Reading/Literacy Leadership Specialist Credential and Reading/Literacy Added Authorization

Program Design

The Reading and Literacy Added Authorization (RLAA) and the Reading and Literacy Leadership Specialist Credential (RLLS) programs at California State University, Fresno are under the auspices of the Division of Graduate Studies and are offered in conjunction with the Master’s in Education Degree- Reading/Language Arts Option. Although integrated within this Master’s Degree, both of these programs can be completed separately from the degree.

Overview of Structure

The Coordinator of the Reading/Language Arts Program is responsible for overseeing the RLAA and RLLS programs. The Coordinator is recommended by the program faculty and appointed by the Dean of the School of Education. Mechanisms are in place to ensure excellent communication within the programs and with the institution. The RLA Coordinator attends bi- monthly meetings held by the Division of Graduate Studies to keep updated on timelines and professional development opportunities. The RLA Coordinator meets monthly with school-level graduate program coordinators to discuss common concerns and program improvement plans and reports to the Dean by way of the Dean’s Coordinating Council. Department and RLA Program meetings are held each month to maintain continuous ongoing program review. The Coordinator is responsible for coordinating the collection of assessment data with the assistance of program faculty each semester. The Program Coordinator is responsible for summarizing the data each semester. Near the end of each spring semester, a program meeting is dedicated to reviewing assessment results, determining what changes, if any, the results suggest, and adjusting the next year’s course work, fieldwork and/or assessment activities as needed. The minutes of this meeting is provided as the basis for the department chair’s annual report on assessment activities.

Course of Study (Curriculum & Field Experience)

The Reading and Literacy Added Authorization Program includes a purposeful, developmentally designed sequence of fives courses that effectively prepares candidates to teach all students to read and understand the challenges of developing literacy among California’s diverse population. The purpose of the program is to prepare teachers with a strong theoretical foundation on literacy development (LEE 213; LEE 278) and the capacity to apply this knowledge in making assessment and instructional decisions to meet the diverse needs of students with varying literacy abilities and language and cultural backgrounds (LEE 215; LEE 224). Initial courses provide candidates with a deep exploration of the theoretical models and research on effective instructional practices for developing phonological and linguistic processes related to reading, oral language, reading comprehension, and written language (LEE 215; LEE 278). To prepare candidates to meet the needs of linguistically and culturally diverse students, special emphasis is placed on the implications of the models and research for language acquisition and literacy development of English Learners (LEE 215). Practical fieldwork experiences are systematically integrated into courses through major assignments that require candidates to apply specific course content with students in classrooms (LEE 224; LEE 230).

In addition, a supervised clinical field experience requires candidates to complete twelve (12) hours of small-group intervention instruction (LEE 230). Candidates demonstrate their abilities to cohesively unite the assessment and instructional knowledge gained throughout the program. Candidates begin the experience by administering and interpreting formative assessments. The results of these assessments are interpreted and used to design an intervention plan. During tutoring sessions, candidates implement the selected instructional strategies and administer formative assessments to monitor student progress. At the conclusion of the experience, candidates administer summative assessments and write reports to evaluate student progress.

The sequence of course/fieldwork for the Reading & Literacy Added Authorization program

includes the following:

The Reading and Literacy Leadership Specialist Credential Program is designed to build upon the foundational knowledge, skills and competencies developed in the Reading and Literacy Added Authorization program and prepare candidates to lead the development and implementation of comprehensive literacy programs at classroom, school, district, county and state levels to ensure equitable opportunity and achievement for California’s diverse PK-12 student population. The strong theoretical foundation on literacy development, assessment and instruction developed through the RLAA program is coupled with course work and field experiences to develop candidates’ capacity to apply this knowledge in serving as effective literacy leaders capable of mentoring colleagues, evaluating literacy programs, and advocating for effective programs that support California’s diverse learners.

As candidates progress through the RLAA program and into the RLLS program, advanced courses are designed to provide candidates with a deeper understanding of research methods and design features as tools for analyzing, critiquing, and interpreting literacy research results (LEE 244). Candidates analyze research on the psychometric properties and uses for particular formal and informal assessment tools and research on intervention strategies to address specific literacy needs (LEE 234). Further, advanced courses also provide candidates with specific examination of the research on adult learning theory and the implications the research holds for delivering professional development in future roles as literacy leaders (LEE 254).

In addition to the RLAA twelve-hour small-group intervention clinical experience, RLLS candidates must also complete an additional twelve-hour intensive individual intervention supervised experience (LEE 234). Candidates demonstrate their abilities to cohesively unite the assessment and instructional knowledge gained throughout the program. Candidates begin the experience by administering and interpreting formative assessments. The results of these assessments are interpreted and used to design an intervention plan. During tutoring sessions, candidates implement the selected instructional strategies and administer formative assessments to monitor student progress. At the conclusion of the experience, candidates administer summative assessments and write reports to evaluate student progress. Lastly, the culminating course requires RLLS candidates to complete twenty (20) hours of supervised classroom-based peer mentoring/coaching (LEE 254). Candidates refine and master their literacy leadership skills by collaborating with a colleague in 3 peer-coaching cycles; each cycle consists of pre-consultation, observation/modeling, and debriefing consultation. The candidates prepare presentations for two of the cycles. Presentations include lessons learned about the coaching process, critical reflective insights about professional growth, and plans for future goals.

The sequence of course/fieldwork for the Reading & Literacy Leadership Specialist Credential program includes the following:

Assessment of Candidates

Candidate assessment is embedded in the Program’s course and fieldwork. The instructor informs candidates of these requirements through the course syllabi at the beginning of the semester. Course syllabi provide students with the assessment protocol and a detailed rubric describing the expectations. Upon completion of the assessments, students receive feedback in the form of scores and written comments.

1.1.1 RLAA & RLLS Table of Delivery Methods and Option

• Reading and Literacy Added Authorization and Reading and Literacy Leadership Specialist Credential Organizational Structure 2020
• Kremen School of Education and Human Development Organizational Chart

Faculty Distribution Table 

Annotated Faculty List 2019-2020 Academic Year

Imelda Basurto, Ph.D.
Fulltime Tenured

• LEE 244
• LEE 278

Maria Goff, Ph.D.
Fulltime Tenure Track

• LEE 213
• LEE 224
• LEE 254

David Low, Ph.D.
Fulltime Tenure Track

• LEE 230
  LEE 230 (revised)
• LEE 234

Tony Vang, Ph.D.
Fulltime Tenured

• LEE 215

Reading/Language Arts Adjunct Experience Qualifications

The following links to guidelines used by search committees at California State University, Fresno in the recruitment of new faculty:
http://www.fresnostate.edu/academics/facultyaffairs/documents/search/GuidelinesforRecruiting2016_17.pdf

Published Course Sequence from Course Catalog 

Reading and Literacy Added Authorization

Reading and Literacy Leadership Specialist Credential

• Course Matrix 

Not Applicable

Table denoting number of hours of fieldwork 

Fieldwork is embedded in the RLAA/RLLS Credential courses (see LEE 224, LEE 230, LEE 230 (revised), LEE 234, and LEE 254 syllabi). Graduate students can select their own school/district sites where they already teach for fieldwork.

Veteran Practitioner Training Materials

Graduate students seeking the RLAA/RLLS Credential are already veteran teachers in the field. Graduate students have already obtained their teaching credential and do not require additional training materials. Support for graduate students is provided through the instructor of record in the role of supervisor in each course with fieldwork. There are a number of assignments for students to receive feedback and guidance in a timely manner to evaluate and support graduate students’ instructional decisions. In addition, the coaching fieldwork is supported through supervision and supportive guidance through discussion posts and audio/video evidence of the coaching sessions. 

Program candidates are placed in schools in the surrounding region. Every effort is made by program faculty to ensure that candidates are in the best possible placement to support their development. As demonstrated by the data represented below, our region is home to some of the most diverse student populations in the state, meaning candidates in all programs have opportunities to develop as practitioners while working with students from diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds, as well as students with disabilities.

All information and expectations regarding fieldwork can be found in the see LEE 224, LEE 230, LEE 230 (revised), LEE 234, and LEE 254 syllabi. 

Clinical Practice Syllabi

• LEE 224
• LEE 230
• LEE 230 (revised)
• LEE 234
• LEE 254

Clinical Practice Assessment Instruments

• LEE 224
• LEE 230
• LEE 230 (revised)
• LEE 234
• LEE 254

Applicants to the RLAA/RLLS Credential programs must complete Fresno State Application for Specialist Credentials and provide evidence of a valid teaching credential and evidence of passing the CBEST as part of the admission process. Upon application for the RLAA or RLLS Credential, applicants must provide evidence to the Program Coordinator and Credential Analyst of three years of successful full-time teaching. Additionally, applicants for the RLAA or RLLS Credential must complete coursework aligned to the Credential Program Standards which is verified with a transcript review by the Program Coordinator along with either the RLAA Program Completion Form or the RLLS Credential Program Completion Form. 

• RLAA Program Completion Form
• RLLS Credential Program Completion Form

 Not Applicable