In an effort to better support children dealing with the challenges of dyslexia, Oklahoma State Senator Carri Hicks is highlighting a certification program aimed at early detection and specialized education strategies. Hicks, who also works as a professional educator, spearheaded an interim study to delve into the Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT) certification and micro-credentialing for teachers, as per a recent article published on the Oklahoma State Senate's website.
“Dyslexia is believed to impact as many as one out of five people, and it’s one of the most prevalent learning disabilities. It can result in delays and life-long difficulties in reading,” Hicks said, according to the press release. The CALT program is considered highly intensive and equips its graduates to accurately identify dyslexic tendencies and draw up individual education plans (IEP) to aid children in reading more effectively. To become a Certified Academic Language Therapist, individuals must hold at least a master's degree, complete upwards of 200 hours in graduate-level instruction in structured language education, and log 700 clinical hours along with a minimum of 10 demonstrations.
Executive Director Megan Oftedal of Oklahoma’s Office of Educational Quality and Accountability, in her address to committee members, highlighted a gap in the state's education system. According to her statement obtained by the Oklahoma State Senate, while Oklahoma boasts roughly 190 CALTs, their distribution is not even across the state. She has advocated for a centralized tracking system to pinpoint and subsequently aid areas that are underserved. Comprehensive data, she argued, would allow the state to both quantify the CALT program's impact and to better refine strategies for providing effective literacy support for at-risk students.
The interim study is but a foundational movement in what Hicks believes to be a larger conversation on utilizing CALT to proliferate comprehensive reading programs throughout Oklahoma. "This study was an important first step as we begin the conversation about how we can better utilize CALT to provide this comprehensive program throughout Oklahoma, helping children learn to read, and read to learn – this is critical to their success in school and throughout life," Hicks mentioned in the press release. She conveyed gratitude towards Senator Adam Pugh, chair of the Education Committee, for his role in this interim study and for their collaborative efforts on the Strong Readers Act aimed at improving literacy in Oklahoma. Hicks regards the CALT initiative as a crucial element in such literacy improvement initiatives.
