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Structured Literacy in Higher Education: Advancing Teacher Preparation Through IDA Accreditation

This full-day symposium, hosted by the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) in partnership with IDA Georgia, will bring together deans of schools of education, superintendents, faculty, and literacy leaders to strengthen educator preparation in the science of reading.

The symposium provides:

  • The “what”: An introduction to IDA’s Knowledge and Practice Standards (KPS) and accreditation process.

  • The “how”: Practical tools, resources, and strategies for successful implementation.

  • The impact: Real-world insights from academic leaders, faculty, and practitioners who will share their accreditation journeys, challenges, and outcomes.

Participants will leave with practical strategies and perspectives to strengthen teacher preparation in Structured Literacy and ensure all students receive effective, evidence-based reading instruction.

Event Details

  • Date: Wednesday, October 22, 2025

  • Time: 8:00 AM Check-in; 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM Symposium (lunch included)

  • Location: Hyatt Regency Atlanta

  • Cost: Free (advance registration required)

Symposium Highlights

  • Institutional Journeys Through Accreditation – Presentations on implementing IDA’s standards in coursework, practica, and program design.

  • State and District Leadership Perspectives – Insights on the impact of Structured Literacy on student outcomes and professional learning.

  • Training Higher Education Faculty – Strategies to prepare and support faculty in Structured Literacy.

  • Graduate Student Perspectives – How IDA-aligned preparation is shaping professional pathways.

  • Interactive Discussions and Panels – Table discussions, facilitator-led Q&A, and a culminating accreditation panel featuring national and local leaders.

  • IDA Accreditation Process Overview – Accreditation Chair Mary Wennersten provides clarity on the standards, review process, and next steps.

Learn about the Presenters

PRESENTERS

Jennifer Lindstrom

Dr. Jennifer Lindstrom serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Special Education, and as Adjunct Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Georgia. She directs ongoing research focusing on the causes and treatment of dyslexia and other learning disabilities, issues surrounding the provision of accommodations to individuals with dyslexia and other learning disabilities, early literacy with a focus on teacher training. In addition, Dr. Lindstrom has been serving as the Statewide Dyslexia Coordinator for the Georgia Department of Education since 2021. Dr. Lindstrom’s leadership and guidance has helped to ensure that Georgia’s students get the “best of the best” from our teachers and schools.

Grant Rivera

Dr. Grant Rivera has been the proud Superintendent of Marietta City Schools since 2016, leading the district’s 12 schools, approximately 8,900 students, and 1,200 employees. He is a career educator who has served as a principal, teacher, and coach prior to becoming superintendent. He is humbled and honored to be leading Marietta City Schools, where the district serves as a state and national model for innovation and the science of reading. 

Grant holds a bachelor’s degree in education and social policy from Northwestern University and earned a master’s degree in special education and a Doctorate of Education with an emphasis in school law from the University of Alabama. Dr. Rivera and his wife, Jenn, live in Marietta with their two daughters. Grant and his family are committed, in collaboration with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, to raising funds and awareness for pediatric cancer research, as his daughter is a stage IV cancer survivor. 

Vivian Gonsalves

Vivian Gonsalves, Ph.D. is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the School of Special Education, School Psychology and Early Childhood Studies at the University of Florida. Her research focuses on early literacy development, teacher education, mentoring, and reading instruction and remediation. She is currently an instructor of special education and literacy development courses in various programs in the College of Education and provides professional development to in-service educators and other related service professionals in implementing assessments and designing instruction for struggling readers. Additionally, she is one of the assistant directors of the University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI) and the program coordinator for the Dyslexia Certificate program at UF.

Susan Smart

Susan Smartt, Ph.D., is a former senior research associate at the National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality at Vanderbilt University. She holds a doctorate in school psychology from Tennessee State University and a master’s degree in special education and reading from Peabody College of Vanderbilt University. In her research at Vanderbilt, Dr. Smartt studied improving teacher preparation for reading teachers. She also provided educational consulting services and teacher training to states and local school districts focusing on school reform, reading intervention for low-performing schools, using data to inform practice, developing response to intervention/MTSS initiatives, and implementing scientifically based literacy programs.  In retirement, Dr. Smartt tutors students with dyslexia, provides advocacy services for students, and volunteers as a mentor for the TN Achieves Initiative.

Susan was an early contributor to the development of LETRS, past president of the Tennessee Branch of the International Dyslexia Association,  co-authorship of “Fundamentals in Literacy Instruction and Assessment” with Martha Hougen, Ph.D. (Smart & Hougen, 2020) and co-author of “Next STEPS in Literacy Instruction: Connecting Assessments to Effective Interventions” with Deborah Glaser, Ed.D. (Smartt & Glaser, 2010).

Tina Engberg 

Tina Engberg, MA, is the former State Leader of Decoding Dyslexia Georgia. She has been actively involved in Dyslexia advocacy since her son, a profound Dyslexic now a college sophomore, was diagnosed in Kindergarten. She is keenly interested in the Science of Reading, effective educational interventions, and the mental health issues that surround Dyslexia. A native of Atlanta, Tina is a graduate of Bates College and in August completed a Master’s in Reading Science at Mount St. Joseph University in Cincinnati. She now lives in rural Colorado and tutors local students with dyslexia. 

 

Nicole Vella

Nicole Vella, MA, C-SLDS, is a doctoral candidate in the Reading Science Program at Mount St. Joseph University and the Director of Program Development for Reading Is Essential for All People (REAP). REAP is an Atlanta-based nonprofit focused on improving reading outcomes for public school students through in-service professional development and teacher support. Nicole’s role at REAP is to develop and present training programs aligned with reading research that are tailored to meet the specific needs of schools. In 2017, she earned a Master of Arts in Reading Science from Mount St. Joseph University and a Dyslexia Certificate. Her interest in reading science started when her oldest son experienced writing difficulties, and she began Orton-Gillingham training in 2012. She is certified at the associate level through the Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators. She is also certified as a Structured Literacy Dyslexia Specialist with the Center for Effective Reading Instruction. Nicole is a founding board member of The Reading League Georgia chapter, its past president, and currently serves on the board. Nicole appreciates connecting with educators and students at the individual level, which she achieves through various opportunities, including coursework, serving as a graduate teaching assistant, working with REAP, and tutoring struggling readers and writers after school.

Mary A. Wennersten

Mary A. Wennersten is a nationally recognized leader in structured literacy and the science of reading. With 40 years of experience, she has led statewide and national initiatives, trained thousands of educators, and shaped literacy policy. Mary has served as IDA Accreditation Chair, LETRS Facilitator, and K–5 Literacy Director for the Arizona Department of Education.