READ Act Literacy Training

Data from the 2024 MCAs indicates that 47.8% of Minnesota students statewide and 34.1% of SPPS students are proficient in reading. The goal of the READ Act is to have every Minnesota child reading at or above grade level every year, beginning in kindergarten, and to support multilingual learners and students receiving special education services in achieving their individualized reading goals. Providing teachers and instructional support staff who are responsible for teaching reading with training on evidence-based reading instruction is necessary for attaining this goal.

Completing training on evidence-based reading instruction will provide educators and instructional support staff with the knowledge and skills to ensure every SPPS student is reading at or above grade level and to support multilingual learners and students receiving special education services in achieving their individualized reading goals.

LETRS for Early Childhood (Pre-K and ECSE) training hours:

• Synchronous: 12 hours of small-cohort synchronous training via Zoom
  • Sessions facilitated by National Professional Learning Facilitators 
• Asynchronous: Participants complete approximately 19-25 hours of content (online, print, classroom application) through the LETRS platform
• Training hours and dates for LETRS for Early Childhood for SY 25-26 will be communicated in mid-August 2025.

CAREIALL training hours:

• One-hour live kickoff session via Zoom during Opening Week
• Synchronous Component: 16 hours of cohort synchronous training via Zoom (25-65 participants per cohort)
  • The synchronous trainings are designed to connect directly to the content of the asynchronous modules and support participants in applying what they’ve learned in their own classrooms, schools, and districts.
• Asynchronous Component: 45-50 hours
  • Eight asynchronous modules accessed through the Canvas platform
  • Participants will need access to students for some application portions of their asynchronous work. Each successive module(s) will be unlocked after the live, synchronous session from the previous module has been completed.
  • Training hours and dates for CAREIALL will be communicated in mid-August 2025. 

LETRS for Early Childhood Educators is the only approved option for Pre-K and ECSE educators.

CAREIALL was selected out of several state-approved training options for its comprehensive, evidence-based content and its connection to the Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement at the University of Minnesota.

Phase 1 Year 2 training will occur during the 2025-26 school year.

LETRS for Early Childhood participants can expect to receive a follow up email by mid-August with more details about the training schedule.  

CAREIALL participants can expect to receive a follow up email by mid-August with detailed information about training hours and dates and registration. A live, virtual kick-off session will take place during Opening Week.

• Review this program flyer for content areas for LETRS for Early Childhood Educators
• Review this program flyer for content areas for CAREIALL

Educators who have successfully completed 3rd Edition Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS), LETRS for Early Childhood Educators, OL&LA or CAREIALL are NOT required to complete further training and have satisfied the READ Act professional development requirement. 

Educators who have successfully completed 3rd Edition Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS), LETRS for Early Childhood Educators, OL&LA or CAREIALL are NOT required to complete further training and have satisfied the READ Act professional development requirement. However, documentation of training completion is required. Email jennifer.davis2@spps.org for more information.

Current funding for READ Act professional development is only available for educators who have not yet completed one of the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) approved professional development programs. 

Yes, all educators who have been identified as needing to complete training on evidence-based reading instruction during the 2025-26 school year (Phase 1 Year 2) or 2026-27 school year (Phase 2) and who are currently teaching/will be teaching during these years will need to participate in training.

Please review this signed Memorandum of Understanding from SPPS and SPFE regarding READ Act compensation for SY 24-25. SPPS and SPFE are in the process of negotiating a memorandum of understanding for SY 25-26 regarding compensation for work outside the teacher contract instructional day. 

An update to READ Act 2.0 extends the deadline to complete professional development for Phase 1 educators to July 1, 2026. 

Please Note: SPPS educators who participated in professional development during SY 24-25 need to complete all components of LETRS for Early Childhood Educators or CAREIALL training and submit a certificate of completion in Schoology by the end of the day on Friday, May 30, 2025 to be eligible to receive compensation on June 27, 2025 per the MOU.

You will have access to the LETRS for Early Childhood Educators or CAREIALL course/platform for one year from when licenses are created/registration is activated. 

Participants who miss 30 minutes or more of a live, synchronous CAREIALL session, you will need to register for and attend an open makeup session. Updates to the CAREIALL Synchronous Session Makeup Policy for SY 25-26 are forthcoming. 

PreK teachers should contact Lori Erickson at lori.erickson@spps.org, and ECSE teachers should contact Sarah Zielinski at sarah.zielinski@spps.org to obtain information on absences and the availability of makeup sessions. 

Participants may continue to work on CAREIALL or LETRS for Early Childhood Educators coursework while on a Leave of Absence (LOA), if they so choose. This is allowable since the CAREIALL course is taken through the University of Minnesota and the LETRS for Early Childhood Educators course is taken through Lexia Learning, not SPPS. Participants who elected to receive pay as compensation will receive payment upon return from a leave of absence (LOA) when active in the payroll system.

• If you forgot your user ID, you can reset it here. 
• If you forgot your password, you can reset it here. 

For additional assistance, contact IT Support at the phone number and/or email address listed below.

• UMN IT: 612-301-4357 - available 24/7
• help@umn.edu

You can send an email to careiall@umn.edu for assistance.

You can log in at https://canvas.umn.edu/. 

Each cohort has an assigned SPPS district facilitator. The district facilitator will serve as the liaison between CAREIALL trainers and the district trainees/participants. SPPS district facilitators for SY 25-26 will be shared prior to the start of the school year. 

READ Act paraprofessional professional development for instructional support staff will be offered through the Regional Literacy Network (Brightworks). It will consist of eight hours (four two-hour modules) of professional learning.

SPPS is in the process of identifying which SPPS EAs, TAs and SCSPs will be required to participate in the READ Act paraprofessional professional development during SY 25-26. 

Instructional support staff are defined as paraprofessionals who (1) provide one-to-one tutoring if such tutoring is scheduled at a time when a student would not otherwise receive instruction from a teacher or (2) provide instructional support services under the direct supervision of a highly qualified teacher. 

This list includes staff who work with students to provide reading instruction, reading support, reading intervention, etc. This list could include special education paraprofessionals, Title 1 staff, general education paraprofessionals, etc. SPPS is in the process of identifying which SPPS EAs, TAs and SCSPs will be required to participate in the READ Act paraprofessional professional development during SY 25-26.

More information will be communicated at the start of SY 25-26.