Standards for the Preparation of Literacy Professionals 2017 (Standards 2017) sets forth the criteria for developing and evaluating preparation programs for literacy professionals. Developed by literacy experts across the United States, the standards focus on the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary for effective educational practice in a specific role and highlight contemporary research and evidence-based practices in curriculum, instruction, assessment, and leadership.
The updated and revised Standards 2017 introduces three roles of specialized literacy professionals: (1) the reading/literacy specialist, (2) the literacy coach, and (3) the literacy coordinator/supervisor. Further, the standards address the need for a broader definition of literacy beyond reading to include writing, speaking, listening, viewing, and visual representation in both print and digital realms. To guide users, Standards 2017 provides matrixes for specialized literacy professionals roles and for classroom teachers that list the corresponding components of each standard, allowing readers to look at a specific standard's component and its description across all roles or addressing a specific role.
Colleges, universities, community colleges, other educator preparation program providers, states, and pre-K–12 school administrators can use Standards 2017 to guide initial and advanced licensure program development, certification, professional development, and program evaluation of literacy professional preparation. Standards 2017 provides a basis for discussion about quality preparation and evaluation and a means of facilitating program design. Further, it can be useful to districts as a guide when employing professionals or when developing processes for evaluating their work.
Watch the Standards 2017 overview video