Reading Specialist, Salem Public Schools, Salem, MA SY

Reading Specialist, Horace Mann Laboratory School, Salem Public Schools, Salem, MA [SY ]

Starting Date: Aug 24, 2026

Salem is a small, diverse city with a proud maritime and immigrant history. Salem Public Schools is an urban public school district enrolling nearly 4,000 students in 10 schools. Our vision is to ensure that all students will be locally engaged, globally connected, and fully prepared to thrive in a diverse and changing world. We hold dear our core values of belonging, equity, and opportunity in everything we do.

We seek individuals who are passionate about urban education and understand the urgency of improving student achievement for all students, regardless of ability, economic status, gender/gender identity, language, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, or other backgrounds.

The Reading Specialist position is an excellent opportunity for an experienced literacy specialist or classroom teacher with special expertise in literacy and a passionate interest in how children develop reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. Reading Specialists work extensively with students to improve specific reading skills and build student capacity to manage the demands of grade-level reading tasks. This teacher helps students develop proficient reading skills that will contribute to their academic growth.

With focused work underway to support and improve core instruction, the district is intensifying its focus on refining and strengthening Tier 2 interventions in literacy. The Reading Specialist will administer diagnostic assessments; determine appropriate interventions that are data-informed, evidence-based, and coherent with Tier 1 instruction; deliver instruction; and monitor student progress. The role requires close coordination with classroom teachers, the Literacy Coach, and other literacy specialists.

• Administers and scores reading assessments to identify student needs and monitor progress on a predetermined, regular basis
• Shares data with classroom teachers and the literacy coach
• In collaboration with the classroom teacher, develops plans for small group instruction (core or Tier II), including determining needs-based grouping, providing resources, and delivering targeted instruction that is data-informed, evidence-based, and coherent with Tier 1 instruction
• With the Principal and the Literacy Coach, develops a schedule that best meets the needs of the school and students
• Supports students in classes across the curriculum, including English, Social Studies/History, Science, and other classes where inadequate reading skills interfere with student learning
• Participates in monthly job-alike meetings with other district Reading Specialists
• Engages in advanced training opportunities designed to strengthen content knowledge, pedagogy, and coaching skills, as well as knowledge of Dual Language when appropriate
• Supports the school data team in monitoring progress toward meeting grade-level and school-wide ELA goals

We are looking for candidates who have diverse backgrounds and experiences, are inspired by our mission and are highly motivated to change children’s lives through education. You’ll be right at home here if you are a reflective practitioner who values collaboration with colleagues and pushes yourself, your work and the people around you to the next level. We expect our SPS employees to:

• Hold a deep commitment to students and families and value diversity: The SPS community is vibrant, diverse in background, ethnicity, language, and perspective. You embrace and affirm the backgrounds of all members of the SPS community and view our diversity as a powerful resource that supports us each in learning and doing our best work.
• Hold high expectations for yourself, students, and colleagues: You see potential in all, especially our SPS students, and maintain high expectations for achievement, while providing the support necessary to meet that bar. You hold yourself to high expectations, modeling SPS values and seeking opportunities to continuously improve.
• Build authentic, caring relationships with colleagues, students, and…