Payne Education Center was founded by Ann and John Henry in 1984 to help the 1 in every 5 children who have a "specific reading disability," also known as dyslexia.
Since that time, hundreds of dedicated teachers have participated in Payne Education Center’s therapist training in Alphabetic Phonics, a curriculum proven to be effective for teaching dyslexic individuals to read, write and spell. The center is named for Katheryne B. Payne, in recognition of her generous gift to operating funds in 1984.
In 1995, Payne Education Center began expanding its training offerings to include a number of Alphabetic Phonics-based curricula appropriate for use in a variety of teaching situations. Currently, the center provides training in a full-range of language arts programs for use in Kindergarten classes to adult literacy programs.
In 1999, Payne Education Center introduced Language Basics: Elementary (now named Structured Language Basics: SLB) – a fast-paced, scripted Alphabetic Phonics-based curriculum for elementary teachers. Teachers using Language Basics: Elementary (SLB) have been delighted with its results and report great success with their students.
On November 6, 1999, Payne Education Center’s Alphabetic Phonics Therapist Training Program was accredited by the International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council (IMSLEC). Payne Education Center is among the first 15 training centers in the world to receive this certification.
Payne Education Center serves teachers across Oklahoma by regularly offering training in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and Ardmore. The center also provides on-site training for schools and school districts.
