Literacy Specialist Certification

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CIP Code: 13.1315

Candidates must meet all requirements for certification including achieving a passing score on the state mandated content assessment. These requirements are in effect through 8/31/2025. Candidates who do not complete certification requirements by that date will need to satisfy the new requirements that will take effect 9/1/2027.

Professional Requirements

PSYC 333 - Child Psychology Semester Hours: Three §
PSYC 343 - Adolescent Psychology Semester Hours: Three §
EDPS 453/553 - The Exceptional Child Semester Hours: Three ¹
EDSP 463/563 - Individual Diagnostic Assessment Semester Hours: Three ¹

Total: 9-12 Hours

Special Reading Content Knowledge for Teaching

Minimum of 12 semester hours from the following, one of which must be Analysis and Correction of Reading Disabilities, with at least two courses at the graduate level [candidates may not repeat courses taken at the 400-level (or their equivalents) at the 500-level]

ETOP 423/523 - Classroom and Behavior Management Semester Hours: Three ¹
ECSP 423/523 - Family Engagement and Partnership: Seminar and Field Experience Semester Hours: Three ¹
ECSP 433/533 - Language Development and Disorders of the Young Child Semester Hours: Three
EDRD 443/543 - Analysis and Correction of Reading Disabilities Semester Hours: Three ¹

Plus Nine (9) Hours from the Following:

EDRD 423/523 - Integration of Literacy in Content Areas: Seminar and Field Experience Semester Hours: Three
EDRD 433/533 - Foundations of Literacy Instruction for Early Childhood/Elementary: Seminar and Field Experience Semester Hours: Three
EDRD 463/563 - Reading and Writing Strategies for Middle and Secondary Content Areas Semester Hours: Three
EDET 573 - Methods of Using Technology to Enhance Literacy Semester Hours: Three
EDRD 501/502/503 - Specialized Topics in Literacy Instruction Semester Hours: One to Three

Total: 21 Hours

Culminating Clinical Experiences

Graduate Only Courses

EDRD 573 - Advanced Elementary Reading Disorders Practicum Semester Hours: Three
EDRD 583 - Advanced Secondary Reading Disorders Practicum Semester Hours: Three

Total: 6 Hours

Total: 30 Hours

Note(s)

§May be met with a three semester hour combined course in Child and Adolescent Psychology such as EDPS 313 Psychology of Learning & Development , PSYC 313 Human Growth and Development (MOTR PSYC 200) ,OR PSYC 553 Advanced Human Development .

¹See the catalog section on Senior Permission in Policies and Procedures for information on earning graduate credit for this course.

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) requires that candidates seeking this endorsement hold a valid Missouri permanent or professional certificate of license to teach and have at least two (2) years of classroom teaching experience.
Beginning August 1, 2017, candidates must be recommended for certification in Special Reading K-12 by an educator preparation program.

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