Reading Corps Coaching Specialist -Washington, DC

POSITION SUMMARY: The Literacy Lab’s Reading Corps Coaching Specialists are literacy experts who will be trained in the Reading Corps model and are responsible for ensuring that the program is implemented with fidelity to maximize student growth in reading. Coaching Specialists provide direct coaching, expertise, and support to a team of school-based full-time Literacy Lab tutors and Internal Coaches at historically underserved and under-resourced elementary schools. This support takes the form of real-time coaching and modeling, facilitating practice sessions, providing guidance and expertise, providing regular observation of interventions, reviewing and analyzing student data, and problem-solving around program implementation challenges. 

ABOUT THE LITERACY LAB: The Literacy Lab is a fast-paced, national non-profit organization whose mission is to provide children in low-income communities with individualized reading instruction to improve their literacy skills, leading to greater success in school and increased opportunities in life. We partner with school districts to add capacity in high-need schools to close the literacy achievement gap for children before third grade. The Literacy Lab provides evidence-based interventions for our students, using formative assessment to guide decision-making.

THE LITERACY LAB’S COMMUNITY IMPACT: The education system in the United States continues to be deeply impacted by a long history of unjust policies that socio-economically disinvest in communities of color. We believe that when young people of all races and from different economic brackets have equitable access to robust educational and professional development opportunities, they will be more successful as adults and their communities will be more resilient and prosperous. Since 2009, The Literacy Lab has provided evidence-based literacy interventions to more than 30,000 children from marginalized communities to master early literacy skills. By embedding rigorously trained tutors in pre-K classrooms and elementary schools to tutor students of color from pre-K through third grade, The Literacy Lab strives to create a full six-year continuum of support for young readers.

RESPONSIBILITIES: 

Facilitation and Training (15%)

• Participate annually in all ongoing tutor training and support tutors’ development in training sessions through planning and facilitating training debriefs and practice sessions. Training needs are greatest in the months of August and September, with supplemental training and support required throughout the school year. 
• Complete the necessary preparation work to support training, including completing the online training required for tutors, and participating in coaching and feedback sessions with Sr. Coaching Specialists. 
• Support the school-based Internal Coaches in their progression through their required training(s), where applicable.
• Promote ongoing Tutor learning and development by planning and facilitating supplemental training and workshops.

Tutor and School Site Coaching and Support (50%)

• Communicate with Internal Coaches (partner school staff members) and Literacy Lab tutors about preparations for fall, winter, and spring benchmark assessments.
• Perform assessment fidelity checks with Internal Coaches as Literacy Lab tutors administer benchmark assessments to ensure reliability and to verify that data is being recorded completely and entered in a timely manner for each student. 
• Facilitate ongoing communication with Internal Coaches or school administrative staff about the alignment of Literacy Lab tutoring with the core literacy curriculum and individual student reading needs. 
• Provide consultation support as needed to schools regarding identification, prioritization, and selection of students for participation. 
• Support Internal Coaches in supervising and monitoring the collection of benchmark data and progress monitoring assessment data. Ensure that progress monitoring data is recorded weekly in an online database. 
• Observe tutors in line with The Literacy Lab and Reading Corps’ requirements and complete fidelity checklists to ensure that tutors are implementing interventions with integrity. 
• Coach and re-train tutors on an as-needed basis to ensure tutors’ success and fidelity with interventions and assessments. 
• Meet with the administration and/or teaching staff at school sites to ensure understanding of the methods and objectives of the Reading  Corps model and support for The Literacy Lab’s work at their school
• Provide guidance and support to school-based Internal Coaches, tutors, and teaching teams regarding model-related issues or questions (i.e. intervention implementation, student assessment, data entry, etc.). 
• Convene and lead monthly data review meetings with each school site, using discretion and decision-making to drive progress. Under the guidance of the Coaching Specialist, the assessment data and/or individual progress of students will be reviewed and tutors will be equipped to adjust intervention for each student based on individual progress and challenges. 
• Support the Internal Coach in supervising and monitoring the completeness and accuracy of student data in the Reading Corps online data management system, RCDMS, including student demographic data,  benchmark data, weekly progress monitoring data, weekly tutor log data, and family engagement data.
• Support the implementation of The Literacy Lab’s family engagement strategy, as well as Reading Corps family literacy intervention, Read at Home (RAH!).
• Provide support for the implementation of program model pilot innovations on an as-needed, as-assigned basis. 

Program Support (15%)

• Provide program updates to Internal Coaches, The Literacy Lab program staff, and the Sr. Coaching Specialist on a regular basis. Work closely with program staff to develop strong, collaborative relationships with all assigned school-partner sites. 
• Meet with the program staff monthly to review tutors’ progress and to plan for the upcoming month. Participate in other Literacy Lab meetings and events as needed (Coaches’ retreat, site visits, etc.). 
• Consult with program staff and the Sr. Coaching Specialist on program planning and implementation.
• With the guidance of the Sr. Coaching Specialist, consult with program staff and the Data & Evaluation team on program evaluation.
• Participate in partnership meetings with school and district stakeholders.
• Participate in site visits with external stakeholders, funders, and The Literacy Lab's internal stakeholders including, but not limited to, the Stewardship Team, Leadership Team, and Board of Directors as needed.
• Collaborate with program staff to connect Tutors to social services and wrap-around support, as needed.

Continuing Education and Professional Development (10%)

• Participate in periodic observation and coaching sessions with Sr. Coaching Specialists to ensure coaching fidelity and build effective coaching practices. 
• Participate in Coaching Specialist calls facilitated by the National Lead Coaching Specialist to collaborate with peers across regions.
• Attend and participate in regularly scheduled calls facilitated by a Reading Corps Content Lead to collaborate with Coaching Specialists in other organizations and understand implementation expectations.
• Remain up-to-date on current literacy, education, and/or adult learning research and practices.

Admin and Staff Initiatives (10%)

• Attend monthly staff meetings with all Literacy Lab staff.  
• Participate, as available and/or required, in ongoing staff development such as training and DEI initiatives. 
• Collaborate on regional projects and regularly attend regional standing meetings. 
• Other duties as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS:

• A proven commitment to closing the equity gap. 
• Evidence of passion for learning and incorporating an antiracist approach in all aspects of work and through equitable approaches.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and multiple projects simultaneously.
• Solutions-oriented mindset and the skills to be an effective ambassador for The Literacy Lab. 
• Ability to work well and problem-solve independently.
• Experience as a trainer or facilitator. 
• Growth mindset and dedication to continuous development and improvement. 
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with individuals, teams, and administrators and a demonstrated people-first approach to relationships.
• Strong attention to detail and time management skills. 
• Minimum of 3-5 years of experience in K-12 Education, Early Literacy and Reading Development, Learning and Development, Adult Learning, or Bachelor’s Degree in one of these or a related field

POSITION TYPE: Full-Time; salaried, FLSA exempt (not eligible for overtime) 

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS: The salary range for this role is $51,000-$64,000. Benefits include 100% employer-paid health, dental, and vision insurance for employees and 50% for dependents, employer-paid short and long-term disability, employer-paid life insurance, a 403b retirement plan, 120 hours of paid vacation and 240 hours of paid sick/wellness leave.

WORK LOCATION: This position is a hybrid of in-person (D.C) and remote. Coaching Specialists are expected to report to the office for periodic in-person meetings, to school sites when supporting and observing Tutors, and will conduct other administrative and support work remotely. This position may require out-of-town travel up to 10 nights per year for training and/or staff events. 

TO APPLY:  Please send a cover letter, resume, and three references with contact information to "jobs@theliteracylab.org" (with the subject line ATTN: DC Reading Corps Coaching Specialist). The deadline for all applications is May 31, 2023.

The Literacy Lab is an equal opportunity employer that values equity and recruits a diverse, inclusive workforce. We strongly encourage women, people of color, those who live with disabilities, and folks who identify as LGBTQ2S+ to apply. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.