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Public, Private, and Charter Schools

Public, Private, and Charter Schools that offer reading interventions for students with Dyslexia. There are also scholarships to help pay for private schools.

Charter Schools

American Preparatory Academy, has one CALT in training at each campus. Teaching Take Flight, an OG program.

Channing Hall: https://channinghall.org/ has teachers getting Orton Gillingham training.

Public Schools

Utah’s schools have started incorporating LETRS training for key educators who teach reading. As this process proceeds we are excited to see more of the Science of Reading in our Utah Classrooms. Also, keep in mind that there is no one perfect school environment that will suit every child with a reading problem and his or her family. The key to selecting a school is to determine which school environment, educators and curriculum meet your child’s priorities at a particular point in time. And your priorities will change as your child goes through school.

The steps and questions below will help guide you through the process of selecting a school and will also give insight to the range of possible programs and services that a school could potentially offer to your child.

The biggest question: does the school and its educators use the word dyslexia, and how familiar are they with dyslexia?

  • Have they read Utah’s Dyslexia Handbook?
  • How many teachers have taken LETRS training?
  • How is LETRS training and the Science of Reading being translated into the classrooms?
  • Are the teachers and administrators open and friendly, and do they welcome questions?
  • Ask about the school’s core reading program
  • Ask about what services are offered for kids with reading levels below benchmark
  • Who works with students who are struggling to learn to read? Educators or Para-Educators?
  • Ask about opportunities they offer for students to demonstrate knowledge without written assessments
  • Can children use electronic devices, ipads, Livescribe, or computers in class for note-taking, etc.?
  • Ask about testing for an IEP or 504 Plan for your child if they need additional support in the form of accommodations, modifications or additional educational services. (See the Utah’ Dyslexia Handbook for detail about IEPs and 504 Plans)

Private Schools

Community Montessori School – has one CALT in training teacher, teaching Take Flight, an OG program.

Ignite Academy: Uses Spire

Our Lady of the Lourdes Catholic School – has a Wilson trained Interventionist. Accepts the Carson Smith Scholarship.

The McGillis School: The Learning Center has Orton-Gillingham trained teachers and interventionists. The Learning Center helps students in grades 2-7 harness their strengths while overcoming their challenges. Our students process information differently than what is expected in a conventional classroom. They need a different approach and we embrace that difference.

https://www.mcgillisschool.org/program/the-learning-center

Scholarships that help pay for tutoring, curriculum, private school, and other services with an IEP.

Carson Smith Scholarship
Children First Utah

Children First Utah Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for a scholarship, services, or educational materials, the student must meet all of the following requirements:

  1. The student’s custodial parent or legal guardian must reside within the State of Utah.
  2. The student must have a recent (within the last year) IEP or be determined by a multidisciplinary evaluation team to be eligible for services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act *
  3. The student is eligible to participate in public school, in kindergarten or grades 1 through 12
  4. The student must NOT be attending a public school or charter school in the school year of the award. (Student is attending K-12 private school or homeschool)
  5. The student must NOT be a student who receives a scholarship under the Carson Smith Scholarship Program in the school year of the award. (Parents may apply for both scholarships and choose the one providing the greater award. Awards under this scholarship are determined by income and family size, while awards under Carson Smith are determined by level of service the disability requires. See chart at bottom of page for amounts.)

*Your school district of residence is required by state and federal law to conduct an evaluation at your request, regardless of whether your child is educated in a public school, private school or homeschool. The law requires this evaluation to be conducted within 45 days of your request. Alternatively, Children First may be able to assist you in seeking an evaluation through a qualified multi-disciplinary team process.