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Dyslexia Specialist Endorsement

This program is designed to meet the growing need for skilled and knowledgeable educators who are prepared to work with students who have dyslexia or characteristics of dyslexia.

The Dyslexia Endorsement will give you training in:

  • Characteristics of the neurobiological origin of dyslexia
  • Evaluating and adapting curriculum to best meet the needs of our most struggling readers
  • Formal assessments used for diagnosing dyslexia and diagnostic assessments to guide instruction
  • Collaborative instructional design that advocates for student needs 

Course work in the program is available at the graduate level and applies toward our 33 credit Master of Education.

Who should get a Dyslexia Specialist endorsement?
The K-12 Dyslexia Specialist endorsement is designed for teachers with at least 3 years of teaching experience in a K-12 setting.

Please Note:
Due to the unique schedule of courses for this endorsement, please be aware that students may not be enrolled in enough hours to qualify for graduate federal loans (5 credits per semester while pursuing a graduate degree). Once enrolled please work with your advisor to ensure you will meet the qualifications if you choose to receive federal loans.

Student Testimonial

Dr. Jaclyn Easter

“Dr. Easter has gone above and beyond for me on too many occasions to mention. She has encouraged me to present with her at a statewide teacher's conference, encouraged me to take multiple education practicum opportunities, and has overall pushed me to be the strong, confident student teacher I am today. She is truly an amazing woman. My Grand View experience simply would not have been nearly as remarkable without her. That is why Dr. Easter is absolutely deserving of the mentor appreciation award.”

- Madison Green

Program Details

Admission and Application Requirements
  • A baccalaureate degree earned from a regionally accredited institution, evidenced by a transcript.
  • Validated minimum undergraduate grade-point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. (Students below 3.0 will be considered for provisional acceptance.)
  • A  current or pending license to teach in the United States.
  • Complete the application for admission.
  • Dyslexia Endorsement requires Experience Verification Form or other sufficient documentation of at least three years of teaching experience in a K-12 setting. Once you have submitted the application for admission, you will enter your administrator name and email address on the landing page of the application portal under the Experience Verification Form. Please contact Ginger Hermon at ghermon @ grandview.edu if you need additional administrator(s) to complete the online Experience Verification Form.

Application to the Dyslexia Specialist Endorsement program should be completed by April 1 as the first round of admissions decisions will be made at that time. Additional admission will continue on a rolling basis. Any applications completed after the program is full will be placed on a waitlist until there is an opening in the class. The application process is open now. You will be notified within one week of your admission to the program once your completed application is received.

We may need to be selective in the program admission. Decisions may be based on academic history, rationale for pursuing the program, teaching experience, or additional factors such as practicum placement.

Course Descriptions and Program Format

The Dyslexia Specialist Endorsement and Science of Reading certificates will be offered so that learners can attend remotely from anywhere in the US. We will have synchronous online meeting times so students can attend from their chosen location.

Program Format:

  • Courses will be offered online with synchronous learning opportunities
  • Classes will meet via zoom Tuesday nights 5:30-8:00 p.m.
  • Two classes will have optional, in-person sessions on campus in Des Moines, Iowa:
  • Dyslexia Practicum 1: Advanced Assessment - In order for students to have hands-on training using the required assessments, they are encouraged to attend two Saturday sessions (9-4:30) in person. Remote students will have the option of attending via zoom.
  • Principles for Effective Structured Literacy Intervention: Routines and Protocols. This will be a 3-day in-person workshop. Remote students will have the option of attending via zoom.

View Program Course offerings

Students will be prepared throughout the courses to take the KPEERI Exam. They will be expected to take this assessment as a component of the final course in the sequence. This exam measures candidates' knowledge of structured literacy practices and is a component of CEERI certification, which is something our program plans to work towards. You can learn more about the test here: https://effectivereading.org/kpeeri-exam-disabled/

Not ready for the Endorsement?

Start with a Science of Reading Certificate and apply the 10 credits upon completion to the Dyslexia Specialist Endorsement. The Science of Reading Certificate will provide an in-depth knowledge base for educators who want to enrich their literacy pedagogy with effective strategies.

The Science of Reading Certificate will give you training in:

  • The complex process of learning to read and write including phonological processing, phonics, orthography, morphology, syntax, and semantic
  • Causal relationship between instruction and student outcomes
  • Orton Gillingham approaches to structured literacy and evidence-based speech to print practices
  • The symptoms and characteristics of dyslexia and other language based learning disorders.

This 10-credit graduate certificate can later be applied to the Dyslexia Specialist Endorsement or the Master of Education. One of the courses requires three years teaching experience, but students are welcome to take all or part of the certificate requirements.

History

The Dyslexia Specialist Endorsement was newly released from the Iowa Department of Education in Iowa in 2021. This endorsement was created by a Dyslexia Task Force that was appointed by the Iowa Legislature to respond to needs and concerns voiced by parents across the state. One of the outcomes of the Dyslexia Task Force was to develop a Dyslexia Specialist Endorsement. This Endorsement will prepare educators to meet the unique needs of readers who exhibit characteristics of dyslexia.  Nearly 1 in 5 children has dyslexia (NIH, 2020), but educators are often underprepared to notice signs of dyslexia and to create learning environments that meet the needs of these learners.

According to the International Dyslexia Association “Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.” Adopted by the IDA Board of Directors, Nov. 12, 2002.

Experts say up to 20% of the population has dyslexia (NIH, 2020). One study showed that the prison population is 80% illiterate and 48% have dyslexia (Moody et al., 2000).  Dyslexia is a neuro-biological condition that often runs in families. People with characteristics of dyslexia can learn to read and doing so depends on early identification of struggle and proper teaching techniques. Addressing the needs of people with dyslexia is a key human rights issue. 

There is a nation-wide movement to change instruction from the three cueing system, often referred to as Balanced Literacy, to a more structured approach with a solid basis of foundational phonemic and phonics instruction. This instruction follows a scientifically based, developmentally appropriate trajectory through phases of reading underpinned in research. This Structured Literacy approach  ensures that students advance along this path as they master skills incrementally. Throughout this process, instructors go to great lengths to eliminate unintended skill gaps with high levels of direct and explicit instruction paired with continuous progress monitoring.

Educators who work tirelessly, often with disappointing student achievement results, are seeking more training in this pedagogy in an effort to to help children learn to read more efficiently with effective instructional repertoire. Grand View is a proud leader in the state of Iowa in the effort to provide this unique opportunity to gain cutting expertise in a program tailored to meet the needs of advanced practicing educators.

LETRS-Trained? Turn Your ACE Credit Into a Head Start at Grand View!

Grand View is excited to share that LETRS participants who have completed Units 1 and 2 and applied for graduate credit through the American College of Education (ACE) can transfer that credit to replace EDGR 586: Linguistics for Educators, one of the foundational courses in both of our programs. This is a valuable opportunity for LETRS-trained educators to continue advancing their knowledge and credentials in structured literacy instruction! Official ACE transcript is required. 

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At Grand View University, your tuition supports instruction delivered by knowledgeable and experienced faculty who uphold our tradition of exceptional teaching. Additionally, we are dedicated to offering a high-quality education at the most affordable cost.

Transfer Credits

No matter what major you’re thinking about, you may be able to transfer in as many as 75 credits from a community college or junior college. If you have an A.A. or A.A.S. from an Iowa community college, you will be automatically admitted at junior status.

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Faculty

Marsha Aldridge

Lecturer of Business Administration

Frances Andrews

Education Supervisor

Kenneth Beane

Lecturer of Education

Teri Breck

Lecturer of Education

Katlyn Clark

Lecturer of Education

Leah Cole
Leah Cole

Field Experience Coordinator

Gretta Cutler

Lecturer of Education

Melissa Dale

Lecturer of Education

Amber Davison

Lecturer of Education

Kristy Diianni

Lecturer of Education

Hunter Donovan

Lecturer of Education

Julia Doyle

Lecturer of Education

Jill Dykstra

Lecturer of Education

Jaclyn Easter
Dr. Jaclyn Easter

Associate Professor of Education & Department Chair

Hallie Edgerly

Lecturer of Education

Sam Finneseth

Supervisor of Education

Valerie Foster

Administrative Coordinator for the Education Department

Katie Gisler

Structured Literacy Tutor Coordinator

Allison Grandfield

Lecturer of Education

Kim Gutterman

Lecturer of Education

Alyssa Harrell

Consultant for Professional School Counseling

Lisa Hofmann

Lecturer of Education

Scott Holt

Curriculum Dev Coord & Program Oversight

Betsy Jayne

Lecturer of Education

Alex Kitchen

Lecturer of Education

Emily Koson

Supervisor of Education

Nina Lorimor-Easley

Lecturer of Education

Joy Martin

Supervisor of Education

Dr. Diana O'Leary

Assistant Professor of Education

Ellen Phelan

Lecturer of Education

Chelsea Robinson
Chelsea Robinson

Professor of Practice Level I of Education

Kim Rollinger

Lecturer - Education

Michelle Schulze
Dr. Michelle Schulze

Lecturer

Katy Severe
Katy Severe

Instructor of Education

Simone Sorteberg
Dr. Simone Sorteberg

Associate Professor of Education

Mindy Van Zuiden

Lecturer of Education

Kara Veach

Supervisor of Education

Trenton Williams

Lecturer of Education

Lisa Williams

Lecturer of Education

Landon Wood

ESL Supervisor

Emily Zirkle

Lecturer of Education