An IEA member task force recently began development of a dyslexia training course to help members with a new law requiring professional development about the learning disorder.
The law directs the State Department of Education to develop and maintain a schedule of professional development classes for educators and screen kindergarten through third grade students for dyslexia. The department began offering its slate of courses (non-graduate credit) this fall and every K-12 educator in the state must receive training before the 2023-24 school year begins.
The IEA task force is developing a course for IEA’s Center for Teaching and Learning that it will present to the Department of Education as a potential fulfillment new law’s requirements that could offer educators a credit toward their recertification after the year 2025.
“Our students deserve educators equipped to meet their specific needs,” said Peggy Hoy, Idaho’s National Education Association director and chair of the dyslexia task force. “And our members deserve access to the best training possible. This IEA-designed course will offer members strategies to successfully support their students — hopefully soon.”
The task force is made up of eight IEA members from each of the association’s three geographically-based operating centers — North Idaho, East Idaho and West Idaho. Their initial virtual meet was in October and the group plans to meet in-person in February.