NY A04291

Requires the Commissioner of Education to establish a literacy endorsement for all certified teachers providing literacy instruction to students in kindergarten through grade 5

Teachers certified on or after January 1, 2027 must obtain the literacy endorsement within three years of certification; teachers certified before that date must obtain it by January 1, 2030

The endorsement requires completion of evidence-based "science of reading" training and passing a literacy instruction assessment covering phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and interventions for students with reading deficiencies including dyslexia

Beginning January 1, 2026, all approved educator preparation programs in childhood and early childhood education must include courses necessary to obtain the literacy endorsement

School districts may request an exemption for individual teachers based on classroom observations and student achievement data demonstrating literacy instruction knowledge