Reading Requirements
Maryland State Department of Education
Professional Development CPD reading courses

These requirements are based on what subject area is listed on your certificate, not on the subject and/or grade level you are teaching.

• Important Changes
  As of January 1, 1999, MSDE implemented the requirement for additional reading course work. This affects all certificate holders who hold or renew a certificate with an issuance date of
  January 1, 1999 and after.
  
• Requirements Timeline
  Teachers needing more then 6 semester hours of reading course work must submit a minimum of 6 semester hours within the first issued or renewed certificate AFTER January 1, 1999 and the remaining 6 semester hours during the second renewal period.
  
  Teachers needing 6 semester hours or less will have one renewal period (first issued or renewed certificate after January 1, 1999).
  
• Exemptions
  Specialist and administrative areas of certification are not affected by the reading regulation. However, if you hold certification in either a specialist or administrative area AND a teacher area, you must meet the reading requirements OR forfeit the teacher area from your certificate. Guidance Counselors, Reading Teacher/Specialists, Pupil Personnel Workers, Psychometrist, School Psychologists, Occupational and Physical Therapists, Speech Pathologists, Audiologists, and all Non-Instructional Administrators are exempt unless they hold and wish to continue to hold a teaching area on their certificate.
  
• Acceptable Course Work
  All reading course work completed as a part of your bachelor's degree program, on the graduate level, or through approved MSDE CPD course work will be considered. A listing of acceptable course work can be found on MSDE's web-site: www.marylandpublicschools.org.

Certification Areas requiring 12 Credits of Reading: EARLY CHILDHOOD, ELEMENTARY EDUCATION, AND SPECIAL EDUCATION teachers at Infant-Grade 3 or Grades 1-8 level:

• Processes and Acquisition of Reading Skills explains the processes of language development, including the impact of phonemic awareness, and how the brain responds to reading acquisition.
• Methods of Reading Instruction shows teachers how to use a balanced program of phonics, semantics, and syntactics in teaching reading.
• Materials for Teaching Reading exposes teachers to a variety of texts to be used in their classes and explains strategies for selecting and evaluating materials.
• Assessment of Reading Instruction shows teachers how to use state, local, and classroom reading assessment data to make ongoing instructional modifications.
  
  These requirements are based on what subject area is listed on your certificate, not on the subject and/or grade level you are teaching.

Certification Areas requiring 6 Credits of Reading: SECONDARY CONTENT AREAS, N-12/K-12, LIBRARY MEDIA SPECIALIST, and SPECIAL EDUCATION K-12, 6-ADULT, SEVERLY AND PROFOUNDLY HANDICAPPED, VISUALLY IMPAIRED, AND HEARING IMPAIRED areas:

• Methods of Teaching Reading in the Secondary Content Area, Part I outlines the essentials of the reading process; introduces teachers to the methods of assessing student reading, strategies in reading, methods of incorporating reading through student-centered instruction, and motivations for reading
• Methods of Teaching Reading in the Secondary Content Area, Part II expands on Part I enabling teachers to apply theories, strategies, and practices in daily classroom instruction.

Certification requirements are subject to change without notice.