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HARLINGEN CISD to open regional dyslexia therapy training center, district officials say
Summary
District leaders described a planned Dyslexia Therapy Training Center to credential local practitioners, provide a K–2 literacy academy and serve neighboring districts; the center will seek MSLIC accreditation and plans a cohort start this August.
HARLINGEN CISD officials presented April 30 plans to open a Dyslexia Therapy Training Center that will train and credential in‑district dyslexia practitioners, run a K–2 literacy academy for classroom teachers, and offer regional credentialing services.
"We are the only school district South Of San Antonio to be a dyslexia training center," said Doctor Reyna, the district’s dyslexia/504/MTSS coordinator, introducing the center and its branding, "Engaging every sense and rewiring every pathway."
District staff said the center will pursue accreditation through the International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council (MSLIC). Jennifer Esparza will serve as a qualified instructor for the center, and Kathy Cowden will support operations, staff said. The district plans to use a portion of Wilson Elementary for the site and is preparing operations, curriculum and financial structures now with a target cohort start in August.
The center has two stated roles: (1) credential and train district staff and regional practitioners so more local instructors can complete certification requirements without long travel, and (2) run a literacy academy targeting K–2 classroom teachers to improve early identification and intervention strategies. District staff said early intervention is critical: they cited research warning that if intervention is not provided by about age 8, students have a much higher likelihood of continued reading struggles and that remediation is far harder if foundational K–2 skills are not addressed early.
Staff described the accreditation pathway as multi‑year and practice‑intensive: teachers completing initial cohorts will sit for credentialing exams (for example, the Certified Academic Language Practitioner exam) and the district expects mastery checks and monitored clinical hours as part of the credentialing process. Doctor Reyna and Jennifer Esparza said the district has already engaged the MSLIC executive director and will submit accreditation materials after operating a cohort this year.
Officials said the center also aims to serve the region by charging fees for out‑of‑district practitioners to train in Harlingen, reducing travel barriers for other Valley districts. The presenters described program evaluation metrics that include teacher certification completion rates and student learning measures such as I‑Ready and STAR benchmark growth; one presenter said year‑one success would be measured by cohort completion and exam passage rates and by observable student progress on district screening and benchmark assessments.
District presenters gave a current dyslexia identification figure of about 6.3 percent of the district's students, noting that published estimates for dyslexia prevalence vary (commonly cited 10–15 percent range). Board members and presenters discussed building capacity (more qualified instructors are required to scale the program) and exploring university partnerships to create stackable coursework and degree opportunities tied to the center.
No committee vote was required; presenters requested continued district support for site preparation, accreditation steps and outreach to regional districts and higher‑education partners.
