Local Reading Specialist

Winfield City Schools

Under the Alabama Literacy Act, the Alabama Reading Initiative (ARI) Local Reading Specialist is a school-based, full-time literacy leader responsible for providing intensive, targeted professional development and coaching to elementary teachers (grades K–3) to ensure that all students are reading on or above grade level by the end of third grade. This position is designed to enhance instructional practices through coaching grounded in the science of reading and data-driven instruction.

The ARI Local Reading Specialist will be assigned to one elementary school and will work collaboratively with the school principal, classroom teachers, and district literacy leadership to support evidence-based reading instruction. This role is focused solely on literacy improvement and may not include administrative functions such as evaluations, substitute teaching, assessment coordination, or serving as an instructional coach above grade three.

• Collaborate with the school principal to develop and implement a strategic coaching plan based on baseline reading data and approved assessment systems.
• Facilitate ongoing school-wide professional development aligned with the science of reading and measure its impact on instructional practices.
• Model high-quality, explicit, and systematic reading instruction with a focus on guided practice, error correction, and feedback.
• Engage in daily coaching cycles with teachers, gradually releasing instructional responsibilities while building teacher capacity.
• Lead data analysis discussions and support teachers in using data to inform and differentiate instruction within a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS).
• Support teacher professional learning across key areas, including instruction for students with exceptional needs and literacy content knowledge.
• Prioritize coaching time to focus on efforts that yield the greatest impact on student reading achievement, as documented in coaching logs and student data.
• Monitor reading progress of all students at least three times annually, using multiple data points to inform instruction and ensure alignment with the coaching strategic plan.