This funding opportunity is intended to support the training of special educators to provide intensive reading intervention to students with disabilities in Hawaii public and charter schools.  All candidates who receive funding must accept/maintain a position that focuses on providing intensive reading intervention for special education students in the public school for three years. There is a 3-year service payback required within that role.

Eligibility Criteria

• Employed by Hawaii DOE
• 2.5 GPA or higher
• Submits signed principal agreement and letter of recommendation form to support goals of the program
• Licensed in special education by HTSB

Note: Candidates will need to teach in a special education classroom or district position and serve in this capacity after completion of the program

Additional Priority Considerations for Funding

• Employed in a Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI)  or Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) school, and/or geographically hard-to-fill school
• Currently in a PreK-6 special education teaching line, or a district resource teacher who provides instructional support to special education teachers

Not eligible for this funding opportunity, but still interested? Complete the interest form so you can learn of future updates and opportunities related to this program once the funding period is over.

Master in Special Education (MEd SPED) Option

For those interested in also obtaining a master’s degree in special education, 6 credits from the Reading Interventionist program may be applied towards the MEd in Leadership Track (MEd SPED). If you’re interested in pursuing a Master’s in Leadership, you’ll need to apply separately for a future admissions period.

Note: The DOE stipend would not cover the additional 25 credits of coursework as required in the master’s degree program option.

Application Deadline: Closed for summer 2024

All applicants must submit a College of Education, Makalei application, which would include submitting the following:

• 2024 Outreach College Application (free)
  • Note: Candidates will also need to submit a UH System application (free for Hawaii residents), however, details for submitting the UHM application will be shared with applicants once available.
• Upload Transcripts (unofficial transcripts for now)
• Upload a copy of HTSB license in special education
• Complete Video Recorded Responses & Essay (a web-based recorded interview and a 30-minute timed personal statement written response)
• Provide 2 Letters of Recommendation
  • One letter must be from your principal or direct supervisor if employed at the district level. Please share this Principal/Direct Supervisor Agreement and Letter of Recommendation Form with your recommender.
  • Your second letter can be from anyone else of your choosing that would be able to attest to your experiences, qualifications, and ability to complete this program.

Please refer to the How to Apply page for more detailed steps for completing the application process.

If accepted and awarded funding, candidates must:

• Sign contract/promissory note with HIDOE for stipend payment of tuition for coursework in return for a 3-year commitment to teach in a special education setting in a Hawaii public or charter school that focuses on remediation of students with disabilities or at-risk for identification for SPED due to reading deficits. Eligible employment options include:

  • As a full-time special education teacher who provides targeted reading and writing instruction, and support to individual and small groups of SWDs with complex reading and writing profiles, including dyslexia, and serves SWDs who are at the beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels of reading, spelling, and writing instruction. or

  • As a full-time complex area/district/state resource teacher who provides professional development and coaching to school level staff regarding reading and writing instruction for SWDs and/or conducts academic assessments for SWDs.

• Complete course and associated practicum requirements each semester with a B- or better
• Complete registration in a timely manner each semester
• Complete the Reading Intervention Program within two (2) years from the date of execution of their Contract.  Recipient understands and agrees that he/she is required to complete all program coursework (12 credits)  and practicum (6 credits) requirements.  In addition, Recipient must pass the Knowledge and Practice Examination for Effective Reading Instruction (KPEERI) exam, and obtain the CERI Structured Literacy Dyslexia Specialist (C-SLDS) certificate within one (1) year of the completion of the Reading Intervention Program.
  • If Recipient fails a required course or practicum, Recipient agrees to retake and successfully complete the required course or practicum within the original time period for program completion.  Recipient understands a stipend is a set amount and that any and all costs related to retaking or delaying courses shall be borne solely by Recipient.

Reading Intervention Program Course Sequence for cohort 2024

Note. All practicum coursework will provide access to students for applied projects.

Coursework

Classes are online, with regular online synchronous class sessions each semester. All synchronous class sessions are typically held between the hours of 4:30 pm to 7:00 pm, and will never be more than 2 ½ hours in duration. There will not be more than 2 synchronous sessions per week throughout the entire program.  All textbooks/materials for coursework will be provided and funded by the program (valued at $2,600).

Practicum

Summer Practicum: Each candidate will have 2 tutees who are between Grades 1-3 and are provided by the program. Program candidates will tutor each tutee for up to 2 hours per week, 3 days a week, over a space of 6 weeks. Tutoring will be completed online using Zoom, and the program will fund a Zoom Pro account for each candidate for the year.

Fall/Spring Practicum: During the fall and spring semesters, each candidate will tutor 3 tutees who are between grades K-12 and must include a combination of elementary and secondary students. Tutees may be provided by the program, or the candidate may tutor current classroom students if they meet the student profile requirements (which require approval by the program).

Program Cost: 18 credits x $650/credit = $11,700.

The Reading Interventionist program funding agreement will support tuition, practicum materials, Zoom pro account, and exam fees for a total of 60 candidates. Funding does not cover additional coursework textbooks and are at the expense of each candidate. 

Candidates who are taking the one-year reading interventionist program course sequence (12 credits) and practicum (6 credits) will have a 3-year service payback to the HIDOE. Candidates who are unable to fulfill their years of service will have to pay back the HIDOE the funding that had been given to them.

Candidates must be employed as one of the following to meet the service obligation requirement:

• As a full-time special education teacher who provides targeted reading and writing instruction, and support to individual and small groups of students with disabilities (SWDs) with complex reading and writing profiles, including dyslexia, and serves SWDs who are at the beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels of reading, spelling, and writing instruction.

• As a full-time complex area/district/state resource teacher who provides professional development and coaching to school level staff regarding reading and writing instruction for SWDs and/or conducts academic assessments for SWDs.

In addition, candidates may pursue applying coursework to reclassification credits, however, all reclassification requests must receive approval from the candidate’s administrator.  Please refer to the Hawaii DOE Reclassification Guidelines for more detailed information.