K-4 LITERACY SPECIALIST

JOB DESCRIPTION

Who We Are:

The Dayton Early College Academy (DECA) is an award-winning, high performing network of charter schools located in Dayton, Ohio. Serving grades K-12, DECA’s three campuses are singularly focused on helping children from the city of Dayton gain the skills they need to be successful in college and beyond. 

Mission:

We prepare future college graduates today to become the leaders of our community tomorrow.

Core Values:

1. Put students first;
2. Demand success;
3. Invest deeply in relationships;
4. Do what’s right;
5. Prove education changes lives;
6. Find joy.

Our Students and Results:

We serve students in grades K-12 in the Dayton Public School area; academic proficiency is not considered during the admissions process. Admission is first come, first served. 

• 94% of our students are African-American and 72% are economically disadvantaged;
• Over 80% of our students will be first in their family to go to college;
• DECA is committed to providing a rigorous and engaging academic curriculum;
• Our campuses foster an awareness of social justice issues; 
• Strong community partnerships are at the core of our success;
• DECA alumni graduate from college at a rate nearly 5 times the national average for first generation college students and on par with their suburban counterparts.

Successful Applicants:

• Are developing and practicing cultural competence in their teaching, teamwork, and leadership;
• Build relationships with students, families, colleagues, and community;
• Provide, seek, and act on feedback;
• Live our Core Values.

Job Summary: The K–4 Literacy Specialist plays a critical role in supporting high-quality literacy instruction and ensuring that all students build strong foundational reading skills. This position provides Tier 1 professional development and coaching to teachers and staff grounded in the science of reading. The Literacy Specialist also leads Tier 3 intervention processes by identifying students in need of intensive support through universal screeners and diagnostic assessments, designing targeted intervention plans, delivering small-group instruction tailored to specific skill deficits, and monitoring student progress. The specialist collaborates closely with classroom teachers, interventionists, and school leadership to ensure data-driven decision-making and effective instructional practices that promote reading success for all DECA PREP students. This position reports to the campus principal.

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Qualifications:

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Education, Early Childhood Education, Reading/Literacy, or related field
• Valid teaching license (K–5 or K–3 preferred)
• Demonstrated knowledge of the science of reading, structured literacy practices, and evidence-based reading instruction
• Experience using universal screeners, diagnostic assessments, and progress-monitoring tools (e.g., Acadience/DIBELS, MAP Reading, etc.)
• Minimum 3 years of successful classroom teaching experience, preferably in early literacy
• Strong ability to analyze data and make instructional decisions
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills with teachers, students, and families
• Ability to deliver professional development and coaching to adult learners

Preferred

• Master’s degree in Reading/Literacy or completion of a Reading Endorsement
• Experience providing Tier 2 or Tier 3 reading interventions
• Training or certification in LETRS, Orton-Gillingham, Wilson, or another structured literacy program
• Experience working in an urban school environment

Duties/Essential Functions:

Tier 1 Support & Professional Development

• Support the design and delivery schoolwide literacy professional development focused on the science of reading, structured literacy, and effective early reading instruction

Assessment & Data Analysis

• Coordinate and administer universal screeners and diagnostic literacy assessments for all K–4 students
• Analyze assessment data to identify Tier 3 students and specific areas of skill deficiency
• Maintain clear documentation of student progress, intervention plans, and exit criteria
• Support teachers in interpreting assessment results to inform Tier 1 and Tier 2 instruction

Tier 3 Intervention

• Develop individualized or small-group intervention plans aligned to student skill gaps
• Deliver intensive, evidence-based small-group instruction using structured literacy approaches
• Conduct ongoing progress monitoring to evaluate intervention effectiveness
• Adjust intervention frequency, grouping, or instructional approaches based on data
• Determine when students have met exit criteria and transition them out of intervention services
• Communicate regularly with classroom teachers and families regarding student goals, progress, and next steps

• Coordinate Reading Improvement Plans from identification through exit

Collaboration & Schoolwide Support

• Work closely with teachers, administrators, and interventionists to ensure a coherent and aligned literacy support system
• Participate in MTSS meetings and assist with schoolwide data analysis
• Contribute to schoolwide literacy initiatives, events, and family engagement activities
• Stay current on literacy research, curriculum updates, and best practices in early reading instruction
• Develop rapport and maintain the confidence of parents and students. Keep parents updated on student progress using telephone calls, conferences, written communications, etc.
• Serve as a role model for students. Demonstrate responsibility, citizenship, respect, and courtesy.
• Perform other job-specific duties as required.

Terms of Employment:

• 195 days
• Salary to be determined based on experience and education level.
• All staff members are issued one-year contracts.

Working Environment:

Workplace locations include:

• School, activity center, outdoor play areas;
• Retreat/field sites; and
• Other environments as deemed necessary/appropriate.

Physical demands:

• While performing the duties of his/her job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, sit, talk, and/or hear.
• The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required for this position include close vision, distance vision, and depth perception.

Additional Working Conditions:

• The noise level in this work environment is quiet to loud depending on the activity and location.
• Working conditions for this job include (1) possible exposure to blood, bodily fluids, and tissue; and (2) occasional operation of a motor vehicle to transport students.
• The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals to perform the essential functions.

The information in this job description is in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (A.D.A) and is not an exhaustive list of the duties performed for the position. Additional duties performed by individuals currently holding the position and additional duties may be assigned.

This position is exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Employee signature below constitutes employee’s understanding of the requirements, essential functions and duties of the position.

Employee:_______________________________________                                                   Date:_____________