About Us
Southeast Reading Center, LLC provides dyslexia screenings, educational assessments, and structured literacy interventions for students struggling with reading, regardless of age. Identifying students early is an important component for their success. Our dyslexia screener will identify characteristics of dyslexia by evaluating skills in the areas of phonemic awareness, sound symbol recognition, alphabet knowledge, decoding (basic reading and reading fluency), rapid naming, and encoding (spelling). We also offer educational assessments that enable us to create individualized reading plans tailored to the student to help overcome their reading difficulties and reach their full learning potential.
Our intervention services focus on students identified with mild to moderate reading disabilities such as dyslexia or who are at risk for learning disabilities. These students typically fall below the 25th percentile in reading compared to the national norm. Having a diagnosis of dyslexia may be important for the student, but it is not a requirement to enroll in or be successful with Wilson Reading System®. To learn more about the components of a multisensory, structured reading lesson follow this Structured Literacy Overview.
Southeast Reading Center, LLC has achieved the distinction of Wilson® Accredited Training Partner and with this achievement, we are proud to offer professional learning opportunities to educators and parents working with struggling readers. As a Wilson® Accredited Training Partner you are assured that we meet Wilson Language Training® standards for excellence in the delivery of Wilson® professional learning.
Check our events page for upcoming seminars, workshops and certification opportunities.
Allison McAvoy, M.Ed., W.D.T.
Allison is the co-founder and director of Southeast Reading Center, LLC, which she established in 2014. Now entering its eleventh year of operation, the Center continues to serve as a leading resource for evidence-based literacy instruction and educator training in the region.
Before opening Southeast Reading Center, Allison had a long and distinguished career as a special education professional with the Hamilton County Department of Education, where she worked directly with students and rose to leadership roles, training and mentoring other teachers.
By the time she retired from the Hamilton County Department of Education, Allison had already earned her credentials as a Wilson® Credentialed Trainer and Wilson® Dyslexia Therapist, certifications she has maintained and expanded upon for many years. Continuing her professional growth, she pursued additional training in Orton-Gillingham methodologies and the broader science of reading. Drawing on her deep understanding of state and federal special education regulations, Allison now designs and leads professional development that helps educators build collaborative teams, implement effective reading programs, and create high-quality individualized education plans. She also provides workshops and individualized coaching for teachers pursuing Wilson Reading System® Level I and Level II certifications.
As Director of Curriculum at Southeast Reading Center, Allison works closely with staff to strengthen their expertise in multisensory structured literacy instruction. Beyond the Center, she has served as Director for District 3 of the Tennessee International Dyslexia Association® (TNIDA) and the Tennessee Department of Education's Dyslexia Advisory Council which is responsible for guiding the implementation of the state's dyslexia law which includes "Say Dyslexia" initiative.
Allison’s passion for literacy remains the heart of her work. She continues to engage directly with students, conducting educational assessments and language-based learning screenings to support each learner’s growth and success.
Scarlet Farr, B.S., W.D.P.
Scarlet brings a many decades of business and technical expertise to the Center in her role as Director of Operations. She is instrumental in developing systems that streamline day-to-day operations and in designing solutions that enhance learning for both in-person and remote instruction.
As a Wilson® Level I certified Dyslexia Practitioner, Scarlet provides direct, structured literacy instruction to struggling readers. She has expanded her expertise through training in Fundations® and through comprehensive Orton-Gillingham coursework with the Institute for Multi-Sensory Education (IMSE). Scarlet is currently completing her group practicum and expected to finish in 2026. This is the final step toward earning her Wilson® Dyslexia Therapist credentials.
Drawing on her solid instructional background and evidence-based training, Scarlet skillfully implements tier three interventions, guiding students toward measurable growth, increased confidence and lasting success.
Lisa Weikel, M.Ed, W.D.P.
Lisa serves as a Structured Literacy Interventionist for Southeast Reading Center, where she is dedicated to helping each student achieve their individual literacy goals since 2023. She is passionate about building students’ confidence through targeted instruction and by teaching strategies that strengthen reading and spelling skills.
With 27 years of elementary classroom experience, Lisa brings a wealth of instructional knowledge to her work. She holds both a B.A. and M.Ed. from Emory & Henry University and has continued to expand her professional expertise by completing Wilson® Level I certification. She has earned the distinguished credential of Wilson® Dyslexia Practitioner and is fully prepared to implement Wilson Reading System® Steps 1–6 with students reading and spelling below grade level, including those with language-based learning disabilities such as dyslexia.
Steven Hinkle, M.A.
Steven brings more than 20 years of elementary classroom teaching experience to his role as a Structured Literacy Interventionist at Southeast Reading Center. His passion for literacy instruction and student success led him to serve as a Literacy Coach for the Hamilton County Department of Education, where for nine years he supported educators in deepening their knowledge of effective reading instruction. Following his success in that role, Steven joined Southeast Reading Center—an addition the Center celebrates wholeheartedly.
Steven joined our mission in 2023 after retiring from Hamilton County and has recently earned his Wilson® Dyslexia Practitioner credentials and skillfully implements Wilson Reading System® Steps 1–6 with students reading and spelling below grade level, including those diagnosed with language-based learning disabilities such as dyslexia. His depth of classroom experience and structured literacy expertise continue to make a lasting difference in the lives of the students he serves.
