Lipscomb becomes first university in Tennessee to earn International Dyslexia Association accreditation
Lipscomb’s nationally recognized College of Education’s undergraduate and initial teacher licensure programs meet rigorous standards for accreditation
Kim Chaudoin |
Lipscomb University’s nationally recognized College of Education has received accreditation from the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) for its undergraduate and initial teacher licensure programs, becoming the first university in Tennessee to achieve this distinction. The recognition affirms the college’s alignment with IDA’s Knowledge and Practice Standards for Teachers of Reading, rigorous, research-based expectations that prepare educators to deliver high-quality, structured literacy instruction proven to support all learners, including students with dyslexia.
Four Lipscomb programs - Integrated PK-3/Special Education (SPED) Early Childhood Education and K-5/SPED Dual Elementary Education at both the undergraduate and initial licensure levels - have earned IDA Accreditation. This designation affirms that Lipscomb’s programs meet comprehensive national standards for preparing teachers to prevent reading failure and to support students who experience reading difficulties.
“This accreditation is a significant milestone for our College of Education,” said Leslie Cowell, dean of Lipscomb’s College of Education. “Aligning our programs with IDA standards validates the strength of our literacy preparation and ensures that our teachers are equipped at the highest level to serve students with dyslexia well. It builds on our longstanding commitment to literacy and creates new opportunities for our graduates, who will now enter the field with a degree from an IDA-accredited program.”
Dyslexia is a neurobiological-based learning disability resulting in challenges with word recognition, spelling and decoding abilities and is one of the most common learning differences in the United States. The IDA estimates that as many as 15% to 20% of the nation’s population have characteristics associated with dyslexia. With those statistics, it is likely that most K-12 teachers will have a student with dyslexia in their classroom. Preparing teachers to identify and effectively support these learners is essential to their long-term academic success.
“This achievement reflects Lipscomb’s deep commitment to preparing teachers who are equipped to meet the needs of every learner,” said Lipscomb President Candice McQueen. “IDA accreditation places our programs among the nation’s leading educator-preparation pathways in structured literacy. This is more than a recognition of quality. It affirms the kind of transformative preparation that changes outcomes for children. I am grateful for our faculty, whose expertise and passion for literacy ensure that future teachers leave Lipscomb ready to make a meaningful difference in classrooms across Tennessee and beyond.”
Sarah Duncan, professor of education and lead faculty for reading specialty at Lipscomb, said the accreditation is the culmination of more than two years of dedicated work and “represents a deep investment in ensuring our teacher candidates receive the most current, research-based preparation in literacy instruction.”
“Tennessee already has a very high standard for literacy teacher prep, and Lipscomb has consistently been rated as an ‘A’ program in literacy preparation by the National Council on Teacher Quality for more than 10 years,” said Duncan. “Earning IDA accreditation goes even further to show that we are committed to the highest standards of literacy preparation. We want our teacher candidates to be confident and fully prepared to successfully teach every student who walks into their classroom to read, regardless of their learning needs, including dyslexia and other reading difficulties.”
“Literacy is essential for success in our society, and a student who lacks strong reading and writing skills is severely limited in their future opportunities,” she continued. “We want all students to be fully prepared to follow their dreams, and they will need essential literacy skills to do that. Teachers are critical in this work, and we want our graduates to be ready for the challenge.”
Lipscomb’s College of Education is consistently recognized as one of the most effective teacher preparation programs in Tennessee and in the nation. In 2023, the National Council on Teacher Quality named Lipscomb among the top programs in the United States for preparing future teachers in the science of reading. Since 2013, NCTQ has consistently ranked the college among the top in the nation. Earlier this year, Lipscomb University was recognized for the 13th consecutive year as one of the most effective teacher and leader preparation programs in Tennessee as it earned high marks on the latest Teacher Preparation Report Card released by the Tennessee State Board of Education. Learn more about Lipscomb’s College of Education at www.lipscomb.edu/education.