On August 28, 2026, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) announced that nine teacher preparation programs in the Commonwealth received accreditation by the International Dyslexia Association (IDA), the highest number of any state in the country. This means that future educators in Pennsylvania have a plethora of high-quality programs to choose from that will enable them to help young learners grasp the fundamentals of reading.

IDA accreditation is a rigorous process, requiring programs to go through an extensive, multi-year review of coursework, clinical practice, and alignment to the IDA’s structured literacy standards. In total, there are only 37 programs nationally with this IDA accreditation.

Pennsylvania’s nine IDA-accredited teacher preparation programs include:
-Arcadia University, Montgomery County
-Carlow University, Allegheny County
-Drexel University, Philadelphia County
-Duquesne University, Allegheny County
-Eastern University, Delaware County
-Millersville University, Lancaster County
-Penn West University, Clarion County
-Robert Morris University, Allegheny County
-Saint Joseph’s University, Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties

PDE has made it a top priority to help kids learn how to read through structured literacy – a systematic approach to reading instruction that provides a strong core of foundational skills that set students up for success. In January, PDE hosted four webinars for school leaders focused on structured literacy resources and guidance. More than 1,000 participants attended these sessions, demonstrating the field’s deep commitment to structured literacy. PDE’s Structured Literacy landing page has also become a central hub for the field.

Additionally, PDE worked with the Reading Leadership Council to create a list of resources designed to help educators translate research into effective classroom practice – no matter where they are in their literacy journey. Educators can find a wealth of structured literacy resources on the PDE Standards Aligned System (SAS) website, including free and on-demand professional development, and Act 48 and Act 45-approved courses, which keep Pennsylvania teacher and administrative certificates active.