Education:
Ed.D., Reading Science, Mount St. Joseph University
Gifted Endorsement, University of Cincinnati
M.Ed., Elementary Education, University of Cincinnati
B.S., Elementary Education, University of Cincinnati
B.A., Psychology, University of Cincinnati
Professional Background:
Karen Betz, Ed.D., is an assistant professor of literacy and director of Reading Science Programs at Marian University, where she leads the fully online Master of Science in Reading Science program. Dr. Betz began her career as an elementary teacher and later served as a gifted interventionist and literacy coach at both school and district levels.
Beyond Marian, Dr. Betz supports schools and educators through her consulting business, KB Literacy Consulting. She is also an Orton-Gillingham trainer with the M.A. Rooney Foundation and a faculty trainer for The Literacy Architects’ Community of Practice, where she prepares professors to teach literacy using research-based approaches.
Courses Taught:
EDU 346 Foundations of Literacy Instruction
EDU 347 Intensive Interventions in Reading
EDU 348 Fundamentals of Reading Comprehension and Written Expression
EDU 543 Foundations of Literacy Instruction
EDU 544 Assessment of Language Comprehension and Written Expression
SPD 552 Literacy Instruction for Struggling Readers
SPD 553 Intensive Reading Interventions
RDG 500 Fundamentals of Reading Science
RDG 530 Assessment and Evaluation of Reading Difficulties
EDU 590 Classroom Research
EDU 591 Classroom Research II
EDU 592 Action Research in Education
Research and Projects:
Dr. Betz’s research includes validation of the Course Alignment Planning Tool, which helps educator preparation programs evaluate and align coursework with literacy research. She continues to focus on refining syllabi to ensure pre-service teachers are fully prepared to teach reading effectively.
Principal Investigator, ASRI Lilly Implementation Grant
Designer of the Master of Science in Reading Science program
Committees and Professional Service:
Klipsch Educators College Professional Development Committee
Marian University TLC Committee
Founding Board Member, The Reading League Indiana
Member, International Dyslexia Association
IDOE Educator Preparation Program Reviewer
Speaking and Outreach:
Organizer, Barkley Foundation Phonics Summer Program
Consultant supporting MTSS and literacy practices in local districts
Speaker at national and local conferences, including the International Dyslexia Association Conference and the Reading Science Summit
Guest, Amplify’s Science of Reading podcast — “A Better Way to Teach Our Teachers”
Personal:
Dr. Betz grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, and moved to Indianapolis in 2014. She is a wife and mother of three and enjoys gardening, hiking, and good drama series.
LinkedIn Profile
