HOOD RIVER — Hood River County School District (HRCSD) is highlighting a significant, multi-year investment in early literacy and educator development as 34 district professionals participate in the Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) professional learning suite. This comprehensive training opportunity is funded through the school district’s ongoing regional partnership with the Columbia Gorge Education Service District (CGESD).
LETRS is an intensive professional course grounded in the science of reading. It is officially recognized on the Oregon Department of Education’s approved list of dyslexia-related training programs for the 2026–27 school year. The curriculum equips teachers with deep diagnostic tools and scientific understanding to recognize dyslexia early, deliver effective foundational reading and spelling instruction, and intensify support for students experiencing reading difficulties.
Under Oregon Division 22 standards, public school districts must ensure at least one K–5 teacher at each elementary school completes approved dyslexia-related training. Through regional support and funding from CGESD, HRCSD has established a cohort model that exceeds this state requirement.
Over the three years HRCSD has offered this pathway, 34 educators and specialists across the school district have engaged in the program:
Thirteen educators completed the full two-year credential
Thirteen educators are advancing through Volume 2 (year 2)
Eight educators are starting Volume 1 (year 1) this fall
While state rules mandate only one trained teacher per elementary building, HRCSD has multiple trained educators in every elementary school across the school district, along with districtwide speech-language pathologists, online instructors, and instructional leadership.
Each volume of LETRS represents roughly 100 hours of intensive study completed outside regular classroom hours, covering phonological awareness, phonics, vocabulary development, and reading mechanics. By leveraging regional partnership resources to embed these evidence-based practices directly into elementary classrooms across Hood River County, HRCSD continues to strengthen core literacy instruction and ensure all students receive the quality support they need to become confident, capable readers.
For more information about academic programs and curriculum in the Hood River County School District, visitwww.hoodriver.k12.or.us.
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