PINE STATE
LEARNING

When students are taught the way their brains learn, they thrive.

We provide diagnostic-driven reading, writing, and math interventions, in person in Brunswick and Portland, Maine, as well as online.

Book a free 15-minute consult Explore our services
In Maine: Brunswick & Portland locations | Online sessions available
A tutor smiling with a student during a one-on-one lesson
Your learner's plan
Skills assessment
Identifies the specific skill gaps underlying the difficulty.
Learning map
Which skills are solid and which are missing.
Matched methodology
The program indicated by their profile.
Progress reported
Every 20 hours of instruction.
+2.5
grade levels in decoding
2025 LEAP summer cohort, 22 learners.
+2
grade levels in word recognition
Over 6 to 8 weeks of daily instruction.
+1.9
grade levels in oral reading fluency
Standardized pre- and post-assessment.
Individual results vary. Read more about student results
Specialized tutoring in dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, and executive functioning.

If this sounds like your learner...

These are the patterns we specialize in identifying and addressing.

{{ lc.title }}
{{ lc.desc }}

Prescriptive instruction

We assess each student's cognitive and academic profile before instruction begins so we can select the right program for how they learn. For some students that is Orton-Gillingham based instruction. For others it is Lindamood-Bell LiPS® or Seeing Stars®, On Cloud Nine® for numeracy, or Morningside for fluency; each is a research-validated program built for a specific skill gap. Knowing what to use, when, and why is what makes the difference.

Each lesson is tailored to the exact level and need of the student, selecting the structured, research-validated program, or combination of programs, indicated by the student's learning profile. This approach has been applied across hundreds of learners.

They don't need to try harder. They just need to be taught the way their brain learns.

Color-coded suffix cards laid out during a structured literacy lesson
Precise instruction
We teach in a systematic, direct, and explicit way. Students are not expected to know anything that has not been taught, and do not repeat skills once they have been mastered. Underlying skills, including phonological and phonemic awareness, orthographic ability, number sense, and executive function, are assessed and taught systematically.
Learner focused
Our instruction is multi-sensory, using auditory, visual, kinesthetic, and tactile techniques. In reading, orthographic and phonological skills are addressed simultaneously. In math, number sense, subitizing (recognizing small quantities at a glance), and deep understanding of algorithms are prioritized along with fact knowledge and retrieval fluency.

Services

Part Time Tutoring
Two or three sessions of one-on-one tutoring per week, built around each student's individualized learning plan. Instruction is structured, cumulative, and monitored continuously to ensure program fit and progress.
About tutoring
Daily Intensive Instruction
Daily one-on-one structured intervention, at our Summer LEAP program or during the school year, designed to produce measurable progress within weeks. Learners meet with tutors 1 to 4 times daily to accelerate learning. This is often an alternative to IEP support.
Independent Academic Evaluation
A detailed picture of your learner's academic and underlying sensory cognitive skills. This objective snapshot gives answers about how your learner reads, writes, or does math, the reasons for their difficulty, and the specific interventions that will benefit them.
About evaluations

Here is what our families, educators, and special education administrators have to say about working with us.

"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."
Mrs. S, Special Educator
"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. We remain forever thankful for all she has done for our family!"
Sarah M., parent of a high schooler
"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."
Maine Special Education Director

Enrollment process

No diagnosis is required to start.

1
Free consult
A quick call or email to ensure that we are the right fit before we get too far in the process. We hear what has been happening with your learner and tell you honestly what we think the next step is.
2
File review and program pretest
Every student completes a program pretest, and we review the learner's previous evaluations to create a scope and sequence just for them. See what this looks like.
3
Schedule tutoring
Regardless of how you work with our team, doing intensive instruction (10 to 20 sessions per week), part time instruction (2 to 5 per week), or supporting your own learner at home, the first two steps ensure you have the right curricula, taught the right way for your learner.
Lisa Murphy, founder of Pine State Learning

Start with a free 15-minute consultation.

This 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. If asynchronous works better for your schedule, please feel free to send an email with your initial questions.

Book a free 15-minute consult
207.426.4267 lisa.murphy@pinestatelearning.com
Our Commitment to Equity

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, providing services in some of Maine's lowest resource schools, and working pro-bono with grant based educational advocates for Maine's most economically disadvantaged students with the toughest cases. This is how we do what we can to help ALL students get what they need.

FAQ

What does Pine State Learning specialize in?
We specialize in supporting students with dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia: kids who are smart and capable but whose brains process reading, writing, or math differently. We work with students from age 5 through adult, and our approach is built around figuring out exactly what's missing for each child before choosing how to address it.
Where are you located, and do you offer online sessions?
We're based in Brunswick, Maine with a second location in Portland. We also offer live, one-on-one online sessions for families anywhere in Maine and New England. Online sessions are equally effective for the work we do; the instruction doesn't change, and the tutor relationship is just as strong.
How is Pine State Learning different from other tutoring services?
Most tutoring services match your child to a program. We do the opposite: we first identify the specific missing skills, then select the approach that addresses them. Training across multiple research-validated methods allows selection based on the child's profile rather than the constraints of a single certification.
Does my child need a formal diagnosis before starting?
No. A lot of families come to us before they have a diagnosis, or after getting a school evaluation that didn't give them real answers. You don't need a piece of paper to get help. If your child is struggling with reading, writing, or math, that's enough reason to start a conversation. We can often help identify what's going on through our own process.
How do I get started?
Start with a free 15-minute consultation. We'll hear what's been happening with your child, tell you honestly what we think is going on, and point you toward the right next step, whether that's tutoring, an evaluation, a home learning kit, or something else entirely.
What ages and grade levels do you work with?
We work with students from age 5 through adult, in kindergarten through high school and beyond. That includes early readers who are just beginning to struggle, upper-elementary students who are not yet reading chapter books, middle and high schoolers who have fallen behind, and adults who want to build reading, writing, or math skills.
What methods and programs do you use?
We are trained in multiple research-validated approaches, including Orton-Gillingham based structured literacy, Lindamood-Bell LiPS® and Seeing Stars®, On Cloud Nine® for numeracy, and Morningside for fluency. Structured literacy means reading is taught in a systematic, explicit, cumulative sequence rather than by guessing from context. We select the program, or combination of programs, that fits each student's skill profile.
Do you offer help over the summer?
Yes. Our summer LEAP program provides daily, one-on-one intensive intervention designed to produce measurable progress in weeks. In 2025, LEAP summer students improved decoding by an average of 2.5 grade levels, word recognition by 2 grade levels, and oral reading fluency by 1.9 grade levels in 6 to 8 weeks. Individual results vary.