Reading Specialist

The Reading Specialist’s primary responsibility will be to provide individualized and small group literacy instruction to a caseload of identified students in pull-out and push-in settings.

The Reading Specialist will :

• Serve as a resource person and instructor to accommodate students’ reading remediation needs.
• Use assessments to track, monitor, and modify instruction in support of student learning goals.
• Provide pull-out and push-in intervention services for struggling readers.
• Continuously monitor progress of students, both formally and informally, in order to adjust instruction and student grouping.
• Collaborate and communicate with the students' classroom teachers and specialized personnel (e.g., special education or ELL teachers) to align instruction and support to both the students' reading development and their classroom instructional needs.

The Reading Specialist reports directly to the school Principal. Essential Duties and Responsibilities The below statements are intended to describe the general nature and scope of work being performed by this position.

This is not a complete listing of all responsibilities, duties, and / or skills required. Other duties may be assigned.

• Participates in the data-based identification of students in need of small group or individual literacy intervention.
• Assists the Student Support Team in setting goals and planning interventions for students struggling with literacy.
• Collaborates with others (trained volunteers, teaching assistants, or teachers) in providing supplemental instruction to struggling readers.
• Is accountable for students’ literacy growth and increases each individual student’s literacy achievement.
• Creates a positive, achievement-oriented learning environment.
• Reflects on successes and areas of growth as a teacher, seeks to improve performance, and responds to feedback.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Reading.
• Knowledge of current Scientifically Based Reading Research (SBRR).
• Knowledge of and experience with administering and analyzing formal and informal reading assessments.
• Demonstrated success in raising the literacy achievement levels of traditionally at-risk students through the use of a range of research-based instructional practices, approaches, methods, curriculum materials, and interventions.
• Experience working with diverse populations of students, parents and families.
• Experience working with students with disabilities.
• Ability to self-reflect on teaching practices and be responsive to feedback.
• Ability to schedule and prioritize work independently.
• Commitment to continuous improvement and learning through professional development.
• Valid District of Columbia Reading Specialist License preferred.
• Minimum of two years of experience as a Reading Specialist with a strong record of student achievement preferred.

Personal Qualities of Top Candidates

• Commitment to Equity : Passionate about closing the achievement gap and ensuring that every child, regardless of background or circumstance, receives an excellent education.
• Leadership : Coaches, mentors, and challenges others to excel despite obstacles and challenging situations.
• Focus on Data-Driven Results : Relentlessly pursues the improvement of central office performance and school leadership, instruction, and operations, and is driven by a desire to produce quantifiable student achievement gains.
• Innovative Problem-Solving : Approaches work with a sense of possibility and sees challenges as opportunities for creative problem solving;

takes initiative to explore issues and find potential innovative solutions.

Adaptability : Excels in constantly changing environments and adapts flexibly in shifting projects or priorities to meet the needs of a dynamic transformation effort;

comfortable with ambiguity and non-routine situations.

Teamwork : Increases the effectiveness of surrounding teams through collaboration, constant learning and supporting others;

sensitive to diversity in all its forms; respects and is committed to learning from others

• Dependability : Does whatever it takes to consistently deliver with high quality under tight deadlines; successfully manages own projects through strong organization, detailed workplans, and balancing of multiple priorities.
• Communication and Customer Service Skills : Communicates clearly and compellingly with diverse stakeholders in both oral and written forms;

anticipates and responds to customer needs in a high-quality and courteous manner.

This position is a safety-sensitive position. All safety-sensitive positions are subject to mandatory pre-employment drug testing in accordance with the Child and Youth, Safety and Health Omnibus Act of 2004.

If you are tentatively selected for this position, you will be required to submit to testing for illegal drug use prior to employment, and your employment shall be contingent upon negative test results.

If you are appointed into this position, you shall be subject to mandatory random drug and alcohol testing throughout your employment.

Please register and apply below and then follow the general prompts. Please note that ONLY those candidates selected to continue with the process will receive an email from DCPS with additional instructions within the next 10 - 15 business days.