Literacy Coach Special Assignments; COSA Barber Preparatory Academy

Literacy Coach on Special Assignments (COSA)

Barber Preparatory Academy

About the Team

ACCEL Schools is seeking a highly qualified Literacy Coach on Special Assignment (COSA) to join the team at Barber Preparatory Academy in Highland Park, Michigan.

The Coach on Special Assignment (COSA) is a grant-funded instructional leadership position dedicated to strengthening early literacy instruction by supporting classroom teachers through job-embedded coaching, collaborative planning, and professional learning. The COSA partners closely with school leadership and the Wayne Regional Educational Service Agency (WRESA) to implement research-based literacy practices, improve instructional quality, and increase student reading achievement.

Be part of the difference at Barber Preparatory Academy!

Barber Preparatory Academy is a public charter school serving students in Pre-K through 8th grade. Celebrating more than 10 years of service to the Highland Park community, the school provides a well-rounded education that includes community service learning, competitive athletics, and a supportive, family-focused culture. Barber Preparatory Academy is part of ACCEL Schools, a growing network of public charter schools serving students in grades PK–12 across the United States since 2014.

About the Opportunity

As the Literacy Coach on Special Assignment (COSA), you will partner with teachers and school leaders to strengthen literacy instruction through coaching, professional learning, and data-driven decision making.

Responsibilities include:

• Develop and maintain strong relationships with teaching staff by fostering a professional, collaborative culture built on trust, mutual respect, teamwork, and accountability.
• Attend required statewide and countywide literacy coach trainings, networking sessions, and professional learning opportunities.
• Provide side-by-side instructional coaching to classroom teachers to support implementation of research-based early literacy practices through a core set of coaching activities, including:
• Observing instruction and providing low-inference feedback.
• Co-planning instruction, setting goals, and facilitating reflective coaching conversations.
• Co-teaching lessons alongside classroom teachers.
• Modeling evidence-based instructional practices and teaching strategies.
• Spend the majority of your time working directly with teachers, individually and in small groups, to align instructional practices with literacy research and strengthen:
• Implementation of research-informed literacy strategies.
• Effective implementation of new literacy programs and instructional resources.
• Instruction aligned to Michigan literacy standards and evidence-based practices.
• Provide ongoing, job-embedded coaching and feedback as teachers reflect, set goals, practice, and refine instructional skills aligned with the Essential Instructional Practices in Literacy.
• Analyze formative assessment, screening, and diagnostic data to develop instructional plans that improve student outcomes.
• Establish coherent coaching goals based on student achievement data and teacher needs.
• Support teachers in collecting, analyzing, and using student data to inform instructional decisions.
• Lead, organize, and facilitate Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) and other collaborative professional learning opportunities.
• Facilitate small- and large-group professional learning sessions to build instructional capacity among Pre‑K–3 teachers.
• Meet regularly with the district literacy leadership team and district coaching network while serving as an active member of the WRESA Coaching Network.
• Participate in continuous professional learning focused on evidence-based coaching and literacy instruction to strengthen literacy outcomes across Wayne County.
• Use facilitation strategies that build trust, encourage collaboration, promote collective problem‑solving, and foster shared ownership of student success.
• Engage in ongoing, instruction-focused reflective dialogue with colleagues based on classroom observations, student work, and assessment data while connecting coaching conversations to research-based literacy practices.
• Assist building administrators in identifying…