Literacy Training For Pennsylvania educators

Pennsylvania’s Act 135 of 2024 is helping schools and districts make impactful choices about literacy instruction by emphasizing evidence-based professional development.

As a Pennsylvania-based non-profit, AIM Institute for Learning & Research is proud to support over 2,000 PA educators with evidence-based literacy learning. This comprehensive training, which is available in online or hybrid instructional formats, supports educators across K-12 classrooms with deep, evidence-based learning grounded in decades of literacy research and classroom practice.

Why Districts Choose AIM

AIM Pathways™ courses and modules go beyond theory. They equip educators and instructional leaders with actionable literacy tools, strategies, and knowledge to transform reading and writing outcomes.

Our programs include explicit, systematic instruction in:

Phonological and phonemic awareness
Decoding and encoding
Fluency and vocabulary
Reading comprehension and content knowledge

Each course is interactive, flexible, accessible and grounded in the Science of Reading.

Proven Impact in Pennsylvania

“For the first time in many years, I’ve seen kids excited to read.” -Erin Serock

At Lingelbach Elementary School in Philadelphia, AIM Pathways™ helped turn that excitement into results when third grade reading scores soared from the high 20s to the low 70s in just one year.

Explore Their Journey

What Pennsylvania Educators Are Saying

“This is high-quality professional learning that is comprehensive in all five major elements of literacy. I have a reading specialist degree and after going through [Pathways to Proficient Reading] what I learned in the eight-week Pathways course I didn’t learn in all of [my] time in education. I know now that it’s made me a stronger instructional leader and I highly recommend it.”
— Dr. Angela Ashley, Supervisor of Instruction, School District of the City of York

Courses Designed for Today's Classrooms

All AIM Pathways courses are designed to be:

Deeply practical with a focus on classroom application, not just theory
Credential-rich, supporting teachers and interventionists with pathways aligned to dyslexia and literacy standards
Connected to a broad field of experts across reading, writing, support for English Learners, and more
Available in a blended model with optional coaching and collaborative learning opportunities
Curriculum-agnostic so educators can apply what they learn across any program or district approach
More cost-effective and time-efficient than many traditional PD models

Connect with our team of educators to explore what's possible for your district

Let's Talk Literacy in PA

Pathways to Proficient Reading and Pathways to Proficient Reading: Secondary

Pathways to Proficient Reading is an IDA-accredited foundational course in the science of reading, designed for educators committed to learning about the connection between reading research, theoretical models such as the Simple View of Reading and Scarborough’s Reading Rope, and best practices for language and literacy instruction in the classroom.

Commitment Includes:

Participation in an asynchronous pre-knowledge inventory
Completion of asynchronous learning sections (approx. 45 hours)
Participation in six one-hour synchronous coaching community of practice sessions
Completion of post-knowledge inventory
12-Month access to the AIM Pathways Platform

Pathways to Proficient Reading Information and Syllabus

Pathways to Proficient Reading: Secondary Information and Syllabus

Pathways to Structured Literacy

Strengthen educators' knowledge and understanding of the Science of Reading with a deeper dive into diagnostic and prescriptive instruction. Learn how to plan and deliver Structured Literacy lessons in this comprehensive, IDA-accredited experience. Perfect for educators who have completed Pathways to Proficient Reading or comparable training* and are interested in enhancing their practice in an MTSS/RTII framework.

AIM also offers an optional 60-hour Pathways to Structured Literacy practicum for those interested in completing training with supervised contact hours and formal observations.

Pathways to Structured Literacy participants can sit for the KPEERI exam and have two options to receive certification from the Center for Effective Reading Instruction: Course Completion—Structured Literacy Classroom Teacher Certificate; 60-Hour Practicum—Certified Structured Literacy Interventionist.

Please note that completion of Pathways to Proficient Reading or comparable training* is required before enrolling in Pathways to Structured Literacy.

*Contact us if you have completed a comprehensive SOR course and earned the CERI Structured Literacy Classroom Teacher Knowledge Certificate to determine your eligibility for this course.

Pathways to Structured Literacy Information and Syllabus

Pathways to Proficient Writing

A comprehensive AIM Pathways course focused on effective instructional practices for writing that will benefit all students, including linguistically diverse populations and those with or at risk for language-based learning disabilities.

Pathways to Proficient Writing is designed for educators committed to learning about the connection between writing research, theoretical models such as the Not-So-Simple View of Writing and The Writing Cycle, and best practices for writing instruction in the classroom.

10-Section Pathways to Proficient Writing Course
4 Virtual Community of Practice Sessions with an AIM facilitator
Pacing Guide/Schedule for Course Work
Course time - approximately 20 hours
12 Months Access to the AIM Pathways platform so materials can be reviewed, applied and accessed in the classroom when needed
Aligned to the IDA's Knowledge and Practice Standards for Teachers of Reading
30 hours available for CEUs
Graduate Credits Available through Arcadia University

At the end of this professional development opportunity, you will be able to draw from your specialized knowledge of the processes and skills that comprise writing (including planning and organizing ideas, translating ideas, using transcription skills, and reviewing, revising, and editing) to increase your students’ writing proficiency.

Pathways to Proficient Writing Information and Syllabus

Early Childhood Education

AIM's Early Childhood Education bundle provides instruction, resources and tools in three asynchronous learning modules perfect for educators working with emerging readers including Pre-K and Kindergarten teachers.

An Overview of the Science of Reading (Syllabus)
Growing Proficient Readers: Dr. Ehri's Phases of Development (Syllabus)
Phonological Awareness. (Syllabus)

The Growing Proficient Readers module features reading researcher Dr. Linnea Ehri narrating the observable reading characteristics of learners from emerging readers in the pre-alphabetic phase through proficient readers in the consolidated phase. A deck of vibrant, printed AIM Animated Alphabet Cards, including instructional scripts to use with each card, is included with this course.

Early Childhood Education Course Information

English Learners

Specialized Reading Knowledge Bundle: English Learners

Develop expert-level knowledge to accelerate language and literacy proficiency for English Learners in any program model with immediate instructional applications with AIM's newest modules created in collaboration with literacy researcher Dr. Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan.

Each module in this three-course bundle includes asynchronous course material including case studies, teacher self-assessment tools, lesson planning framework, and lesson plans. Each module also includes a 1-hour synchronous community of practice session (VCOP) with an expert AIM facilitator.

Modules include:

Introduction to English Learners: Language & Literacy Development (includes 1 hour VCOP)
Word Recognition Among English Learners (includes 1 hour VCOP)
Language Comprehension Among English Learners (includes 1 hour VCOP)

Specialized Reading Knowledge Bundle: English Learners Information and Syllabus

Please note that completion of comprehensive structured literacy training is strongly recommended before enrolling in this course.

Our Pennsylvania Partners

Let’s Talk About Your Literacy Goals

Whether you're working to align with the PDE's Act 135 or seeking a scalable literacy solution that truly delivers impact, we’re ready to help. Our team is experienced in collaborating with Pennsylvania districts to build tailored professional learning plans that drive measurable results.

Connect with Our Team of Literacy Experts

About Act 135 of 2024
Pennsylvania’s Act 135 of 2024, also known as the Structured Literacy and Evidence-Based Reading Instruction Act, was signed into law to improve reading outcomes for all students across the Commonwealth. The law directs school districts to prioritize evidence-based professional development aligned with the Science of Reading.

Act 135 clearly emphasizes structured literacy instruction over the use of balanced literacy practices and the three-cueing system. This shift reflects research showing that explicit, systematic instruction in areas like phonological and phonemic awareness, decoding, encoding, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension is critical for student success.

This legislation reflects Pennsylvania’s effort to align teacher preparation and professional development with evidence-based practices proven to support all learners. By prioritizing structured literacy, Act 135 encourages more effective, research-driven instruction across the Commonwealth's schools and districts.

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