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About the Tennessee Branch

International Dyslexia Association Tennessee was formed to increase awareness about Dyslexia in the state of Tennessee. IDA Tennessee supports efforts to provide information regarding appropriate language arts instruction to those involved with language-based learning differences and to encourage the identity of these individuals at-risk for such disorders as soon as possible. IDA and the IDA Tennessee believe that a researched, multisensory, sequential, and systematic language program highlighting direct and explicit delivery is the criteria by which the best approaches currently available are defined; however, the Association does not endorse specific programs, speakers or instructional materials.


IDA Tennessee Mission Statement 

The mission of IDA Tennessee, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, is to support the goals of IDA in a way that improves our communities and the state as a whole by:

  • Recommending a model for dyslexia intervention, emphasizing structured multisensory literacy instruction in combination with accommodations including assistive technology.
  • Providing professional development and training opportunities for teachers
  • Assisting families in their search for service providers
  • Actively working with policy makers to improve state and local education and services for teachers and individuals with dyslexia and related disorders
  • Disseminating information to and increasing the awareness of the families and professionals that are touched by language-based learning difficulties.

Past Presidents
Dr. Margaret Smith (1996-1998), Dr. Susan Smartt (1998-2002), Martie Wood (2002-2006), Dr. Caresa Young (2006-2008), Latricia Phillips (2008-2009), Dr. Helen Dainty (2009-2012), Emily Dempster (2012-2018), Carmen O’Connor (2018-2021), Jennifer Fleming (2021-2024)


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