ARI Reading Specialist

ARI Local Reading Specialist

Empower Community School influences change in our community by forging collaboration between a diverse group of scholars, educators, families, and partners to educate the next generation of community leaders and advocates. Our personalized approach to learning supports the academic, social, and emotional development of each scholar and prepares them to excel in every endeavor with the courage and ability to advocate for themselves and the community.

Empower unapologetically believes:

• Every student can learn and grow in rigorous academic settings with the appropriate support.
• Schools are a place for equitable collaboration between educators, scholars, families, and the broader community.
• Empathy, interpersonal skills, and social‑emotional development are the foundation of a positive culture.
• Technology can be an educational equalizer when used for personalized learning, content creation, and community connections.

We are seeking motivated, entrepreneurial individuals to join our founding team. Empower Community School Team members must be dedicated to the mission of the school, including our goal to support the academic, social, and emotional development of students. Ideal candidates will be self‑motivated, innovative educators with a passion for student, adult, and community development.

Reports To:

Principal

Supervises: N/A

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 .

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 administrator, 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.”

• Collaborate 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.
• Facilitate school wide professional development and monitor and measure the impact of transfer to practice.
• Model 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.
• Coach and mentor teachers daily via planned coaching cycles based on data and gradually release responsibility to teachers.
• Facilitate data analysis discussions and support teachers by using data to differentiate instruction according to the needs of students by adhering to the framework of tiered instruction.
• Foster multiple areas of teacher professional learning, including exceptional student education and content area knowledge, and make adjustments based on data.
• Prioritize time for 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.
• Monitor the reading progress of all students a minimum of three times per year and make 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.