Certifications, Licenses, and Credentials
Professional Abbreviations
The law only addresses the use of the titles “licensed dyslexia therapist" and “licensed dyslexia practitioner.” However, a person could also use the initials “LDT” or “LDP” since we are not aware of those designations being currently used by other Texas licensed professionals.
Certified Academic Language Therapist Title
There is a difference between a “Certified Academic Language Therapist” and a “Licensed Dyslexia Therapist.
A certified academic language therapist (CALT) is a person who is certified by the Academic Language Therapy Association (ALTA). A licensed dyslexia therapist is a person who is licensed by the state of Texas and is legally authorized to use the title “licensed dyslexia therapist.”
A person who does not use the title “licensed dyslexia therapist” is not required by law to hold a license.
The education, training, and examination requirements to become a CALT and to become a licensed dyslexia therapist are the same. Many licensed dyslexia therapists are also certified academic language therapists, and many licensed dyslexia practitioners are also certified academic language practitioners (CALP).
Dyslexia Qualified Instructor License
TDLR does not issue a dyslexia qualified instructor license. TDLR is authorized to issue only the Dyslexia Therapist and Dyslexia Practitioner licenses.
No Texas state agency is authorized to issue a dyslexia qualified instructor license. The Dyslexia Therapist license does not include an indication as to whether the licensee is also a qualified instructor.
Texas Occupations Code Sec. 403.110 states that, to be considered a qualified instructor, a person must:
- (1) be a licensed dyslexia therapist;
- (2) have at least 1,400 hours of clinical teaching experience in addition to the hours required to obtain a licensed dyslexia therapist license; and
- (3) have completed a two-year course of study dedicated to the administration and supervision of multisensory structured language education programs taught by a nationally accredited training program that meets the requirements of Section 403.106.
Practice Setting
A licensed dyslexia practitioner may practice only in an educational setting, such as a school, learning center, or clinic. A licensed dyslexia therapist may practice in a school, learning center, clinic, or in a private practice setting.
