New: READ Act Eligibility
BREAKING NEWS: The Reading Center’s Orton-Gillingham training qualifies as READ Act approved training!
MDE has recently stated that teachers can now take O-G training through an accredited organization, including The Reading Center.
The Reading Center is proudly accredited by the Orton-Gillingham Academy, and our O-G training is accepted under the READ Act professional development requirements for both Phase I and Phase II via waiver. School districts now have wider choice on where to send their teachers for structured literacy training.
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Yes! Because our training satisfies MDE’s professional development requirements, the allocated literacy professional development funding can be used toward our training.
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A primary reason is the practicum: The Reading Center’s O-G trainings are rigorous and include a practicum designed to equip each trainee with lots of hands-on experience providing literacy instruction to students. Trainees work one-on-one with seasoned instructors to develop & deliver tailored O-G lesson plans to real students. Trainees complete the course confident and ready to apply it with their students due to the practicum.
Another thing that sets The Reading Center’s training apart from others is that it equips teachers to work effectively with dyslexic learners. Nearly 1 in 5 students has dyslexia, so gaining relevant skills is crucial to help these students thrive.
Read what one teacher said about the difference between L.E.T.R.S. (another approved literacy training) and The Reading Center’s Orton-Gillingham training: “I took L.E.T.R.S. training and then took Orton Gillingham training from The Reading Center. L.E.T.R.S. taught me why S.O.R. was necessary for teaching new readers, but O-G taught me how to integrate it into my teaching practice. I put my O-G training to use every day.”
The investment into the knowledge & experience of teachers is invaluable and this deeper knowledge can be leveraged to enhance the skills of all teachers in the school.
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Yes! To pursue this option, please contact the READ Act Professional Development team and ask for a PD Training Waiver.
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Each district makes these decisions differently. We recommend approaching someone such as a Curriculum Coordinator, a Teaching and Learning Coordinator, a staff development committee, or a principal to ask about this possibility. They may not be aware of the recent changes to the MDE’s requirements, so be prepared to provide the relevant information.
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Visit this page. Under “Examples of alternative trainings that may qualify for a waiver,” see bullet point 5.
The Reading Center is nationally accredited by the Orton-Gillingham Academy, therefore our O-G training qualifies for a waiver from MDE for Phases I and II of READ Act PD.
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Visit this page, which has information as well as registration links.