Literacy Specialist

Job Description

POSITION: Literacy Specialist

REPORTS TO: Director of Academics

POSITION TYPE: 11-month

START DATE: 24-25 School Year

COMPENSATION: Starting at $65,264 annually

At YES Prep, work for a mission that impacts the life trajectory of students and their families. YES Prep creates pathways to extraordinary opportunity through best-in-class development, competitive compensation and benefits, and recognition for your impact. Grow as an authentic leader and be part of an equity driven, team-oriented culture.

Our campuses are advancing educational equity. Some quick stats about us:

• 18,650 Students
• 2,100+ Team Members
• 15 Secondary Campuses
• 9 Elementary Campuses
• 92% Students Who Qualify for Free/Reduced-Price Lunch
• 96% Hispanic & African-American Students
• 90% Students Who Are Accepted to a 4-Year University
• 88% First-Generation College Students
• Ranked in the Top 100 High Schools in the Nation, U.S. News & World Report

We serve the students of Houston, Texas, the 4th largest city across the United States. There are over 20 public-school districts and other great public charter school options within Houston’s city limits serving our increasing population. We are a rapidly growing organization, committed to creating life-changing opportunities for over 23,000 students by 2025.

THE ROLE

When you join the YES Prep team, some of the exciting work and responsibilities will include:

• Setting clear expectations and standards for excellent literacy instruction in all content areas, along with the Principal and/or Director of Academics;
• Ensuring that students receive outstanding instruction in reading intervention classes by observing and coaching a cohort of reading intervention teachers;
• Ensuring that Emergent Bilingual students, (EBs), non-fluent, and dyslexic students are receiving appropriate accommodations in all classrooms by observing and coaching content teachers and collaborating with instructional leadership;
• Tracking progress monitoring of reading intervention teachers and grades of EBs and dyslexic students and use this data to drive coaching;
• Working with district Instructional Coaches to provide targeted support to first- and second-year teachers;
• Working with Home Office leadership on system-wide instructional initiatives;
• Directing campus’ EB and dyslexia programs to ensure the academic success of these students and maintain compliance with state and federal law;
• Coordinating and directing testing for special populations, including MAP and R-CBM benchmarks, Language Assessment System (LAS) and TELPAS, and dyslexia screenings throughout the year;
• Overseeing the EB compliance work completed by a campus clerk, registrar, or office coordinator;
• Ensuring that EB and dyslexic students receive all appropriate accommodations on high-stakes testing, including STAAR and Common Assessments, and assist in applying for accommodations for dyslexic students taking College Board exams;
• Providing one-on-one or small group literacy instruction to dyslexic students needing Level-2 services (this service is in addition to a regularly scheduled reading intervention class);
• Providing one-on-one or small group interventions in spoken English (beginning EBs), writing or handwriting, or additional time in intervention;
• Assisting in the planning and delivery of professional learning opportunities to campus teachers and staff during beginning of year, as well as selecting professional development days throughout the school year;
• Providing leadership in identifying and acquiring appropriate teaching materials, textbooks, and equipment;
• Teaching a recommended number of two periods of reading intervention per day or serve as a Dean of Instruction for a recommended number of four Reading Intervention teachers;
• Additional duties as assigned

THE PERSON

We seek staff with diverse backgrounds, talents, interests, and ideas. Certain traits consistently shine through for our most successful employees: passion for the mission, drive for results, care for students, resilience, and humility. Other traits needed and desired for this role are:

MUST HAVES

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited four-year educational institution
• A Valid Texas Teaching Certificate, with ESL or Bilingual certification
• 3 years of literacy teaching in the classroom
• Belief in and commitment to the mission and core value of YES Prep Public Schools
• Openness to giving and receiving frequent feedback
• Ability to maintain emotional control under stress
• Ability to work urgently in a fast-paced and results-oriented environment
• Ability to juggle multiple tasks and initiatives at once
• Demonstrated ability to work on a team
• A dedication to learn, grow, and develop as a professional

BONUS POINTS

• Teaching experience in the classroom related to Literacy (English, ELA, Reading Intervention, Dyslexia teacher, ESL teacher, etc)
• Master’s Degree in Dyslexia, Education, Reading, Special Education, or a related field
• 2 years of teaching direct instruction
• Familiarity with assessments central to this role – TELPAS, Language Assessment System (Las Links), and MAP

EVERY OPPORTUNITY STARTS WITH A YES

Great schools begin with great people who believe every day is an opportunity to make a difference. At YES Prep, you have an opportunity to join a family of diverse educators who are leveling the playing field by providing opportunities for a high-quality, college-forward curriculum while also ensuring our students feel supported through their academic journey and empowered to lead choice-filled lives. YES Prep is more than a family of public charter schools, it’s the future of public education—it’s an opportunity to say, “Yes, you can

THE PERKS[NW3]

• Compensation – This position is an exempt, salaried position; salary offers commensurate with experience.

• Health and Supplemental Insurance – A $0 monthly medical option that includes $600 towards a Health Savings Account, in addition to a variety of supplemental benefits including Dental, Vision, Disability, Life, etc. Employees must work 20+ hours a week to be eligible for a full spectrum of benefits, and 10 hours a week minimum for medical benefits.

• Retirement Plans – Participation in Teacher Retirement System of Texas and a 457b Retirement Plan.

• Paid Time Off – Employees working 20+ hours a week receive 12 days of Paid Time Off in addition to the system closures during the Academic Calendar.

• Paid Leave Programming – In the event you need to be out due to medical needs (including maternity and paternity leave), YES Prep offers paid leave, paid at 100%, based on eligibility and tenure.

• Professional Development - YES Prep values longevity and performance over time. We invest in developing leaders through high-quality programs, effective coaching, and ongoing professional development.

• Award Winning Culture – The strong cultures of our campuses and Home Office are just one of many reasons we were named Houston’s Best Place to work in 2018, 2019, and 2021. We won the 2012 Broad Prize for Excellence in Urban Education and were a 2016 finalist as well.

WE ARE DEEPLY COMMITTED TO EQUITY & DIVERSITY

YES Prep strives to recruit a diverse team of leaders. We believe there is a transformative academic and social benefit for students when their teachers and leaders reflect a diversity of backgrounds. Ninety-five percent (95%) of staff members agree that the organization provides a welcoming environment given their background and identity according to our latest system survey.

YES Prep is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender expression, national origin, disability, age, marital status, military status, pregnancy, or parenthood.