technology available.

Following this introduction there is a section describing the reading professional categories. This section is followed by the standards tables, the evidence tables, the references, and the appendixes.

Who uses these standards and for what purposes?

Community college, college and university faculties, and state department staff use Standards 2003 in planning preparation programs for reading paraprofessionals, classroom reading teachers, reading specialists/literacy coaches, reading teacher educators, and administrators. These personnel also use it as the basis for evaluating both candidates and programs. In addition, the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) uses the criteria for the reading specialist/literacy coach and teacher educator categories in accreditation decisions. The International Reading Association is the Specialty Professional Association (SPA) that conducts reviews of these two categories of reading professions for NCATE accreditation.

Standards 2003 has drawn from professional expertise and reading research to identify the performance criteria relevant to producing competent reading professionals. In planning preparation programs, the Standards provide a guide to program content and program contexts that will result in the production of candidates who know and are able to do the performances described in the standards tables. Because these standards are performance-based rather than "course-based," they allow preparation programs and states more flexibility to design programs.

The Standards also can be used as a guide to develop candidate and program assessment systems. Assessment systems use a set of assessment tools to determine if candidate or program performance meets standards. It is not necessary to create an assessment for each element of each standard when developing assessment systems. For example, suppose a program wants to determine if a candidate’s performance meets standard 1. Figure 1 provides an example of how element 1.1 of the standard can be assessed using a Child Study assignment and data from required state testing. The same Child Study assessment assignment also could be used to provide evidence for other elements. For example, it might be used as evidence for standard element 3.2 as it is in the Figure 1 example. The important points are that an overall assessment system can use a few assessment tools to evaluate all the standards’ elements, a separate tool for each element is insufficient and unnecessary, and often more than one assessment can be used to provide evidence of meeting the criteria. Whenever possible, assessment systems should include evidence on positive effects on P-12 student learning.

States and accreditation organizations use the Standards for Reading Professionals to determine if preparation programs are adequate for preparing competent reading professionals. NCATE uses the criteria for the reading specialist/literacy coach and teacher education categories to determine if programs are nationally recognized. NCATE also uses these standards to inform their elementary teacher standards related to reading and language arts. These standards have similarly influenced and been influenced by the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium’s (INTASC) and the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards’ (NBPTS) standards related to reading.

The changes in Standards 2003 are intended to strengthen the field by providing a well-organized and specific set of performance criteria that shape preparation programs. The Standards are the result of a deliberative process that involved the constant intertwining of research evidence and professional judgment. We hope this document will contribute to an evidence-based practice that ultimately improves student reading achievement.

Part 1
Category Descriptions of Reading Professionals (revised August 2007)

The International Reading Association recognizes five distinct categories of reading professionals responsible for reading instruction: paraprofessionals, classroom teachers, reading specialists/literacy coaches, teacher educators, and administrators. All have unique roles that reflect differences in responsibilities and in levels and types of students taught. Reading professionals must be prepared appropriately so that when they enter the field they are competent to perform these various roles. Individuals in each of these categories have various degrees of responsibility for supporting and meeting the needs of all students and for interacting with colleagues in a school community to ensure that every student receives appropriate reading instruction.

Category I: The Paraprofessional

Assists in regular education, special education, or reading and writing education in graded or age-grouped classrooms at preschool through high-school levels, and in after school and summer programs.

Has two-year postsecondary degree with an emphasis on human development and educational processes and, for those paraprofessionals who provide reading instruction, 12 semester credit hours, or the equivalent, in literacy and language development.

Category II: The Classroom Teacher

Teaches at the early childhood, elementary, middle, or high school level. This category also includes adult continuing education.

Develops children’s reading and related language arts; includes content area teachers who integrate literacy instruction with subject learning.

Has undergraduate or graduate degree that includes a minimum of 12 hours for preK-grade 5 and a minimum of 6 hours for grades 6-12 teachers of coursework in reading and reading instruction.

Category III: The Reading Specialist

Works at the early childhood, elementary, middle, secondary, and/or or adult levels.

Fulfills a number of responsibilities and many have a specific focus that further defines their duties.  For example, a reading specialist can serve as a teacher for students experiencing reading difficulties; as a literacy or reading coach; or as a supervisor or coordinator of reading/literacy. The reading specialist must be prepared to fulfill the duties of all three of these:

•  A reading intervention teacher is a reading specialist who provides intensive instruction to struggling readers. Such instruction may be provided either within or outside the students’ classrooms.

•  A reading coach or a literacy coach is a reading specialist who focuses on providing professional development for teachers by providing them with the additional support needed to implement various instructional programs and practices. They provide essential leadership for the school’s entire literacy program by helping create and supervise a long-term staff development process that supports both the development and implementation of the literacy program over months and years. These individuals need to have experiences that enable them to provide effective professional development for the teachers in their schools.

•  A reading supervisor or reading coordinator is a reading specialist who is responsible for developing, leading, and evaluating a school reading program, from kindergarten through grade 12. They may assume some of the same responsibilities as the literacy coach, but in addition have responsibilities that require them to work more with systematic change at the school level. These individuals need to have experiences that enable them to work effectively as an administrator and to be able to develop and lead effective professional development programs.

May also include these additional responsibilities:

•  Serves as a resource in the area of reading for paraprofessionals, teachers, administrators, and the community.
•  Works cooperatively and collaboratively with other professionals in planning programs to meet the needs of diverse populations of learners.
•  Provides professional development opportunities at the local and state levels.
•  Provides leadership in student advocacy.

It is expected that the reading specialist will meet the following qualifications:

•  Previous teaching experience
•  Master’s degree with concentration in reading education:
•  A minimum of 24 graduate semester hours in reading and language arts and related courses
•  An additional 6-semester hours of supervised practicum experience.

 

Category IV: The Teacher Educator

Provides instruction to candidates at the graduate and undergraduate levels.

Participates in scholarly work, including researching, writing, and professional development.

Forges university–school partnerships with other educational agencies to promote the advancement of literacy.

Has a minimum of three years’ teaching experience including the teaching of reading.

Has a terminal degree that focuses on reading and reading instruction.

 

Category V: The Administrator

Includes principals, superintendents.

Recognizes and supports reading professionals as they plan, implement, and evaluate effective reading instruction.

Principals (K–12) have a minimum of 6 credits hours in reading and related language arts.

 

Part 2
Standards and Criteria for Judging Performance

As newly graduated reading professionals enter the field, they must demonstrate the performances essential for meeting the reading instructional needs of all students. In essence, they must give evidence of meeting the standards presented in this document. The five standards are:

1. Candidates have knowledge of the foundations of reading and writing processes and instruction.

2. Candidates use a wide range of instructional practices, approaches, methods, and curriculum materials to support reading and writing instruction.

3. Candidates use a variety of assessment tools and practices to plan and evaluate effective reading instruction.

4. Candidates create a literate environment that fosters reading and writing by integrating foundational knowledge, use of instructional practices, approaches and methods, curriculum materials, and the appropriate use of assessments.

5. Candidates view professional development as a career-long effort and responsibility.

For each of these standards, the matrix that follows describes performance criteria for judging whether preparation programs produce candidates who are competent to meet the instructional needs of their students. Each of the standards has three or four elements that make up the standard. Within the matrix, the performance criteria for each category of professional are listed for each element of the standard. As noted before, with the exception of administrators, the criteria are cumulative. The criteria for administrators are independent of the previous categories because administrators’ responsibilities are primarily to provide leadership, supervision, and support for reading professionals, and thus require an independent set of performances and criteria.

The five standards can be visualized as a tetrahedron (see Figure 2) with the reading professional at the apex and professional development as the base. The three faces of the tetrahedron are foundational knowledge, use of instructional practices and materials, and use of assessment tools. These three combine to create a literate environment that fosters reading and writing. The tetrahedron rests solidly on the base of professional development that begins with excellent initial preparation and continues with a commitment to lifelong career learning.

Part 3
Evidence

The following charts are a summary of the chapters and pages that support each element of the standards from the following books (complete references follow charts): Handbook of Reading Research Volumes I, II, and III (HRR1, HRR2, and HRR3); Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children (PRD); Report of the National Reading Panel (NRPR); Theoretical Models and Processes of Reading, Fourth Edition (TMPR4); and What Research Has To Say About Reading Instruction, Third Edition (WRS3)

References

Barr, R., Kamil, M.L., Mosenthal, P., & Pearson, P.D. (Eds.). (1991). Handbook of reading research (Vol. 2). White Plains, NY: Longman.

Elliott, E. (Ed.). (2003). Assessing education candidate performance: A look at changing practices. Washington, DC: National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.

Farstrup, A.E., & Samuels, S.J. (Eds.). (2002). What research has to say about reading instruction (3rd ed.). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

Kamil, M.L., Mosenthal, P.B., Pearson, P.D., & Barr, R. (Eds.). (2000). Handbook of reading research (Vol. 3). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. (2000). Report of the National Reading Panel. Teaching children to read: An evidence-based assessment of the scientific research literature on reading and its implications for reading instruction (NIH Publication No. 00-4769). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

Pearson, P.D. (Ed.). (1984). Handbook of reading research. New York: Longman.

Ruddell, R.B., Ruddell, M.R., & Singer, H. (1994). Theoretical models and processes of reading (4th ed.). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

Singer, H., & Ruddell, R.B. (1976). Theoretical models and processes of reading (2nd ed.). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

Singer, H., & Ruddell, R.B. (1985). Theoretical models and processes of reading (3rd ed.). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

Snow, C.E., Burns, M.S., & Griffin, P. (1998). Preventing reading difficulties in young children. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.