K-3rd Grade Literacy Specialist; Site , Grant Funded

K-3rd Grade Literacy Specialist (Site Based, Grant Funded) JOB GOAL

The Literacy Specialist is responsible for advancing high-quality Tier I/Core instruction in reading and writing through the implementation of evidence-based practices grounded in the Science of Reading. This role provides leadership, coaching, technical assistance, and professional learning to strengthen PreK-3 educators' content knowledge and instructional practices in literacy. The Literacy Specialist supports the implementation of Arizona English Language Arts Standards, Arizona Early Learning Language and Literacy Standards, English Language Proficiency Standards, district literacy curriculum, and intervention programs to promote effective literacy instruction and intervention.

The Literacy Specialist supports the effective use of formal and informal assessment data, including approved literacy screeners and state assessment data, to inform instruction, monitor student progress to assess effective teaching strategies and tier 1 instruction, and ensure equitable outcomes for all learners. By fostering collaborative, non-evaluative partnerships and building teacher capacity, the Literacy Specialist promotes consistent, rigorous, engaging, and classroom-focused language arts instruction;

more specifically, daily coaching in classrooms, that enables students to achieve proficiency in reading and writing by the end of third grade and beyond.

• Valid Arizona Standard Elementary or Secondary Education Certification
• Reading Endorsement or ADE K-5 Literacy Endorsement preferred. Candidates without the endorsement must agree to work toward obtaining the endorsement within a district-approved timeline.
• Bachelor's degree in Education, Literature, or related field (Master's degree preferred).
• A minimum of three (3) years of teaching experience with excellent evaluations
• Successful experience facilitating adult learning and delivering professional development specific to literacy instruction
• Demonstrated experience in instructional coaching, mentoring, or teacher leadership roles preferred.

Such alternatives to the above qualifications as the Board may find appropriate and acceptable.

• Leads the design, alignment, implementation, and continuous improvement of literacy curriculum and instructional practices in accordance with Arizona Academic Standards, Arizona Early Learning Language and Literacy Standards, district priorities, and current reading research.
• Promotes, models, and monitors the implementation of evidence-based reading and writing instruction grounded in the Science of Reading with a focus on high-quality Tier I/Core instruction.
• Collaborates with PreK-3 teachers, interventionists, instructional staff, and administrators support implementation of the Move On When Reading (MOWR) State Literacy Plan.
• Provides job-embedded professional development, technical assistance, coaching, modeling, co-teaching, and support to teachers, instructional staff, and administrators in a variety of settings, including whole-group professional learning, grade-level meetings, PLCs, and one-on-one coaching cycles.
• Observes classroom instruction and provides reflective, non-evaluative feedback to support implementation of evidence-based literacy practices during instructional tiers.
• Models high-quality Tier I instruction and supports teachers through coaching, demonstration lessons, co-planning, and feedback cycles.
• Assists teachers in planning and implementation of developmentally appropriate literacy instruction and interventions, including literacy blocks emphasizing phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, oral language, emergent literacy, and writing.
• Supports teachers' collaborative work to plan literacy lessons, small-group differentiation, intervention, and data-informed instructional practices.
• Facilitates data-informed collaboration focused on student progress, instructional planning, instructional effectiveness, and literacy proficiency.
• Supports the effective use of formal and informal assessment data, including literacy screening and state assessment data, to identify trends, monitor progress, guide instruction and intervention, and support student achievement.
• Collaborates with Assessment and Data teams, Special Education, SEI, and other departments to ensure cohesive literacy practices within an MTSS framework.
• Meets regularly with school administration and leadership teams to review school data, support school-wide literacy planning, and assist in implementation of meaningful literacy professional learning opportunities.
• Guides the development, selection, evaluation, and implementation of high-quality instructional materials, literacy resources, intervention programs, and instructional guidance documents.
• Supports curriculum adoption and implementation processes alongside teacher leaders and literacy support teams.
• Builds leadership capacity among teachers and site teams to sustain effective literacy…