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Elementary Literacy Micro-Credential

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Created in partnership with the Florida Department of Education and the Division of Early Learning, the UF Lastinger Center for Learning’s Flamingo Literacy Micro-Credentials are available at no cost to Florida instructional personnel in an effort to create accessible and on-demand reading professional development. They give instructional personnel an opportunity to work at their own pace while implementing new instructional strategies in real-time and receiving individualized feedback and one-on-one support from an assessor. 

What does it do?

The Elementary Literacy Micro-Credential prepares elementary instructional personnel to:

  • Identify literacy difficulties accurately
  • Apply evidence-based practices
  • Engage in effective progress monitoring and intervention  

Who should participate?

PreK (public or private) and kindergarten through fifth grade (public or public charter) instructional personnel:

  • Teachers
  • Paraprofessionals
  • Media Specialists
  • School Counselors
  • Interventionists

When does enrollment begin?

Component 1 & 2 Start Dates: March 4, April 1, May 6
Component 3 Start Dates: March 4, March 18, April 1, April 15, May 6

Participants will receive a welcome email from our Learning Services Team one week prior to the start date.

The Elementary Literacy Micro-Credential can be completed in 10 weeks. Access the document below to learn more about upcoming offerings, enrollment dates and FAQs.

Why participate?

  • $2,000 completion stipend for *eligible early child care personnel and early learning instructional staff; OR $1,000 completion stipend for eligible K-12 instructional personnel

  • Allows instructional personnel to teach intensive reading intervention, if supervised by an individual who is certified or endorsed in reading

  • Satisfies Competency 1 of the Reading Endorsement

  • Earn 60 inservice hours/6.0 CEUs
  • Satisfies the 40-hour reading requirement for renewal

  • Learn to analyze grade-level FAST progress monitoring data

  • Use assessment data to plan standards-aligned instruction to meet student need 

See below for Elementary Micro-Credential stipend eligibility.

    Stipend Eligibility

    $2,000 completion stipend

      • Completions on or before June 30, 2023: Prekindergarten instructional personnel as defined in 1002.55, 1002.61, 1002.63 and childcare personnel as defined in 402.302(3) and 1002.88(1)(e) who work at School Readiness (SR) and/or VPK contracted provider.
      • Completions on or after July 1, 2023: Prekindergarten instructional personnel as defined in 1002.55, 1002.61, 1002.63 and child care personnel as defined in 402.302(3) and 1002.88(1)(e) who work at childcare facilities licensed under 402.305, family child care homes licensed under 402.313, large family child care homes licensed under 402.3131, public or non public schools exempt from licensure under 402.3025, faith-based child care providers exempt under 402.316, before or after school program described in 402.305, or a child development program that is accredited by a national accrediting body and operates on a military installation that is certified by the United States Department of Defense.

    $1,000 completion stipend

      • Completions on or after July 1, 2023: K-12 instructional personnel as defined in 1012.01(2) and employed at a Local Educational Agency (LEA) public school or publicly funded charter school
          • Classroom teachers
          • Student personnel services staff members
          • Librarians/media specialists
          • Education paraprofessionals
          • Other instructional staff

             

    Upon successful completion of the Elementary Literacy Micro-Credential, our Stipends Processing Team will reach out with next steps to complete the stipend application.
    To be eligible for the stipend, you must complete the micro-credential by June 16, 2024.

    View stipends and check your eligiblity with our self-check tool on the Stipends Hub.

    How does it work?

    The Elementary Literacy Micro-Credential is a hybrid model of online modules, instructor-supported online courses, and job-embedded practicum:

    Component 1

    Delivery Method: Asynchronous, online course
    Foundations of Literacy: Science of Reading | 20 hours 

    • Oral Language
    • Phonological Awareness
    • Early and Advanced Decoding 
    • Fluency 
    • Vocabulary 
    • Comprehension

    Instructional personnel have the option to test out of Component 1 via a pre-test. If mastery is earned during the pre-test, they will enroll in Component 2.

    Component 2

    Delivery Method: Asynchronous, online course
    Instructional Practice | 20 hours

    Instructional personnel will learn how to provide reading intervention and practice using student data to inform their teaching strategies. Class exemplar data sets will be provided for the following grades:

      • Kindergarten
      • First and Second Grade
      • Third Grade
      • Fourth and Fifth Grade 

    Component 3

    Delivery Method: Online, instructor-supported, job-embedded practice
    Practicum | 20 hours

    This 20-hour job-embedded practicum provides instructional personnel with case study data, based on either STAR or Cambium progress monitoring assessments, for an individual student from the class profile. 

    If you want to receive direct communication about our programs, including updates or enrollment notifications, please fill out our Program Interest Form!