CERI offers three levels of structured literacy credentials: the Structured Literacy Classroom Teacher Knowledge Certificate (C-SLCT), Structured Literacy Dyslexia Interventionist certification (C-SLDI), and Structured Literacy Dyslexia Specialist certification (C-SLDS). All are grounded in IDA's Knowledge and Practice Standards and require a passing KPEERI score, while the training and supervised-practice requirements increase substantially at the interventionist and specialist levels.
What CERI is
CERI, the Center for Effective Reading Instruction, is the certifying body affiliated with the International Dyslexia Association. Where IDA accredits programs, CERI certifies individuals: it confirms that a particular educator has the knowledge and skill to teach reading using structured literacy. That distinction is worth holding onto, because "accredited" and "certified" get used loosely. A program is accredited; a person is certified. CERI is the body that does the certifying, and because it is tied to the IDA's standards, its credential travels, recognized nationally and internationally rather than being a local or in-house label.
One design feature gives the credential its credibility: CERI keeps training and certification separate. The organization that teaches you is not the one that certifies you, which is part of why the certification means something beyond "we said so."
The three levels of CERI certification
CERI offers three certifications, and they are not simply bigger versions of one another. Each prepares an educator for a different role, and the requirements rise accordingly.
| Level | Who it is for | Core requirements |
|---|---|---|
| C-SLCT (Structured Literacy Classroom Teacher) | General-education teachers strengthening core, Tier 1 instruction | At least 45 hours of training aligned to the IDA standards, plus a passing KPEERI score; no practicum required |
| C-SLDI (Structured Literacy Dyslexia Interventionist) | Interventionists serving off-track and struggling readers | An IDA-accredited program of at least 90 training hours, a supervised practicum with one student, and a passing KPEERI score |
| C-SLDS (Structured Literacy Dyslexia Specialist) | Specialists working with the most intensive needs | At least 135 hours, a supervised practicum with three different students, and a passing KPEERI score; offered through IDA Accredited Plus programs |
The jump from the first level to the other two is the important one. The Classroom Teacher certificate confirms the knowledge to teach strong core instruction and does not require a practicum. The Interventionist and Specialist certifications add supervised practice, real work with real students under observation, because they endorse an educator to serve the readers who struggle most, including those with profiles characteristic of dyslexia. That practicum is what separates knowing structured literacy from being able to deliver it with the students who need it.
Who needs which
Match the certification to the role, not to ambition. A kindergarten or first-grade classroom teacher delivering core instruction is well served by the C-SLCT; it confirms the foundational knowledge without demanding a practicum built for interventionists. An educator who pulls small groups or works one-to-one with struggling readers wants the C-SLDI, whose supervised practicum is designed for exactly that work. And an educator who will handle the most complex cases, or who will train and lead others, is the candidate for the C-SLDS. You hold one level at a time, and most educators start where their current role sits rather than reaching for the top tier first.
How to earn it
The path is consistent across levels, with the practicum and hours scaling up.
First, complete training aligned to the IDA's Knowledge and Practice Standards, through an IDA-accredited program for the interventionist and specialist levels. Second, complete the required supervised practicum if you are pursuing C-SLDI or C-SLDS, working with students under the observation of a qualified supervisor. Third, pass the KPEERI exam, the Knowledge and Practice Examination for Effective Reading Instruction, which every level requires. Finally, apply to CERI for the certification your training and practicum support. Certifications are time-limited and renewable, so plan for renewal rather than treating it as one-and-done.
What CERI certification does, and doesn't, authorize
This matters, and CERI is explicit about it: holding a CERI certification does not, by itself, authorize an educator to diagnose dyslexia or any other learning difficulty. The authority to diagnose or formally identify dyslexia depends on a professional's qualifications, licensure, and the requirements of the setting in which they work. What CERI confirms is expertise in structured literacy instruction and, at the higher levels, increasingly intensive intervention. Certified educators may play an important role in screening, instruction, progress monitoring, and referral, but the credential itself should not be interpreted as diagnostic authority.
Why it matters, and what schools should look for
For an educator, CERI certification is a credible, portable way to demonstrate real structured-literacy expertise in a field crowded with vague claims, and certified professionals are listed in the IDA and CERI directories that parents and districts search. For a school hiring or building capacity, a CERI credential provides external verification that an educator's preparation meets a rigorous, standards-based bar rather than relying on a self-declared "reading expert" label.
But the goal is not necessarily for every educator to pursue the highest credential. Schools need the right depth of expertise in the right roles. Classroom teachers need the knowledge to deliver strong Tier 1 instruction. Interventionists need deeper preparation and supervised practice working with struggling readers. And schools need access to specialists with the expertise to support students with the most complex needs and help develop the practice of others. CERI's credential levels give leaders a useful framework for thinking about how that expertise should be distributed across a school or system.
The credential also tells you something about the training behind it. Because the highest certification, C-SLDS, is available through IDA Accredited Plus programs, the accreditation level of a training provider can affect the credentialing pathways available to educators. Eight Strands Literacy holds IDA Accredited Plus status and provides pathways to CERI credentials, giving educators and schools a way to build structured-literacy expertise at the level their roles require.
Frequently asked questions
What is CERI certification?
CERI certification is a national structured-literacy credential issued by the Center for Effective Reading Instruction, an affiliate of the International Dyslexia Association. It certifies that an individual educator has the knowledge and skill to teach reading using structured literacy, verified against the IDA's Knowledge and Practice Standards and a passing score on the KPEERI exam.
What are the three CERI certification levels?
They are the Structured Literacy Classroom Teacher certificate (C-SLCT), the Structured Literacy Dyslexia Interventionist certification (C-SLDI), and the Structured Literacy Dyslexia Specialist certification (C-SLDS). Each is for a different role, and the training hours and practicum requirements increase from the first to the third.
Who needs a CERI certification?
It depends on the role. Classroom teachers delivering core instruction are suited to the C-SLCT. Educators who provide reading intervention to struggling readers pursue the C-SLDI, and those handling the most intensive needs or leading others pursue the C-SLDS. Educators hold one level at a time and usually pursue the one that matches their current work.
How do you earn a CERI certification?
Complete training aligned to the IDA Knowledge and Practice Standards (through an accredited program for the interventionist and specialist levels), complete the required supervised practicum for those levels, pass the KPEERI exam, and apply to CERI. Certifications are time-limited and must be renewed.
Does CERI certification let me diagnose dyslexia?
No. CERI certification itself does not confer authority to diagnose dyslexia. Whether an educator or other professional can formally identify or diagnose dyslexia depends on their qualifications, licensure, and the requirements of the setting in which they work.
Keep reading
- How to become a reading specialist: pathways, certifications, and what schools should look for
- How IDA accreditation defines quality in literacy teacher training
- What is structured literacy?
- Orton-Gillingham vs. structured literacy
Descriptions of CERI certifications, their requirements, and the KPEERI exam reflect materials published by the Center for Effective Reading Instruction and the International Dyslexia Association. Specific hour and practicum requirements are CERI's stated minimums and may change; confirm current requirements with CERI.
Krista L. Johnson, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer
Krista L. Johnson, Ph.D., is the Chief Executive Officer of Eight Strands Literacy. She holds a Ph.D. in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Northwestern University, with research in auditory neuroscience, and graduate training in specific learning disabilities. She leads the organization's work helping schools put the science of reading into practice.
