ARI Local Reading Specialist Job Description
EVALUATION AND SUPPORT: Alabama Reading Initiative (ARI) local reading specialists will be evaluated according to quantitative and qualitative data measures. Summative and formative student assessment data, surveys, and site visit reports will be used in determining local reading specialists’ effectiveness and that of overall program and process effectiveness. Support for local reading specialists will be provided by ARI regional literacy specialists according to specifications outlined in the Alabama Literacy Act 2019-523.
ROLE OF THE LOCAL READING SPECIALIST: Per the Alabama Literacy Act, “An Alabama Reading Initiative local reading specialist shall be assigned to provide intensive, targeted professional development for elementary school teachers at one school.” ARI Local reading specialists may not perform administrative functions such as serving as an evaluator, substitute teacher, assessment coordinator, or school administrators, full-time interventionist, or instructional coach above third grade. The state superintendent of education will certify that each local reading specialist has the qualifications to serve in this capacity based on verification by the local superintendent.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: An ARI local reading specialist shall have all of the following minimum qualifications:
- The required Alabama Professional Educator Certificate.
- A bachelor’s degree and advanced coursework or professional development in the science of reading, such as multisensory language instruction, or comparable alternative training approved by the Alabama State Board of Education.
- A minimum of two years of experience as a successful elementary or literacy teacher.
- A knowledge of scientifically based reading research, special expertise in quality reading instruction and intervention, dyslexia specific interventions, and data analysis.
- A strong knowledge base in the science of learning to read and the science of early childhood education.
Excellent communication skills with outstanding presentation, interpersonal, and time management skills.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: In order to ensure that all students are reading on or above grade level by the end of third grade, the job of the ARI-funded local reading specialist(s) outlined in the Alabama Literacy Act will include the following as evidenced by student reading achievement and growth:
- Collaborating with the principal to create a strategic plan for coaching to support and measure the impact of reading instruction according to the science of reading, school baseline data, and data from approved early reading assessment systems.
- Facilitating school wide professional development and monitoring and measuring the impact of transfer to practice.
- Modeling effective science of reading instruction for teachers that is explicit, systematic, inclusive of detailed explanations and more extensive opportunities for guided practice, error correction, and feedback.
- Coaching and mentoring teachers daily via planned coaching cycles based on data and gradually releasing responsibility to teachers.
- Facilitating data analysis discussions and supporting teachers by using data to differentiate instruction according to the needs of students by adhering to the framework of tiered instruction.
- Fostering multiple areas of teacher professional learning, including exceptional student education and content area knowledge, and making adjustments based on data.
- Prioritizing time for those teachers, activities, and roles that will give the greatest impact on student reading achievement, such as coaching and mentoring in classrooms, as evidenced by coaching logs, student impact data, and site visit data.
- Monitoring the reading progress of all students a minimum of three times per year and making recommendations for the adjustment of instruction according to student specific needs identified from multiple data points and aligned with the science of reading as specified in the strategic plan for coaching.
ALABAMA’S JOURNEY TO READING SUCCESS PROGRAM AND PROCESS OUTCOMES:
Year 1 Outcomes
- Collaborative Leadership: Increased administrator, local reading Specialist, and teacher collaboration as evidenced by the facilitation of collaborative planning and reflection resulting in a more collaborative school culture.
- Assessment: Increased student proficiency according to state and district summative and formative measures with emphasis on closing achievement gaps and ensuring students are reading at or above grade level by the end of third grade.
- Professional Learning:
- Increased job-embedded and collaborative professional learning opportunities for individual teachers, or groups of teachers, to create building-based learning communities such as grade-level and/or problem-solving teams (PSTs).
- Evidence of serving in multiple coaching roles-classroom support, instructional specialist, data coach, and adult learning facilitator-to support coaching throughout the school building.
- Instruction and Intervention: Implementing evidence-based instruction and intervention according to the science of reading, monitoring all tiers of instruction, and making recommendations for adjustments based on quantitative and qualitative data sources.
- Curriculum and Standards: Ensuring adopted core and intervention curricula are aligned to the science of reading as evidenced by scope and sequence of instruction and use of the Alabama Course of Study: English Language Arts standards to ensure teachers in Grades K-3 understand the rigorous instructional content based on the science of reading, evidenced by implementation of the Alabama Literacy Act.
Year 2 Outcomes
- Collaborative Leadership: Increased evidence of results-driven, collaborative planning time to impact student achievement and teacher growth.
- Assessment: Increased student performance on state and district summative and formative measures with emphasis on closing achievement gaps and ensuring students are reading at or above grade level by the end of third grade.
- Professional Learning: Increased instructional capacity among all educators as evidenced through coaching cycles and peer coaching at the building level and increased job-embedded professional learning in the science of reading for all student support staff (interventionists, auxiliary teachers, paraprofessionals, etc.).
- Instruction and Intervention: Increased instructional capacity of all educators in meeting the needs of students in all tiers of instruction.
- Curriculum and Standards: Increased evidence of alignment of curricular and instructional support to implement the Alabama Course of Study: English Language Arts standards.
Year 3 Outcomes
- Collaborative Leadership: Evidence of teacher growth and leadership in instructional capacity (planning, data informed decision making).
- Assessment: Evidence of increased student learning and performance on state and district assessments, increased gap closures, and decreased student retentions.
- Professional Learning: Evidence of levels of implementation of the coaching cycle resulting in increased student achievement and teacher growth.
- Instruction and Intervention: Increased evidence in classroom transfer of instructional practice in the knowledge of the science of reading as evidenced by increased student proficiency and decreased intervention numbers.
- Curriculum and Standards: Increased evidence of alignment of curricular and instructional support to implement the Alabama Course of Study: English Language Arts standards.
EMPLOYMENT TERMS: A nine-month contract is required in order to fulfill these job responsibilities. It is also expected that local reading specialists support summer learning efforts, and it is recommended that any addition to a nine-month contract be supplemental and not an extended contract.
SELECTION: Districts must carefully consider selection of the ARI-funded local reading specialist(s) whose qualifications align with the Alabama Literacy Act 2019-523.
