About FOR-PD

FOR-PD Project Overview

The Florida Online Reading Professional Development (FOR-PD) Project is Florida's first online, large-scale professional development project designed to help teachers improve reading instruction for learners in grades preK-12. FOR-PD is designed to provide Competency 2 of the Florida Reading Endorsement. The project is funded through the Florida Department of Education Just Read, Florida! office and is housed at the University of Central Florida. The purpose of FOR-PD is to offer an intensive, research-based, comprehensive, and effective multimedia professional growth program in reading for preK-12 teachers. The FOR-PD project was established by former Governor Jeb Bush and was launched in Florida on January 21, 2003. This project functions as a primary delivery mechanism for improving teaching methods in preK-12 reading instruction to teachers across the state.

The FOR-PD project meets the following guidelines:

• Scientifically-based Reading Research (SSRB)
• The National Reading Panel (NRP) guidelines
• Just Read, Florida! (JRF) Reading Program Specifications
• Florida Reading Endorsement - Competency 2: Foundations of Research-Based Practices
  • More information on the Reading Endorsement.
• Guidelines on effective professional development and online learning from:
  • National Staff Development Council (NSDC) standards
  • Standards for Online Professional Development (SREB)
  • California State University's Rubric for Online Instruction
  • State of Florida Professional Development Protocol Standards

The FOR-PD project provides standards-based and research-based professional development with teachers' and students' needs in mind.

Mission

1. To support the Florida Department of Education in its statewide implementation of a large-scale reading professional development system using online delivery.
2. To translate scientifically based research into action, provide support, and empower teachers to use scientifically-based reading research to help all students in grades pre-K through 12 learn to read and succeed.
3. To increase preK-12 teachers' knowledge base about scientifically-based reading research and instruction.
4. To improve reading instruction in pre-K through 12 grades.
5. To provide quality reading resources that support pre-K-12 teachers' reading instruction.
6. To improve student reading and learning in pre-K through 12 grades.
7. To serve as a model for large-scale reading professional development online delivery.

History

It all started… in February 2002; FOR-PD received initial funding to create Florida's first large-scale online reading professional development project to help preK-12 teachers improve their knowledge about scientifically-based reading research and instruction. FOR-PD was developed collaboratively by literacy and technology experts, school districts, the Florida Department of Education (FL DOE), professional organizations, and educators. Since its creation, FOR-PD's mission has been to offer a comprehensive, intensive, current, interactive, effective, and efficient multimedia professional development project in reading.

For a detailed history of the FOR-PD project please see the full history document.