The Springfield Center for Dyslexia & Learning (SCDL) was founded to address the growing need for effective reading intervention and dyslexia support services in Southwest Missouri. When Executive Director Noel Leif struggled to find qualified tutoring and literacy resources for her own children who were falling behind in early elementary school, she discovered that few local programs offered evidence-based support for students with reading difficulties and dyslexia.
Determined to help her children succeed, Noel pursued specialized training in structured literacy and dyslexia intervention while homeschooling her children. Within a single school year, both children returned to grade-level reading proficiency. Encouraged by their success, Noel began helping other local families facing similar challenges.
What started as one mother’s effort to support struggling readers has grown into a thriving nonprofit organization dedicated to improving literacy outcomes for children and families. Today, SCDL employs 24 highly trained staff members, provides dyslexia therapy and reading intervention services to students across Southwest Missouri and nationwide, and delivers professional development and teacher training programs throughout Missouri and Arkansas.
SCDL is committed to empowering students with dyslexia and other reading challenges through evidence-based instruction, individualized support, and community education. Our mission is to help every child build confidence, develop strong literacy skills, and achieve academic success.
