In accordance with Ark. Code Ann. § 6-41-612, the Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) will create a network of 500 Certified Academic Language Therapists (CALTs) for the purpose of providing a specialized dyslexia instructional program designed to provide therapy to public school students with dyslexia or related reading and written-language difficulties. 

DESE is seeking to partner with one or more existing therapy-level training course directors to conduct the inaugural training in Arkansas and assist with establishing and coordinating an Arkansas dyslexia therapy training program. This program will increase the number of CALTs available to provide diagnostic, explicit, systematic, multisensory language intervention that builds a high degree of accuracy, knowledge, and independence for public school students with dyslexia or related reading and written-language difficulties. 

Course completion through the Arkansas dyslexia therapy training program must lead to eligibility to sit for the ALTA Certification Exam-Therapy Level. The curriculum utilized in training must meet criteria for the Arkansas K-12 Dyslexia Approved Programs and must be on the Arkansas Approved Literacy Curriculum List or be submitted for review.  

Interested vendors should submit a presentation proposal by completing the Dyslexia Therapy Training Courses form by October 27, 2021. 

A focus group of stakeholders has been formed to make the selection. No more than 6 vendors will be selected to present to the group on November 10, 2021. 

Presentations must include, but are not limited to the following: 

• The course description, outline, and syllabus
•  The staff involved in the training
• The dyslexia curriculum used in the training [name of program, target population (age/grade levels), delivery guidelines (group size, frequency and length of sessions, approximate duration of curriculum)]
• A list of materials, books, and supplies needed to be purchased for each candidate to complete training
• A list of additional materials, books, and supplies needed to be purchased for candidates to provide intervention
• Success rate of training course
• Proposed number of CALT candidates to be trained by December 2024 (number of cohorts, number of candidates per cohort)
• Proposed training schedule (provide possible calendar dates for each proposed cohort)
• Project budget (itemized to include training costs for coursework, demonstration observation fees, materials, and travel)

Timeline for CALT Project: 

October 27, 2021 Deadline for presentation proposals

November 3, 2021 Vendors notified if selected for a presentation

November 10, 2021 Vendor presentations

November 17, 2021 Selection process

November - December, 2021 Set training dates

Questions can be directed to Vicki King at vicki.king@ade.arkansas.gov.