Newman University announces its MSED Reading Specialist with Dyslexia Emphasis as Kansas’s first IDA Accreditation PLUS program, preparing educators for dual certification in Reading Specialist licensure and national dyslexia therapy credentials.
— Newman University has announced that its MSED Reading Specialist with Dyslexia Emphasis stands as the first university program in Kansas to achieve International Dyslexia Association (IDA) Accreditation PLUS status. The program offers a dual certification pathway, preparing educators simultaneously for Kansas Reading Specialist licensure and national dyslexia therapy certification, addressing a critical need among Kansas educators seeking specialized credentials to support struggling readers across PreK-12 settings.
More information is available at https://newmanu.edu/academics/msed/reading-specialist-licensure
Research indicates approximately one in five students experiences dyslexia, making it among the most prevalent learning disabilities affecting Kansas classrooms. Children who aren’t reading proficiently by third grade struggle with reading for life, according to literacy research. Kansas requires completion of an approved Reading Specialist program for licensure. Beginning July 1, 2028, educators will need to demonstrate knowledge of the Science of Reading to renew their professional licenses, creating urgency for specialized preparation aligned with evidence-based practices.
Newman’s program is a 30-credit-hour, 10-course master’s degree designed for full-time teachers, with completion possible in as little as 14 months. The hybrid delivery model features two full-week intensive courses each July with online flexibility, making the program accessible to geographically dispersed Kansas educators while maintaining rigorous academic standards. This structure removes barriers for teachers balancing classroom responsibilities with graduate study.
Graduates can pursue two national certification pathways: Kansas Reading Specialist licensure via the Praxis exam, and national dyslexia therapy certification through either the Knowledge and Practice Examination for Effective Reading Instruction (KPEERI) or the Academic Language Therapy Association (ALTA) exam. ALTA certification requires a Master’s degree (effective May 31, 2023) plus 200+ coursework hours and 700 supervised practicum hours. Newman’s program is specifically designed to meet these requirements, positioning graduates as both licensed reading specialists and certified dyslexia therapists.
Faculty include Certified Academic Language Therapists (CALTs) with 15+ years of dyslexia therapy experience who bring clinical expertise to coursework. The program requires students to work with a school-aged struggling reader throughout the entire program, documenting growth through a professional case study. This longitudinal clinical experience allows candidates to observe intervention effects over time, adjust instruction based on student response, and develop diagnostic expertise that distinguishes effective practitioners of Structured Literacy, rather than limiting observation to a single-semester practicum.
Newman’s program prepares educators to meet all Kansas State Department of Education requirements for the PreK-12 Reading Specialist 2-year Conditional License and pass the Praxis exam. Graduates are positioned for multiple career pathways: reading specialists in PreK-12 schools, literacy coaches, reading resource teachers, dyslexia therapists, program coordinators, and district-level literacy leadership roles. This licensure directly addresses the critical need identified in Kansas education policy for reading specialists who can identify struggling readers early and implement evidence-based interventions aligned with current regulatory standards.
For more details, visit https://newmanu.edu/
Contact Info:
Name: Clark Schafer
Email: Send Email
Organization: Newman University
Address: 3100 McCormick , Wichita, Kansas 67213, United States
Website: https://newmanu.edu/
Source: PressCable
Release ID: 89194758
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