The Fine Print

 i1. Between April 2024 and June 2025, PreK-Grade 6 licensed Indiana educators and educators with a special education license may participate, at no cost, in Keys to Beginning Reading & Writing professional development that totals 80 hours. Participants will attend seven full day, live-virtual sessions via Zoom, complete a 15-hour asynchronous online course and 25 hours of related independent learning tasks, and successfully pass the ETS Praxis 5205 exam, using a voucher that will be provided through this engagement. Participants must complete all outlined components to receive their FINAL certificate of completion and stipend for this professional development.

2. In response to Indiana’s 2023 legislative session, Keys to Literacy, through a full procurement process, was contracted to create a course designed to meet all the requirements of IC 20-28-5-19.7. While flexibility was created during Indiana’s 2024 legislative session for how teachers could meet those requirements to include many hours of training they may have already received, the option to participate in the advertised cohorts through Keys to Literacy that was created prior to the legislative changes also remains. The Keys to Literacy course designed for the state of Indiana is the only approved training that fully meets the requirements of IC 20-28-5-19.7 and is offered at no cost to educators. Attending and participating in the seven live-virtual classes of this program is a requirement of the existing contract and for collecting stipends and free course materials. While individuals will have the option to opt out of 25 hours of independent coursework, currently there is not a no-cost option through Keys to Literacy contract that waives the live sessions.

3. While the schedule for the live-virtual trainings has been set and cannot be altered, the 15 hours of online coursework, 25 hours of independent learning tasks, and the ETS Praxis 5205 Exam can be taken at your own pace. It is strongly recommended that the asynchronous component be completed and all work submitted to Keys to Literacy within 3 months of receiving access to the Teachable course. This suggested pacing is designed to ensure a reasonable timeframe for completing the work and receiving the associated stipend. The synchronous work stipend will not be issued until all 40 asynchronous hours are completed. Also, participants will not be eligible to take the Praxis 5205 until both of the other components (synchronous and asynchronous) have been completed.

4. Stipends for each component of the Indiana Early Literacy Endorsement Training will be processed and mailed to the address provided on your registration form. Checks should arrive approximately 90 days after component completion via the US Postal Service. The return address on the envelope may say bill.com and not Keys to Literacy.

5. Pursuant to IC 20-28-5-19.7, the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) Early Literacy Endorsement Professional Development is available to licensed prekindergarten through grade six educators, educators with a special education license, and licensed administrators serving prekindergarten through six buildings. This may include, but is not limited to, the primary classroom teacher, an instructional coach (supporting PreK-6 and special education educators), a reading interventionist (supporting grades PreK-6), and a special education teacher.

6. Eligible educators include:

• Early Childhood (PreK-3)
• Elementary Education/Generalist (1-6), (K-6)
• Elementary/Primary (K-3)
• Elementary/Intermediate (4-6)
• Special Education (K-6), (K-12) or (PreK-12)
• Charter School License, Serving PreK-6
• Licensed Building Level Administrators, Serving PreK-6 Building
• Reading Interventionists, serving PreK-6 with an underlying license noted above
• Instructional Coach, serving PreK-6 with an underlying license noted above

7. In cases of emergency or illness, participants may miss one of the seven meetings, but must coordinate with IDOE to watch the recording of the session missed. This does not apply to conflicts in schedule. Please look at all dates and be sure you can attend ALL SEVEN MEETINGS before selecting a cohort.

8. The live-virtual session days will be delivered using the Zoom platform. It is expected that cameras are ON in both whole group discussions and small group breakout rooms. Participants MUST be on individual devices. Sharing a computer screen, or participating as a small group on one computer, cannot be accommodated. Active participation is part of the course design, and you will need a quiet environment with minimal distractions in order to participate successfully.

9. Please download the official attendance policy.

10. Read the Course Component Overview here.

11. Have additional questions? Check out this PDF of Frequently Asked Questions.