Take Flight Dyslexia Therapist Training Program
In Partnership with Region 13 ESC
2026 application—apply today!
STEP 1 - Submit Your Application
Complete the Dyslexia Center of Austin 2026 Application & Acknowledgement Form.
STEP 2 - Submit School Support Form
If teaching in a school setting, ask your principal or administrator to complete the School Support Form.
STEP 3 - Email Required Documents
Email the following documents to Kelly O’Mullan at kelly@dyslexiacenterofaustin.org.
Official college transcript (highest degree only), sent directly from the university
Two professional letters of recommendation. One letter must be from your principal or administrator if you are teaching in a school setting.
Application Deadline: May 1, 2026
Introductory Summer Course: June 8-26, 2026
Training Location: Region 13 ESC, 5701 Springdale Rd., Austin, TX 78723
|Virtual Information Sessions
Join us for an informational session about the Dyslexia Center of Austin’s IMSLEC-accredited Dyslexia Therapist Training Program. Discover how this comprehensive program prepares you to transform the academic and emotional journey of students with dyslexia.
Saturdays @ 10 am CST
To register, simply click on a date that works best for you.
IMSLEC-accredited training program
The Dyslexia Therapist Training Program is a two-year multimodal, structured language training curriculum for individuals interested in becoming Certified Academic Language Therapists (CALT), CALT-Candidates (CALT-C), and Texas Licensed Dyslexia Therapists (LDT). All training sessions are in person.
This comprehensive program uses Take Flight: A Comprehensive Intervention for Students with Dyslexia (Take Flight), a curriculum written by the Scottish Rite Children. Take Flight is a comprehensive Tier III intervention for students with dyslexia ages seven (7) and up.
Our Dyslexia Therapist Training Program is accredited by the International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council (IMSLEC), meets the requirements for Texas licensure, and meets the criteria for membership in the Academic Language Therapy Association (ALTA).
Dyslexia Center of Austin adheres to the high professional and ethical standards established by the International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council (IMSLEC). Therapist certification is conferred by the Academic Language Therapy Association (ALTA).
Training Cost
Cost includes all professional development, the Introductory Materials Kit, and the Advanced Materials Kit.
Introductory Year of Training—$3,500
Advanced Year of Training—$2,000
degree requirement
Completion of a 4-year Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university is required to start the training program.
Certification and Licensing
Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT)
Graduates of the Dyslexia Therapist Training Program with a Master’s degree are eligible to sit for the ALTA Competency Exam at the Therapy Level to become Certified Academic Language Therapists. Graduates have up to five (5) years upon completion of Dyslexia Therapist Training to take the ALTA Competency Exam at the Therapy Level.
Certified Academic Language Therapist—Candidate (CALT-C)
Graduates of the Dyslexia Therapist Training Program with a Bachelor’s degree are eligible to sit for the ALTA Competency Exam at the Therapy Level to become a Certified Academic Language Therapist—Candidate. CALT—Candidates have up to five (5) years upon completion of Dyslexia Therapist Training to obtain a Master’s degree from an accredited university. If a Master’s degree is not received within the allotted time, individuals will become Certified Academic Language Practitioners (CALP).
Texas Licensed Dyslexia Therapist (LDT)
Certified Academic Language Therapists in good standing may be eligible to apply to become Licensed Dyslexia Therapists, as defined by Texas HB 461. For more information, visit the Texas Department of Licensing & Regulation.
Graduate-Level Clinical Training and Supervised Instruction in:
Oral and written language development
Knowledge of structural linguistics, including the alphabetic principle, phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, syllabification, orthography, etc.
Knowledge of dyslexia and related disorders
Diagnostic, prescriptive, multimodal, structured language education approach to teach reading, fluency, comprehension, spelling, and written expression
Knowledge of psychoeducational tests and interpretation of report data
Administration of informal assessment tools
Federal and state laws guiding professional conduct and advocacy for students
Ethical standards of the profession
Take Flight: A Comprehensive Intervention for Students with Dyslexia, a comprehensive, evidence-based curriculum developed by the Scottish Rite for Children
Classroom strategies and techniques used for students with dyslexia
Effective communication strategies with students, parents, colleagues, etc.
How to conduct parent and teacher information seminars
TRAINING REQUIREMENTS
1st Year—Introductory Training Course
Cost includes professional development and an introductory materials kit.Introductory Summer Course—Three (3) weeks
Four (4) Introductory Seminars throughout the school year
Attend one (1) approved dyslexia-related conference
Submit five (5) recorded introductory demonstration lessons
Teach three (3) groups using the Take Flight curriculum
2nd Year—Advanced Training Course
Cost includes professional development and an advanced materials kit.Advanced Summer Course—One (1) week
Four (4) Advanced Seminars throughout the school year
Attend one (1) approved dyslexia-related conference
Submit five (5) recorded advanced demonstration lessons
Continue teaching three (3) groups using the Take Flight curriculum
Graduate-Level Credit
MSU Texas
Graduates may receive up to 15 graduate-level credit hours toward a Master of Education in Special Education with a Dyslexia Emphasis, with an optional Educational Diagnostician Certification. Click here to learn more about the online M.Ed. programs. For more information, please contact April Crutcher, Special Education Program Coordinator, at april.crutcher@msutexas.edu.
King’s College
Graduates may receive graduate-level credit toward a Master of Education in Reading or a Master of Education in Special Education. For more information about the online M.Ed. programs, please contact Judie Burridge, Graduate Admission Counselor, at judieburridge@kings.edu.
Additional Dyslexia Training Programs
BUILD
Training for interventionists, special education teachers, dyslexia therapists, CALTs/Trainees, etc.
FRIDAY - April 24, 2026
Instructor: Lindsay Clark, M.Ed., LDT, CALT, C-SLDS
8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Virtual via Zoom
Registration Form: Click here to register for the April 24th training.
MONDAY - June 29, 2026
Instructors: Debbie Kent, M.Ed., LDT, CALT-QI, ED DIAG & Shauney Behnke, M.Ed., LDT, CALT-QIT
8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Virtual via Zoom
Registration Form: Click here to register for the June 29th training.
6 ALTA CE/Educator CPE Hours
Minimum Class Size: 10
Cost
Dyslexia Center of Austin—$150 for Professional Development Only
Scottish Rite for Children—$750 for Build Materials Kit & Downloadable Materials
To meet the needs of K-1 students identified as at-risk for dyslexia or those with dyslexia, the Scottish Rite for Children developed a 100-lesson, small-group early reading intervention that addresses all five components of effective reading intervention: alphabet, letter-sound knowledge, phonological awareness, vocabulary, and comprehension. Each component is taught developmentally using a direct, systematic, cumulative, and multimodal method of introduction and practice to meet the specific needs of K-1 students struggling with reading.
For more information on the BUILD curriculum, download a white paper or handout from the Scottish Rite for Children.
Please email Kelly O’Mullan with any questions.
JET
JET is a one-year, fast-paced dyslexia intervention developed by the Scottish Rite for Children. This comprehensive curriculum is designed to meet the needs of older learners with dyslexia. It addresses all instructional areas outlined in the Texas Dyslexia Handbook. JET is designed for individuals with dyslexia, aged 14 and older, small-group instruction (1-6 students), and ideally taught 4 days a week for 60 minutes a day, or 5 days a week for 45 minutes a day.
JET CALP Training—2026 Cohort starting June 1-5th
Who should register for Jet CALP Training?
Educators and interventionists working with older students or adults who are interested in becoming Certified Academic Language Practitioners (CALP)
Educators and interventionists trained in dyslexia programs other than Take Flight
June 1-5, 2026 | Three 1-Day Seminars in 2026-2027 TBD
Instructors: Debbie Kent, M.Ed., LDT, CALT-QI & Karen Blais, M.Ed., LDT, CALT-QI
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM CST
Virtual via Zoom
Minimum Class Size: 10
Registration Deadline: May 1, 2026
Registration Form: Click here to register.
Cost—$1,750
Costing includes all professional development and the JET Materials Kit—Practitioner Level (J5000—$750).
Additional Costs:
Textbook—Multisensory Teaching of Basic Language Skills, 4th Edition by Judith Birsh and Suzanne Carreker
JET Student Books 1-4 (consumables)—$25 per student book
JET Interactive Files (optional)—$50
CALP—Academic Requirements
Attend and participate in 8 days of training
Teach at least one (1) group through the Jet curriculum across the school year
Submit five (5) demonstration lesson videos and receive coaching/feedback from a Qualified Instructor
Read assigned academic articles/chapters and submit one-page reports
Read one (1) book from an approved list and submit a one-page report
Attend a dyslexia-related conference or professional development (3 CE hours)
Progress monitor students and submit data—BOY/EOY
Please email Kelly O’Mullan with any questions.
JET Training for take flight-trained dyslexia therapists
FRIDAY - July 17, 2026
Instructor: Debbie Kent, M.Ed., LDT, CALT-QI, ED DIAG
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Virtual via Zoom
3 ALTA CE/Educator CPE Hours
Minimum Class Size: 10
Registration Form: Click here to register.
Cost
Dyslexia Center of Austin—$100 for professional development
Scottish Rite for Children—$485 for the JET Materials Kit—Take Flight Trained (J1000)
Additional Costs:
JET Student Books 1-4 (consumables)—$25 per student book
JET Interactive Files (optional)—$50
Please email Kelly O’Mullan with any questions.
TURBO START
Training for Take Flight-Trained Dyslexia Therapists
FRIDAY - June 5, 2026
Instructor: Katy Vassar, M.Ed., LDT, CALT-QI, ED DIAG
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM CST
Virtual via Zoom
3 ALTA CE/Educator CPE Hours
Minimum Class Size: 10
Registration Form: Click here to register.
Cost
Dyslexia Center of Austin—$100 for Professional Development Only
Scottish Rite for Children—$200 for Turbo Start Materials Kit
Turbo Start is a program written by the Scottish Rite for Children. It is a 9-week, evidence-based dyslexia program designed to serve as an entry-level companion course for newly identified students preparing to embark on a direct, systematic, sequential, cumulative, and multisensory dyslexia program. Turbo Start consists of 36 lessons designed for small-group instruction (one to six students), ideally for a minimum of 45 minutes per session.
The unique feature of Turbo Start is its flexible drop-in, drop-out design, which gives educators a starting point for newly identified students with dyslexia. Therefore, a student doesn’t need to complete all 36 Turbo Start lessons before transitioning to the beginning of a direct, systematic, sequential, and cumulative dyslexia program.
Please email Kelly O’Mullan with any questions.