1. (a) A person employed by a school district to teach kindergarten through grade three shall obtain a K - 3 educator endorsement under this subsection. To qualify for a K - 3 educator endorsement, an applicant shall

   1. (1) hold a teacher certificate issued under 4 AAC 12.305 or 4 AAC 12.306; and

   2. (2) submit documentation to the department that the applicant has

      1. (A) completed three semester hours or the equivalent of an evidence-based reading training that includes a summative assessment and is approved by the department; or

      2. (B) achieved or exceeded the required score under 4 AAC 12.407(a) for

         1. (i) the ETS Praxis II Teaching Reading: Elementary examination, test code 5205;
         2. (ii) the ETS Praxis II Teaching Reading: Elementary examination, test code 5206; or
         3. (iii) the Pearson Foundations of Reading examination or the Pearson Foundations of Reading FLEX, as provided in 4 AAC 12.407.

2. (b) A person employed by a district as a reading teacher shall obtain a district reading teacher endorsement not later than two years after the person's date of hire as a reading teacher. To qualify for a district reading teacher endorsement, an applicant shall

   1. (1) hold a teacher certificate issued under 4 AAC 12.305 or 4 AAC 12.306;
   2. (2) submit a completed reading instruction effectiveness evaluation form certified by a school principal or district representative with knowledge of the teacher's performance to the department; and

   3. (3) submit documentation to the department that the applicant has

      1. (A) completed an evidence-based reading training course approved by the department that includes a summative assessment; or

      2. (B) achieved or exceeded the required score under 4 AAC 12.407(a) for

         1. (i) the ETS Praxis II Teaching Reading: Elementary examination, test code 5205;
         2. (ii) the ETS Praxis III Teaching Reading: Elementary examination, test code 5206; or
         3. (iii) the Pearson Foundations of Reading examination or the Pearson Foundations of Reading FLEX, as set out under 4 AAC 12.407.
3. (c) The requirements of (a) of this section apply on or after July 1, 2024 to teachers who began teaching students in in grades kindergarten through three before July 1, 2023.
4. (d) In this section, "evidence-based reading training course" means a course with instruction in the areas of an "evidence-based reading intervention" within the meaning given in AS 14.30.780.

(Eff. 7/1/2023, Register 247)

Authority: AS 14.07.020, AS 14.20.020, AS 14.30.780, AS 14.07.060, AS 14.30.765, AS 14.20.015, AS 14.30.770