Reading professors from throughout the state met at the Phi Delta Kappa Conference Center in Bloomington on November 7, 2003.  The purpose of the meeting was to share ideas on how colleges and universities will respond to the changing standards in the licenses for reading professionals. 

        Presentations were made by Mary Andis, Indiana Department of Education; Karen Ford, Ball State University; Earlene Holland, Oakland City University; Larry Mikulecky, Indiana University; Diana Quatroche, Indiana State University; and Carl Smith, Director of ERIC for Reading, English, and Communication, Indiana University.

        The new Early Adolescence reading license is now available from most Indiana colleges and universities.  A current listing of those that have received approval for their programs leading to the new Early Adolescence reading license can be found at <http://www.in.gov/psb/licensing/apbysubject2002/Reading.doc>. 

        A survey of Indiana middle grades schools found that over 200 licensed reading teachers are needed.  Many schools cannot offer reading classes, because they cannot find licensed reading teachers.  The 251 middle grades schools that offer Middle Level Reading 0480-06, 0480-07, and 0480-08 can help solve the shortage problem of licensed middle grades reading teachers throughout the state by cooperating with colleges and universities.

        Students enrolled in programs leading to the new licenses will need field experiences in reading classrooms.  These include observations and student teaching, and college and university professors may have difficulty finding suitable locations for the field experiences. 

        This is not a problem with the new elementary reading licenses, because almost every elementary school teacher has reading classes.  But middle grades schools are different.  For example, an elementary school with 30 teachers may have over 20 who provide reading grades on parent reports.  A middle school with 30 teachers may have only 3 math teachers, 3 science teachers, 3 social studies teachers, 3 English language arts teachers, and 3 reading teachers.  This results in fewer places for field experiences to occur.

        Middle grades schools with licensed reading teachers that offer reading courses should contact area reading professors to let them know that they are a good location for reading field experiences.  Names and e-mail addresses of reading professors can be found at <http://mgrn.evansville.edu/directrymgrn.html.>