AmeriCorps Reading Specialist

Austin Achieve Public Schools is a tuition‑free, open‑enrollment public charter school preparing Austin youth to attend and excel at the nation’s top colleges and universities.

Austin Achieve Public Schools seeks individuals with an associate’s or bachelor’s degree to serve as full‑time Ameri Corps Reading Specialists at its Elementary, Middle School, and High schools. Ameri Corps Reading Specialists will be trained to implement a unique reading intervention curriculum to serve students who are reading below grade level. They will play an essential role in the success of Austin Achieve and our accelerated learning efforts via reading interventions for scholars who are behind academically due to the pandemic or other circumstances.

Ameri Corps Reading Specialists will report directly to the Ameri Corps and Special Programs Director at our school district. Ameri Corps Reading Specialists are encouraged to live within their service community of Northeast Austin, Manor, or Pflugerville and involve themselves in the surrounding communities. They must consent to a criminal history check as they will have recurring access to school‑aged students who are considered a vulnerable population by the Corporation for National and Community Service.

Ameri Corps Reading Specialists will be required to wear the Ameri Corps logo daily, whether serving in person or remotely on camera. Appointments will be for one year, with an option for a second year, if mutually agreed upon by the Program Director and the Ameri Corps Member.

At the end of the program year, Ameri Corps members will be responsible for improved reading skills among AAPS students as evidenced by performance in the classroom, improved reading level and standardized tests scores
.

Ameri Corps Reading Specialists will go through extensive training with both the Ameri Corps and Special Program Director before they are placed with scholars.

Reading Specialists will test and teach scholars using the literacy methods prescribed by the Fountas & Pinnell Leveled Literacy Intervention (LLI) program and/or by the Systematic Instruction in Phonological Awareness, Phonics, and Sight Words (SIPPS) intervention program. Testing is done quarterly on a one‑on‑one basis between the Reading Specialist and scholar.

Daily schedule will consist of working with small groups of 2 to 3 students in reading sessions of about 30–45 minutes each, during which students will be taught reading strategies using the Fountas & Pinnell LLI Program or receive foundational skill instruction using the SIPPS intervention program.

Reading Specialists will participate in other literacy activities with scholars during their group time, including but not limited to:

• checking out books from the school library
• read‑alouds
• high‑frequency word practice
• letter name practice
• letter sound practice

Reading Specialists will also attend weekly and monthly meetings with AAPS staff, as well as regular meetings with the Program Director and Ameri Corps cohort.

At the end of each quarter, Ameri Corps members will meet with the Program Director to review scholar progress toward on‑grade level reading goals and identify any gaps in programming implementation and efficacy.

The Ameri Corps and Special Programs Director will evaluate Ameri Corps member success and student performance by supporting the implementation of the Fountas & Pinnell reading level assessment and Dibels assessments multiple times each year. The Program Director will also track program success through performance measures including attendance, academic, social, and emotional learning progress, and academic engagement of scholars being served by Ameri Corps members.

Ameri Corps Reading Specialists are full‑time Ameri Corps members and are expected to complete 1,700 hours of service per year.

This offer is contingent on funding from One Star for the Ameri Corps Reading Intervention Program.

In the event of a local, state, or federal disaster declaration, Ameri Corps members may be asked on a…