Learners who started reading, skills that moved, and confidence that came back. Regardless of where our students start, we work hard to make every second count.
"When we started working with Lisa we were so thankful to finally find someone who understood our son's needs and how to address them! We saw significant improvement in his reading, and his confidence. I don't know where we would be without her knowledge, and expertise, we remain forever thankful for all she has done for our family!"
"With PSL's expertise and optimistic approach, my daughter learned to read and understand her learning disability. My daughter's confidence, writing skills, and executive functioning blossomed."
"Lisa is incredibly knowledgeable in designing reading interventions and instruction for students with learning disabilities. As a special education teacher, I refer to her for some of my most difficult cases."
"I have seen tremendous growth in students who have worked under Lisa Murphy's direction. Students have improved multiple grade levels and their confidence has skyrocketed."
From families whose learners did a summer intensive round.
"Our daughter started her journey with Pine State the summer between 3rd and 4th grade with three weeks of the LEAP program, and she continued with weekly tutoring throughout 4th grade. Over the past year, her progress has been remarkable; not only in her reading skills, but also in her confidence. She has gone from avoiding reading whenever possible to playing letter sound games with friends and reading signs that she never could before. We wouldn't hesitate to recommend Pine State Learning to those looking for the extra support to help their readers."
"I've seen tremendous progress, not just in academics but also her confidence and stamina. She genuinely looked forward to her daily lessons and talked excitedly about them, which was wonderful to see."
"Working with Pine State Learning has been an incredibly positive experience thanks to the highly individualized 1:1 approach that adapts instruction to meet the student's academic and emotional needs. The tutor thoughtfully incorporates movement breaks and my daughter's interests to keep lessons engaging and meaningful."
For many families the most meaningful number is not a test score but the distance between where their child was reading and where they should be.
"With intensive, individual tutoring by Pine State Learning, her grade equivalent jumped 2 grades in 4 months. Pine State Learning is solely responsible for my daughter's significant reading advancement, which has given her a big boost to her self-esteem. For that, I am so grateful."
"My high-schooler cried with joy after independently reading the very first novel of her life during her sophomore year. She no longer requires my assistance to complete non-fiction based reading homework."
"Her reading level has increased from a second-grade level to a fourth-grade level. This growth represents not only academic improvement but also a significant emotional milestone. She now approaches reading with determination rather than fear."
Families receive ongoing guidance: understanding their child's profile, and working with schools on accommodations and support.
"You have been flexible in trying to accommodate various plans and helped educate me greatly in the world of dyslexia and my daughter's profile in specific."
"Pine State Learning has given her the foundation she needed to grow academically while also restoring her confidence and love of learning."
"Knowing we have your support, wisdom, guidance and clinical perspective during times that we feel overwhelmed and unsure is beyond comforting and appreciated so deeply."
"My child has dyslexia, a learning difference that has shaped both her academic journey and her sense of self. Before receiving specialized support, reading was a daily struggle. She worked incredibly hard, yet her progress did not reflect her effort, which affected her confidence and made school feel overwhelming. Everything began to change when she started attending Pine State Learning. Instruction was structured, supportive, and tailored specifically to the needs of students with dyslexia. For the first time, reading instruction focused on how her brain learns. With consistent, specialized instruction, she has steadily built her reading skills and confidence. Her reading level has increased from a second-grade level to a fourth-grade level. She now approaches reading with determination rather than fear. She is beginning to see herself as a capable learner, and that belief will continue to carry her forward."
Testimonials tell you how families felt. These show what the assessments measured. Individual results vary.
A quick conversation helps us hear your concerns and guide you to the next steps. We will get you set up to start tutoring, an independent academic evaluation, or a home learning kit, or send you to the professionals who can help if we cannot.
We are committed to working against the way that racial and socioeconomic privilege manifests itself in the identification and remediation of learning disabilities.
We do what we can by offering need based scholarships, doing pro-bono consultation for families with economic needs, providing services in some of Maine's lowest resource schools, and working with educational advocates on the toughest cases to help ALL students get what they need.