K-5 Literacy Endorsement

 General Information

Legislation: A.R.S §15-501.1 K-5 Endorsement - Full text of bill

• A.R.S. §15-501.1 establishes a literacy endorsement as a requirement for teachers who provide literacy instruction in kindergarten through grade five. Under the rules adopted by the Board to conform with this statute, the Literacy, K-5 endorsement requires:

  • A. Three semester hours of college coursework or 45 clock hours of approved training in the science of reading instruction, including systematic phonics instruction; and

  • B. Three semester hours of college coursework or 45 clock hours of approved training in reading instruction, including assessments, instructional practices, and interventions to improve student reading proficiency for struggling readers, including students with the characteristics of dyslexia

• Additionally, teachers must also receive a passing score on the Foundations of Reading exam by Pearson.

• Pre-service teachers will have until 2025 to secure the endorsement, while certificated in-service educators have until 2028 to complete the requirements.

• Teachers who already have a reading endorsement listed on their certificate are exempt from these requirements, as the reading endorsement has several more requirements.

• Infographic: This infographic is useful for sharing details.

• Video: This video describes the requirements and other important details of the K-5 endorsement. 
  *The final slide in this video contains outdated contact information for the ADE ELA team. Please see the current contact information on this webpage.

 Approved Trainings

K-5 Literacy Endorsement Approved Trainings *The latest revision date can be found on the final page of the list

Arizona Reading Fundamentals OnDemand Academy now includes two new courses that are aligned with the K-5 Literacy Endorsement training requirements. These courses have been added to the list of Approved Trainings. See the blue tab below for more information. 

Vendors: ADE has an RFI process to request information from vendors for courses or training opportunities that meet the requirements of the legislation. As a result of the review process, an approved list of training has been generated. The list is continually evolving and will be updated as needed. Any organization interested in having a course or training included on the list should review and submit materials as directed in the RFI document, and click the blue button at the bottom of the page for additional information. 

Responses to the RFI must be received between January 1 - March 1 of each year for review and will be reviewed in the order they are received. Any submissions after March 1 will go on the review list for the following year’s submission window. Those determined complete according to the RFI requirements will be included on the list of K-5 Literacy Endorsement Learning Opportunities to be updated annually by ADE no later than June 1. Please submit responses to all components with the chosen focus area/s (A and/or B). 

 Approved Trainings via the ADE OnDemand Academies

Enrollment is closed permanently for the Pathways to Proficient Reading with Pathways to Structured Literacy, K-5, offered through APLD/ADEConnect,  as of 12/19/2025. Please see the list under approved trainings above for other options.  We will have another option for a free course available in late summer of 2026. Information on that course and how to enroll will be provided here as soon as it is available.

 Foundations of Reading Assessment

The Foundations of Reading (NT 890) test for Arizona assesses proficiency in and depth of understanding of the subject of reading and writing development. The test reflects scientifically based reading research. 

The Pearson website created for Arizona educators includes basic information, registration, and preparation materials to support educator practice before taking the test.

Upon registering for the Foundations of Reading exam, participants will see a cost of $139.00. However, after the registration, this cost will be eliminated. All Arizona educators have an opportunity to take the exam one time at no charge. It is highly recommended that you take the required coursework/training before taking the exam, as only one attempt is free.

Visit the ADE Foundations of Reading Test Prep site for the following:

1. Study guide with test strategies and test design
2. Free sample test and question analysis
3. Free videos and tutorials to prepare you to successfully pass the exam
4. Options to purchase test prep materials