During her research she had discovered the Barton Reading and Spelling System.  It was a new program at the time, based on the work of Dr. Samuel T. Orton and Anna Gillingham, designed to help people with Dyslexia learn to read and spell.  Kelly bought the program and began tutoring her son. 

While she was homeschooling her son, she noticed many others in the homeschool community had children with dyslexia too.  They had a story so similar to hers, she knew she wanted to help.  She began taking on other students.  Kelly was also able to notice, due to her research and training, that one of her daughters also had dyslexia, and she was able to begin the program with her as well. 

When Kelly’s kids got older, and she had taken many students through the program, she realized that she could make a business out of it.  She received her Barton certifications and started Better Learning Solutions.  She tutored students at her dining room table, just as she had while home schooling her own children. 

When Kelly decided that she was going to open up a center, and hire other tutors, she changed the name of her business to Northwest Dyslexia Learning Center.  She knew there were many good dyslexia tutors out there, but there were also a lot of tutors who weren’t as dedicated to the training and the Barton system, who were less effective.  She wanted to be able to be assured that she was able to reach more people in the community who needed the same help her family did did, and she wanted to be able to offer them tutors who were rigorously trained and had a heart for the dyslexic community. 

Kelly never stopped learning.  Even after she established Northwest Dyslexia Learning Center, and had several employees, she continued researching dyslexia and the brain.  She learned that dyslexia could include math, and she attended Making Math Real trainings in order to add math tutoring to the offerings at NWDC.  She also learned about ADHD and how both Dyslexia and ADHD impact one another.  She wished she had known more about ADHD when her kids were younger, so she could have had her son tested for ADHD.  Now, she wanted to be able to offer her clients more than just dyslexia screenings and tutoring.  She went back to school to get her master’s degree in counseling with a specialization in assessments, so she could test and diagnose for dyslexia and ADHD. 

It was 1999.  Kelly Arnold’s son was having trouble at school.  He was over half-way through his first-grade year and he was struggling to learn to read.  When Kelly asked about it, the teacher insisted he was fine and would catch up.  Kelly was worried, though.  In addition to his problems with reading, he had stomach aches, headaches, and didn’t want to go to school.  He also started to call himself stupid.  The teacher suggested they just wait a little longer for things to get better.  She warned that if Kelly pulled her son from school, it would be a mistake. 

Kelly was conflicted.  Maybe he would catch up.  He had a summer birthday, so he was a bit young for his grade, and besides, he was a boy.  Didn’t boys mature a little later?  Maybe he just wasn’t ready yet.  She thought about it for another week, but after seeing how distressed he was, she felt she only had one choice. She didn’t want to ruin her son’s academic future, but his emotional well-being was important too.  Kelly pulled her son from school and began homeschooling him. 

Kelly bought some books and curriculum that were designed to help struggling readers. His reading got a little better, but not enough, and his spelling was still horrible.  She took him to the school and had him tested, hoping for answers. 

The results came back from the school.  The experts at the school said her son was fine; performing a little low, but nothing to be concerned about yet. Kelly reviewed the results and didn’t think her son performing at the 10th percentile was fine, so she made an appointment with a psychologist for testing.  The test was scheduled to take place in six months.   

While they were waiting for testing, Kelly continued to try to teach her son to read, and continued to research more about reading and spelling difficulties.  During her research, she learned about something called dyslexia.  When the results came back from the psychologist, they described the symptoms they saw in the testing.  Kelly listened to the results and told the psychologist that it sounded like dyslexia.  The psychologist refused to use the term herself but did tell Kelly that if she wanted to use the term, it wouldn’t be incorrect. Dyslexia was the answer Kelly had been searching for, and it gave her a starting place for how to really help her son.    

During her internship, she met Alison Craker, LPC, who also had a personal connection with dyslexia and ADHD.  She saw in Alison someone who had a heart for kids and families who were told, like Kelly was, that their kids would catch up, eventually. 

Now, Kelly Arnold is retired, traveling with her husband and visiting her kids, and NWDC is in the hands of Alison Craker, LPC, continuing Kelly’s vision of bringing much needed support and education to the community. 

“One good thing I did,” Kelly reflects, “was listen to my mom instincts.  Even though so many professionals told me [my son] was fine, I kept fighting to find the answers.  If I had one message for parents, it would be to trust themselves.  Schools do not always truly understand dyslexia, and many professionals are not trained in it [either].” 

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Our tutors, clinician, and office staff all have experience with neurodivergence.   From dyslexia, to ADHD, to anxiety, we know what it is like to struggle on behalf of yourself and your family.  

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The staff at NW Dyslexia Center choose to work here because we desire to be a light to parents and families when they feel a bit lost, just like our founder felt when she was first staring out on the journey.  

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Let us partner with you.  You don't have to make the journey alone.