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Become a reading specialist

Gain critical skills for teaching literacy to students in grades K-12

Elementary Education: K-12 Reading Specialist (Master of Education and PDE Certification)

Offered by: Elementary Education / Early Childhood

For educators preparing for roles as both reading specialists and instructional coaches, the Master of Education in Elementary Education K-12 Reading program at SRU provides training in instructional coaching with a literacy emphasis. This program leads to certification as a K-12 reading specialist and an instructional coaching endorsement from the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE).

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Description

Through SRU's Master of Education in Elementary Education K-12 Reading program, teachers can add the K-12 reading specialist certification and an endorsement in instructional coaching / literacy emphasis to their current teaching certificate-while earning a M.Ed. Reading degree.

This graduate degree is designed to promote the development of reading professionals who are able to play a variety of roles from kindergarten through twelfth grade. These roles include classroom reading teacher, diagnostic remedial specialist, developmental study skills specialist, consultant, or resource specialist. All candidates completing this program are eligible to receive Pennsylvania Reading Specialist Certification after achieving a passing score on the Praxis II test in Reading. This certification is required for all Title I teachers in the Commonwealth of PA.

Highlights

This SRU Master of Education program offer working professionals:

  • Flexibility and convenience with all courses offered exclusively online
  • Small class sizes
  • Experienced faculty with doctoral degrees who are experts in their fields

Requirements

Attention: To apply for admission, please use the following link to apply now.

  • $25 Application Fee
  • Resume 
  • Copy of Teaching Certificate (any state) 
  • Two Electronic Recommendation Forms: two from a professional or one from a professional and one from a faculty member
  • Official Transcripts- Undergraduate/Graduate (Official transcripts must be sent by institution via electronic transcript e-share to graduate.admissions@sru.edu or via mail- faxed copies will not be considered official) 
  • SRU current/Alumni/former students click here to order your official SRU final transcript and have it sent to graduate.admissions@sru.edu

*If you are requesting review of your graduate transcripts for transfer of credit, please complete the transfer of credit form and submit to the Office of Graduate Admissions with official graduate transcripts. Please review SRU's transfer of credit policy.

* If you are not a resident of Pennsylvania, please check the list of most recent states approved for online classes and internships by clicking here to see if SRU is authorized to offer distance education and/or field experiences in your state of residency.

*Clearances are due no later than one (1) week prior to deadline for course registration for each program's practicum/field experience-----no student will be permitted to register for their program's practicum and take part in practicum/field experiences without clear clearances on file at SRU. For Clearance Procedures, click here.  Students are to send the following by the due date:

  • Clear Act 34 Criminal History Record: NO record...NONE concerning prohibitive offenses.  A meeting headed by the Dean of the College of Education is required if clearances show non-prohibitive offenses.   Clearance must be less than one year old at the time of submission.
  • Clear Act 114 FBI Record Check: NO record...NONE concerning prohibitive offenses. A meeting headed by the Dean of the College of Education is required if clearances show non-prohibitive offenses.   Clearance must be less than one year old at the time of submission.
  • Clear Act 151 Child Abuse Background Check: NO record...NONE concerning prohibitive offenses.  A meeting headed by the Dean of the College of Education is required if clearances show non-prohibitive offenses.   Clearance must be less than one year old at the time of submission.
  • Act 24 Arrest/Conviction Report and Certification: NO record...NONE concerning prohibitive offenses.  A meeting headed by the Dean of the College of Education is required if clearances show non-prohibitive offenses.  Students must file an updated Act 24 with SRU if any additional arrests/convictions occur while enrolled at SRU.

PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE CERTIFICATION:

All candidates completing this program are eligible to receive Pennsylvania certification after completing a practicum and achieving a passing or qualifying score on Pennsylvania Department of Education required exam(s). If you are interested in teaching in another state, please contact the Department of Education in that state.

* Testing and PDE certification requirements found here.