College of Education Kicks Off Project Lead

The College of Education at Texas State University (TXST) is happy to announce the receipt of a personnel preparation grant from the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) within the U.S. Department of Education. This grant will support scholars in pursuing a Master of Education (M.Ed.) with a major in Special Education. In addition, scholars accepted into this program will become a Certified Academic Language Therapists (CALT) to support students with dyslexia. 

Project LEAD (Learning and Education for All with Dyslexia) will award full scholarships to 23 eligible teacher scholars in the field of special education. These scholars will become experts in using evidence-based instruction to students receiving special education services, including dyslexia, in Grades K to 12. This federally funded project will prepare more teachers who are highly qualified to provide specially designed instruction to students with dyslexia in Central Texas schools.

Project LEAD directly addresses teacher shortages in the field of education. In recent years, the U.S. Department of Education (2022) reported that special education positions are the most understaffed area, with 75% of public schools in the southern region of the U.S. beginning the school year with vacancies. In response to this need, Project LEAD will increase the number and quality of special educators in the field, specifically in Central Texas. Furthermore, the Texas Education Agency (TEA, 2023) reported 12.7% of students enrolled in schools are receiving special education services. This data represents a 41% increase in the number of students with disabilities who qualified for special education services in Texas schools over the past 5 years, including an almost 70% increase in the number of students identified with dyslexia. This increase in students who require specially designed instruction suggests schools need more highly-qualified teachers support these students. Techers who have both a M.Ed. with a major in Special Education and a CALT dyslexia specialization will be a tremendous asset to Central Texas school districts as well as students and their families.

Project LEAD has partnered with Neuhaus Education Center (Neuhaus), a non-profit educational organization whose one area of expertise is to offer trainings to individuals who are interested in pursuing a certification in dyslexia therapy and intervention. The CALT dyslexia preparation program involves intensive training over a minimum of 30 months. Through this partnership, TXST will provide scholars with opportunities to receive feedback on their teaching and to learn from a Neuhaus mentor as they complete requirements to become a CALT. Neuhaus has successfully integrated their CALT dyslexia training program in graduate programs at other universities. However, this new collaboration is currently the only CALT dyslexia preparation program offered by Neuhaus through a major university in Texas. Therefore, Project LEAD will establish a key partnership that will directly benefit school communities in Central Texas.  

This project is directed by Dr. Alyson Collins, Associate Professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction with support from co-directors Dr. Stephen Ciullo, and Dr. Jennifer Porterfield, within the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. All three are dedicated to increasing the number of special educators in the field and are excited about the opportunity to support scholars through full funding, which includes financial assistance for tuition, textbooks, technology, and attendance at professional conferences. Ultimately, the Project LEAD team hopes these scholarships will mitigate the shortage of special education teachers and provide support for students with disabilities, including dyslexia, in Central Texas schools.