Regional Literacy Specialist

North Central Ohio ESC•Mansfield, OH

5h•Hybrid

About The Position

Ohio’s State Support Teams (SST) are regional extensions of the Department of Education and Workforce, established to partner with prioritized schools and districts. SST Consultants support these entities in building Integrated Multi-Tiered System of Supports (Integrated MTSS) aligned with Ohio’s framework. This involves strengthening instruction, improving adult practices, and ensuring compliance with federal and state requirements. The role emphasizes supporting students with disabilities, advancing statewide priorities like the Science of Reading and the K-12 Math Plan, integrating academic and non-academic systems, and ensuring that compliance and high-quality instruction reinforce each other to improve student outcomes in literacy, math, and chronic absenteeism.

Requirements

A master’s degree in reading or literacy education, or a master’s degree in a related area with either reading or literacy endorsements on a state license.
Expertise in how to improve student learning through the implementation of high-quality evidence-based reading/literacy strategies.
Completion of a professional development program accredited by the International Dyslexia Association (accreditation or accreditation plus level).
Three to five years of successful classroom teaching that includes reading/literacy instruction in kindergarten through grade twelve.
Experience as a provider of professional development and technical assistance specific to evidence-based language and literacy development.
Experience with coaching and consulting educators or leaders.
Experience designing and implementing district-wide or school-wide integrated multi-tiered system of supports.
Knowledge of how to analyze and use student data and adult implementation data.
Experience working with administrators.
Experience facilitating or participating in the collaborative problem-solving model.

Nice To Haves

Experience providing instruction in special education with a master’s degree in special education and/or an intervention specialist license.
Experience providing instruction to individuals with dyslexia or individuals with risk factors for dyslexia.
Experience providing and coaching structured literacy instruction.
Experience facilitating and interpreting screening measures for identifying students at risk for reading failure.

Responsibilities

Provide intensive coaching supports to a ReadOhio Coaching District (as assigned by the Department) aligned with Ohio's Coaching Model.
Provide services to assist and facilitate analysis of available data for a comprehensive needs’ analysis (may include Reading Tiered Fidelity Inventory, district profile reports from current literacy grants such as the State Personnel Development Grant, Special Education Profile, State Report Card, and building level data in addition to non-academic barriers such as attendance and behavioral needs).
Provide services to develop and monitor implementation of a coaching service delivery plan with defined strategies and action steps, with the targeted building(s) with ongoing measurement of progress using the Reading Tiered Fidelity Inventory and student-level data.
Provide services to facilitate collaborative problem-solving model at all levels of the system including but not limited to; district leadership teams, building leadership teams, teacher-based teams, and multidisciplinary teams.
Provide services to assist in identification of building-level professional learning needs and assist in planning or facilitating professional learning, including coaching, as part of the overall improvement plan (One Plan and literacy improvement plan, such as a Reading Achievement Plan or Local Literacy Plan).
Provide services to assist in the development and implementation of decision rules, using the 1-MTSS implementation guide.
Provide services to assist in the analysis of universal screening and summative data with building coaches and staff using the collaborative problem-solving model.
Provide services to assist in the selection, implementation, and monitoring of high-quality instructional materials for literacy and the deselection and materials that are not aligned with the science of reading, using Department-disseminated tools.
Provide classroom-level coaching services to facilitate educator involvement in the student-focused coaching process and support the implementation of evidence-based strategies grounded in the science of reading.
Engage educators and administrators in the student-focused coaching process, utilizing the leveled coaching model (universal, self-guided, small group, one-on-one) to provide support and respond to the needs of educators.
Collaborate with district leaders to provide systems-level support around literacy improvement, including: providing services to assist and facilitate analysis of available data for a comprehensive needs’ analysis, supporting in identifying professional learning needs and assisting in planning professional learning, providing services to assist schools to align and integrate literacy improvement efforts into the overall district improvement plan, providing services to assist in the selection, implementation, and monitoring of high-quality instructional materials for literacy, and providing systems-level coaching and consultation services to district leadership on the coaching of building leadership teams.
Provide literacy coaching supports and technical assistance to support the implementation of a multi-tiered system of supports for literacy.
Provide services that facilitate online courses and professional learning series available from the Department as part of targeted service to the LEA and provide guidance on integration and application.
Support the implementation of a comprehensive needs analysis for multi-tiered systems of support for literacy, including facilitating a literacy-specific needs assessment (Reading Tiered Fidelity Inventory).
Provide guidance, TA or targeted support in the development of 1-MTSS processes, including problem-solving models, multidisciplinary teams, and high-quality and aligned instruction and intervention across all three tiers.
Provide targeted or intensive systems coaching to support instruction for subgroups of students, including inclusive plans, goals and action steps, teaming structures, access to high-quality instruction across the continuum of learning environment and implementation at the classroom, building and district level.
Provide guidance, TA, or targeted support in systems coaching (building and district level) including support for implementing both instructional and inclusive classroom coaching structures.
Provide TA, including consulting or professional learning in writing a literacy plan, for districts required to submit Reading Achievement Plans or receive literacy supports through their service delivery agreement with the SST.
Participate in regional literacy networking through communities of practice.