Reading Specialist (WI 5017)
An online program that focuses on the social and political aspects of literacy, language variation, and the cultural and community influences on language acquisition and learning. Strength-based approaches to servant leadership, mentoring, coaching, and staff development emphasize positive change and contribution to the common good. Through a sociocultural lens, reading specialist candidates explore district literacy policy to identify and draw upon the literacies and strengths of the educators, parents, and the communities they serve.
- 10-credits (3 courses) - fully online
Enrollment in the Reading Specialist licensure only program requires an educational master's degree and the Reading Teacher 1316 license, otherwise it can be combined with the M.A. in Education as the area of emphasis for a total of 31 credit hours.
Admission
Admission Requirements for all Graduate Programs in Education (degree, license, endorsement, or certificate) include the following, but may include additional program-specific admission requirements:
- A minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.75 or at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA for 12 graduate credits from an accredited institution in order to be admitted in good standing
- Earned teaching or administrative license
- One academic reference contact required for Wisconsin and Iowa Educational Leadership programs
All requirements for any graduate program in education must be completed within seven years from the date of application to the graduate program. Coursework must have been taken within the last seven years from the date of application to be applied to program requirements, with the exception of Iowa Educational Leadership programs which is limited to five years.
A student must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 to complete any graduate program in education and a grade of C or higher earned in all Viterbo University coursework.
Students who have completed any Viterbo University graduate program within the last seven years may use up to 15 credits of eligible graduate level courses to satisfy the elective requirements for degree candidacy in the Master of Arts in Education Program
Students who have completed the Viterbo University Post-baccalaureate program within the last seven years may use up to fifteen credits of eligible graduate level courses toward the elective requirement for degree candidacy in the Master of Arts in Education Program
Wisconsin Reading Specialist License (WI 5017)
- Possess a current Wisconsin Reading Teaching 1316 License
- Demonstrated three years of regular full-time teaching experience
- Have a master's degree in education OR be enrolled in Viterbo University's MAED program
- Earn a passing score on the Wisconsin Foundations of Reading Test, as required by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
Transfer Credit
Wisconsin Reading Specialist License (WI 5017)
Graduate credits may not be transferred into this program
- Mission, Vision, and Core Values. Effective educational leaders develop, advocate, and enact a shared mission, vision, and core values of high-quality education, academic success, and well-being of each pupil.
- Ethics and Professional Norms. Effective educational leaders act ethically and according to professional norms to promote each pupil’s academic success and well-being.
- Equity and Cultural Responsiveness. Effective educational leaders strive for equity of educational opportunity and culturally responsive practices to promote each pupil’s academic success and well-being.
- Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment. Effective educational leaders develop and support intellectually rigorous and coherent systems of curriculum, instruction, and assessment to promote each pupil’s academic success and well-being.
- Care and Support. Effective educational leaders cultivate an inclusive, caring, and supportive school community to promote each pupil’s academic success and well-being.
- Professional Capacity of School Personnel. Effective educational leaders develop the professional capacity and practice of school personnel to promote each pupil’s academic success and well-being.
- Professional Community. Effective educational leaders foster a professional community of teachers and other professional staff to promote each pupil’s academic success and well-being.
- Meaningful Engagement. Effective educational leaders engage families and the community in meaningful, reciprocal, and mutually beneficial ways to promote each pupil’s academic success and well-being.
- Operations and Management. Effective educational leaders effectively manage school operations and resources to promote each pupil’s academic success and well-being.
- School Improvement. Effective educational leaders act as agents of continuous school improvement to promote each pupil’s academic success and well-being.
- Teacher Standards. Effective educational leaders understand and demonstrate competence in the teacher standards under s. PI 34.002.