In classrooms across Oklahoma, teachers show up every day ready to help their students succeed. They bring passion, creativity and dedication to their work. Yet for many educators, there is a quiet frustration that lingers beneath the surface. Despite their best efforts, some students continue to struggle with reading in ways that traditional instruction does not fully address.
At Payne Education Center, that gap is where transformation begins.
For years, Payne Education Center has partnered with educators to provide structured, phonics-based training rooted in how the brain actually learns to read. This approach is effective for all students and absolutely necessary for those with reading disabilities, including Dyslexia. Through the support of the Masonic Charity Foundation of Oklahoma, more teachers have been able to access this training and bring meaningful change into their classrooms.
Over the past thirty years, the Masonic Charity Foundation of Oklahoma has invested more than $1,708,807 in teacher scholarships at Payne Education Center, supporting training for 3,040 educators. This long-standing investment reflects a deep commitment to literacy and to the educators who make it possible.
The impact of this training is immediate.
Teachers consistently describe it as transformative. One educator shared, “I do not understand why this is not a part of the teaching degree required courses in college. It would have been so helpful to have learned it 20 years ago. It breaks my heart to know how many kiddos I could have done more for with this information.” Others call it the most beneficial training of their careers, pointing to renewed confidence and a clearer understanding of how to reach struggling readers.
This is what happens when teachers are equipped with the right tools.
Over time, Payne Education Center has expanded its reach to meet growing needs across Oklahoma schools. Initially focused on early elementary educators and Certified Academic Language Therapists, the organization recognized a critical gap as students advanced into upper grades without strong reading foundations.
In 2023, Payne Education Center responded by introducing training for 4th through 7th grade teachers. Schools across the state had raised concerns about low reading performance among older students, and the need for effective intervention was clear. In response, Payne Education Center developed phonics-based curricula tailored specifically for these grades, reinforcing the belief that it is never too late for a child to become a confident, capable reader.
The urgency of this work increased following the passage of SB840. This law requires Oklahoma schools to screen students for dyslexia beginning in kindergarten, an important step toward early identification. However, while screening has increased awareness, it has also revealed a significant gap. Intervention and remediation are not consistently mandated, leaving many families uncertain about what to do next.
Payne Education Center saw this need firsthand.
In 2023, the organization expanded its services to include tutoring and family advocacy in response to a surge in referral calls. Families were overwhelmed, searching for guidance, resources and access to qualified reading therapists. Payne Education Center stepped in to provide clarity and connection, ensuring students did not fall behind simply because their path to reading required additional support. In 2024, the Masonic Charity Foundation of Oklahoma bagan providing funding to assist families in need, further expanding access to these services. This year alone, the tutoring center has already served more than 92 individual students.
Rachel’s story brings this impact into focus.
She came to Payne Education Center in the summer of 2024 as a rising fourth grader reading at a first-grade, seventh-month level. Her parents were anxious, frustrated and unsure where to turn. Like many families, they had watched her struggle and wondered what more could be done.
Rachel began attending reading camp that summer, followed by twice-weekly sessions with a trained reading therapist during the school year. She returned to camp again in the summer of 2025, continuing to build on the progress she had made.
Today, Rachel is a fifth grader reading at grade level. But her story is about more than academic progress. As her reading improved, her confidence and maturity skyrocketed too.
Stories like Rachel’s are made possible by trained teachers.
Through scholarships funded by Masonic Charity Foundation, Payne Education Center continues to remove financial barriers for educators seeking this training. Teachers from across the state step into these programs with a desire to better serve their students and leave with practical tools they can use immediately.
When a child learns to read, it changes everything. It opens doors to academic success, personal confidence and lifelong opportunity. When a child struggles to read, those doors can feel out of reach.
Payne Education Center’s summer training calendar is now open, with sessions available for educators across multiple grade levels. Financial assistance is available, please contact the Payce Education Center to learn more.
For teachers who have seen students struggle with reading and wondered how to better support them, this training offers a practical, research-based approach that can be applied directly in the classroom.
Learn more: https://payneeducationcenter.org/calendar/
