Who does what
Dyslexia specialist is not a protected title. Several different professionals do genuinely different jobs, and knowing which one you need saves both money and months.
Who diagnoses
Educational diagnosticians, licensed school psychologists, licensed psychologists and neuropsychologists conduct the testing that identifies dyslexia. Speech language pathologists contribute on the language side. This is who you need if you do not yet have an evaluation.
Certified Academic Language Therapist
The most heavily trained intervention provider. Graduate level coursework plus hundreds of hours of supervised clinical teaching, certified nationally through the Academic Language Therapy Association. This is who delivers the therapy itself.
Licensed Dyslexia Therapist and Practitioner
Texas state licenses regulated by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Because they are licenses, they can be verified in a public license search.
Structured literacy trained instructors
Teachers and tutors certified in a specific structured literacy program. Training depth varies widely, so the program name and the certifying body are the questions that matter.
Related specialists
Speech language pathologists, occupational therapists and educational advocates address specific co-occurring needs. They support the plan, but they do not replace structured literacy instruction.
Where to search
Your own school district
Ask whether the district employs anyone holding a CALT, LDT or LDP credential, and what structured literacy program is used. This is free, it is often overlooked, and the answer has changed at many districts in recent years.
Academic Language Therapy Association
ALTA maintains the searchable directory of Certified Academic Language Therapists, and it is the place to confirm that a CALT credential is real and current.
Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation
TDLR publishes a public license search covering Licensed Dyslexia Therapists and Licensed Dyslexia Practitioners in Texas.
International Dyslexia Association branches
Branches maintain regional provider and school lists, run parent events, and can often tell you who is currently taking new students.
Psychology and neuropsychology practices
For a private evaluation, look for someone who assesses school aged children specifically and produces reports schools accept. Ask to see the structure of a sample report.
Schools that train therapists
A school running a therapist training program knows every provider in its region. Key School and Training Center in Fort Worth runs the Key Dyslexia Therapy Training Program and has trained therapists across Texas for decades.
Verifying a credential
Every credential worth having can be checked, and checking takes minutes. Any provider who is uncomfortable being verified has told you something important.
- CALT and CALT-QI are verified through the Academic Language Therapy Association.
- LDT and LDP are Texas state licenses and appear in the TDLR public license search.
- Program specific certifications are verified with the organization that runs the program, so ask which organization that is.
- Psychologists and diagnosticians hold state licenses or certifications that can be checked with the relevant Texas licensing body.
- Ask for the credential in writing on an invoice or agreement. This is routine, not adversarial.
Questions for the first call
What is your training, and where can I verify it?
Look for a specific credential and a certifying body. Experience with dyslexic students is context, not qualification.
What is your role in this, exactly?
Evaluation, therapy, tutoring or advocacy. A provider who offers all four is worth a second look.
What program or protocol do you use?
Ask for a name. If the answer is a philosophy or a customized approach, ask what it is built from.
How will we measure whether this is working?
Named measures, a stated interval and a commitment to share the data with you.
What does this cost, and what is the expected duration?
Both numbers together. Ask about sliding scales and reduced rate slots in the same breath.
Will you coordinate with the school?
Alignment protects progress, and a provider willing to talk to the teacher is worth more than one who is not.
Red flags
- A credential that cannot be verified anywhere, or a certifying body that turns out to be the provider.
- A guaranteed number of grade levels in a guaranteed number of weeks.
- Treatment built on colored overlays, tinted lenses, vision therapy, movement programs or supplements.
- A diagnosis offered without formal testing, including from an online quiz.
- Large prepaid packages with no review point.
- Reluctance to share progress data, or to let you observe a session.
If you have decided you need therapy specifically, find an academic language therapist covers the search in detail.
