READ Academy founder earns doctorate and broadens advocacy for dyslexic students

By AI, Created 5:26 PM UTC, May 18, 2026, /AGP/ – Dr. Leah Skinner, founder of Sacramento’s READ Academy, has earned a Doctor of Education from Walden University and is using the milestone to expand her work helping families navigate school systems and demand services for children with learning differences. Skinner, a mother of five sons including four who are dyslexic, says the new degree strengthens her push for accountability and specialized support.

Why it matters: - Dr. Leah Skinner’s doctorate adds formal weight to her long-running work with families of children with learning differences. - Her advocacy targets a practical gap: many school districts still struggle to provide the reading and learning support dyslexic students need. - READ Academy and READ Learning Center give Sacramento families specialized options when public systems fall short.

What happened: - Skinner earned a Doctor of Education in Reading, Literacy, and Assessment from Walden University. - Skinner founded READ Academy and READ Learning Center in Sacramento to support students with dyslexia and related learning differences. - Skinner is a mother of five sons, and four of them are dyslexic. - Skinner says she is using her new credentials to amplify advocacy for children with learning differences and help families hold school districts accountable.

The details: - READ Academy is a private school serving students in grades 2 through 12. - READ Learning Center offers comprehensive assessments and specialized tutoring for families across the greater Sacramento region. - Skinner used her retirement savings to build the school after seeing a lack of specialized support for her own children. - Skinner now helps Sacramento parents navigate the public school system and build advocacy strategies for their children. - Skinner advises families to seek legal representation when school districts fail to provide the education students are legally entitled to receive. - Skinner believes every child should be taught in the way their brain actually learns.

Between the lines: - Skinner’s story blends personal experience, professional training and public advocacy, which makes her message harder for districts to dismiss. - The release frames READ Academy as both a school and a response to a systems problem, not just a private education option. - The new doctorate appears designed to strengthen Skinner’s credibility in conversations about literacy, assessment and special education access.

What’s next: - Skinner plans to keep guiding parents through school district challenges and pushing for stronger accountability. - READ Academy and READ Learning Center will continue serving families seeking specialized support outside the traditional public school model. - More information is available at READ Academy and READ Learning Center.