CofC, LLP Offer Graduate Professional Development Credit

Beginning this year, teachers enrolled in the Lowcountry Literacy Project’s Orton-Gillingham (OG) training will be eligible to earn graduate-level professional development course credit for their work. 

The partnership honors teachers’ professional growth while supporting every child’s success in reading.  

“This partnership reflects what we value at the Office of Professional Development in Education at the College of Charleston, connecting high-quality professional learning with real classroom impact,” says Paul Irwin, director of the College’s Office of Professional Development in Education. “By offering graduate credit for Orton-Gillingham training, teachers not only gain evidence-based literacy strategies that directly benefit students in Charleston County, but they also earn professional development that counts toward certificate renewal and can apply toward a master’s +30, helping increase their pay.”

“This partnership is a major step forward for our mission,” says Catherine Hagberg, director of training and implementation for the Lowcountry Literacy Project. “By aligning our OG teacher training with graduate professional development coursework, we elevate multisensory learning in teacher preparation and ensure educators receive the recognition they deserve for the time and dedication they invest.” 

The collaboration strengthens the bridge between research and classroom practice by formally connecting evidence-based OG training with graduate professional development  credit.  

Together, the College and LLP are building a pipeline of highly skilled teachers better equipped to meet the needs of struggling readers – changing outcomes not just for one classroom, but for an entire generation of students.