If one has done any internet reading related to dyslexia, they likely have encountered the name "Susan Barton" of "Bright Solutions for Dyslexia."  Ms. Barton describes herself as "one of the leading authorities on dyslexia and ADD in the country;" though she does not hold a doctoral degree, nor is she a licensed professional.   Ms. Barton has created a company (Bright Solutions) that provides education about dyslexia to parents, teachers and professionals; she has also developed a reading program that is based on research supported strategies and is designed specifically for parents to use at home (The Barton System).  For these achievements, Ms. Barton is to be commended.

However, one of the services provided by Bright Solutions has been to "certify" individuals to be "Dyslexia Testing Specialists."  It is unclear what criteria Ms. Barton uses to determine whether someone ‘passes' their test evaluation, or what qualifications she has for diagnosing dyslexia (much less teaching others to diagnose dyslexia), as again, she does not have a doctoral degree and is not a licensed professional.  Compared to obtaining a doctoral degree, the process for becoming ‘certified' was quite simple: attend a 6-day seminar (described as being "the equivalent of a semester-long graduate-level course") taught by Ms. Barton (only 2 days of which actually cover ‘testing'), test one child, submit a report to Ms. Barton for review, and, if Ms. Barton approves, certification is granted.  Per documents obtained on the internet, individuals need not be licensed or even have a college degree in order to become certified.

Comparing the qualifications and ‘training' of a "Dyslexia Testing Specialist" certified by Susan Barton to the qualifications and training of a licensed psychologist quickly reveals drastic differences.  Licensed psychologists not only have an undergraduate college degree, they also have a doctoral degree in psychology, meaning they have completed years of advanced education.  During the course of this doctoral training, students receive an in depth education in learning disabilities, ADHD, brain injuries, emotional problems, psychological/psychiatric conditions and other neurological conditions that may impact learning and daily functioning.  In comparison to the one training evaluation conducted by Certified Dyslexia Testing Specialists,  doctoral students conduct numerous evaluations (typically 1 to 3 a week) over the course of several years (typically 4 to 6 years).  Before being allowed to practice independently, psychologists must also pass state requirements, including post-doctoral training, written exams, and interviews, to ensure they are appropriately qualified.

Although one would expect that someone with the title "Certified Dyslexia Testing Specialist" would be providing a comprehensive evaluation, promotional material for this training specifically states, "Technically, this is an ‘informal screening.'"  This is particularly problematic as professionals emphasizing this ‘certification' do not state that the evaluation is only an ‘informal screening.' While some "Certified Dyslexia Testing Specialists" claim they can provide a "legal diagnosis" of dyslexia, it seems questionable how someone with such limited qualifications could, based on a limited screening assessment,  provide any sort of meaningful diagnosis (as screening is not intended for diagnosis, even in the medical field).    Part of the problem with these evaluations is that they conduct tests related to dyslexia in isolation (i.e., without other cognitive measures), so that parents and educators learn whether the child has weaknesses in the areas tested, but there is no information about other areas, or problems other than dyslexia that may be present.  Certainly there are individuals who look like they have dyslexia if one only looks at their test scores related specifically to dyslexia; however, examining the totality of the child, including intellectual ability, may indicate that the child in fact does not have dyslexia.  Most Certified Dyslexia Testing Specialists have no training in psychological assessment, learning disabilities other than dyslexia, language disorders, nonverbal processing disorders, and developmental delays.  While Ms. Barton and those she trains often claim to 'screen out' children who are likely to have other conditions, it seems highly implausible that a 6 day training course would provide them adequate training for knowing how to screen for and recognize all other possible impairments.  Thus, there are significant concerns that problems may be ‘missed' or ‘misdiagnosed,' both of which can be detrimental to the child.

Certainly not all psychologists specialize in testing, and of those that do testing, not all are knowledgeable about diagnosing dyslexia.  It is imperative that parents talk to professionals prior to scheduling an evaluation, to ensure that the provider is qualified to meet the child's needs.

UPDATE:  Susan Barton no longer offers certification, nor will she be offering certification in the future.  She will continue to provide the same course (with some minor modifications, including calling it "Screening" instead of diagnosing) but participants will not receive certification.  Promotional material states that participants will be able to determine whether a child "fits the dyslexia profile." In addition, it is clearly stated that schools will not provide a 504 Plan or IEP based on the results of that screening evaluation.