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One of the most frequent requests we receive at IDA is for guidance on finding and engaging professional services for struggling readers. In response to such inquiries from parents and educators, IDA created a national directory in the late 1990s that lists, by state, IDA members who provide various professional services. A number of IDA branches have also developed and continue to maintain their own directories of local service providers.
Through its new Information & Referrals (l&R) strategic initiative, IDA is in the process of upgrading the "Find a Provider" directory on its website to create a more robust resource. The l&R initiative will roll out in two phases. The first phase will include more detailed information about the service providers in a new format that is easier to navigate. In the coming year, IDA will ask members to complete a new application form for listing in the upgraded directory. The second phase will include information about individuals who demonstrate that their skills and experience align with the IDA Knowledge and Practice Standards (IDA Standards; see "The IDA Knowledge and Practice Standards: Creating Consistency and Quality in How We Teach Reading" in this issue). This second phase will roll out in...