K-3 Reading Specialist

Geary County Schools; Junction City (AR); On-site; USD 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Geary County USD 475 in Kansas seeks a K-3 Reading Intervention Specialist to support early literacy goals for Kindergarten through third grade identified as high risk. The role uses diagnostic data to tailor intensive, evidence-based reading instruction.

This DoDEA grant-funded pilot requires collaboration with teachers, MTSS teams, and families, with a focus on structured literacy and progress monitoring under Kansas standards.

Qualifications

• Valid Kansas teaching license.
• Reading Specialist endorsement preferred or willingness to obtain.
• Minimum of five years of successful elementary teaching experience.
• Knowledge of structured literacy, the Science of Reading, and explicit, systematic instruction.
• Knowledge of literacy development, diagnostic assessment, intervention design, and progress monitoring.
• Strong understanding of MTSS and Student Improvement Team processes.
• Ability to collect, analyze, and use student data to make instructional decisions and evaluate intervention effectiveness.
• Ability to provide effective one-to-one and small-group instruction for students with significant reading needs.
• Strong oral and written communication, collaboration, organization, and recordkeeping skills.
• Ability to partner effectively with classroom teachers, administrators, support personnel, and families.
• Commitment to continuous professional learning and evidence-based literacy practice.

Responsibilities

• Provide targeted and tiered literacy intervention for K-3 students identified as High Risk.
• Deliver explicit, systematic, cumulative, and diagnostic instruction in phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics, decoding, encoding, fluency, vocabulary, oral language, and comprehension.
• Administer and interpret district-approved universal screening, diagnostic, and progress-monitoring measures.
• Develop, implement, and maintain individualized literacy intervention plans in partnership with the instructional team and families.
• Use student performance data to establish intervention goals and adjust instruction.
• Provide and document the required intervention minutes for assigned students per district requirements.
• Maintain accurate records of intervention attendance, focus, assessment results, and family communication.
• Collaborate with classroom teachers to connect intervention with core literacy instruction, ensuring supplemental and targeted practice.
• Participate in MTSS, Student Improvement Team, data review, and problem-solving meetings.
• Communicate regularly with families regarding student needs, progress, and strategies for literacy at home.
• Recognize dyslexia and other reading difficulties and support timely problem-solving and evaluations when warranted.
• Support district implementation of structured literacy and Kansas standards through modeling and resource development.
• Collaborate with leaders to analyze MTSS data and student outcomes.
• Support DoDEA grant implementation through data collection and reporting.
• Participate in ongoing professional learning related to literacy and equitable practice.
• Protect student confidentiality and comply with policy and laws.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Reading instruction

MTSS knowledge

Data-driven instruction

One-to-one instruction

Small-group instruction

Collaboration

Communication

Education

Valid Kansas teaching license

Reading Specialist endorsement

Five years elementary teaching experience

Willingness to obtain endorsement

Job description

Geary County USD 475

Job Description

Classification: Certified (Temporary Position Ending May 2028)

Division/Department: Teaching and Learning Department

Job Category: Teacher

FLSA: Exempt

Title: K-3 Reading Specialist

Reports To: Director of Teaching and Learning

QUALIFICATIONS

• Valid Kansas teaching license.
• Reading Specialist endorsement preferred or willingness to obtain.
• Minimum of five years of successful elementary teaching experience.
• Demonstrated knowledge of structured literacy, the Science of Reading, and explicit, systematic instruction.
• Knowledge of literacy development, diagnostic assessment, intervention design, and progress monitoring.
• Strong understanding of Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) and Student Improvement Team processes.
• Ability to collect, analyze, and use student data to make instructional decisions and evaluate intervention effectiveness.
• Ability to provide effective one-to-one and small-group instruction for students with significant reading needs.
• Strong oral and written communication, collaboration, organization, and recordkeeping skills.
• Ability to partner effectively with classroom teachers, administrators, support personnel, and families.
• Commitment to continuous professional learning and evidence-based literacy practice.

BASIC FUNCTION/PURPOSE

The K-3 Reading Intervention Specialist supports the district's early literacy goals by providing intensive, evidence-based reading intervention for Kindergarten through Third Grade students identified as High Risk through universal screening and other district-approved assessment measures.

The specialist uses diagnostic information and progress-monitoring data to design, deliver, and adjust targeted instruction aligned with Kansas literacy requirements, structured literacy practices, and district MTSS processes. The specialist will support students in small groups to support individual learning and growth. The specialist collaborates with teachers, administrators, intervention teams, and families to accelerate student growth and increase the number of students reaching grade-level reading expectations by the end of third grade.

This position is being piloted through Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) grant funding. The specialist will support implementation monitoring, outcome review, and grant-related documentation so district leaders can evaluate effectiveness and sustainability.

PERFORMANCE RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Provide targeted and tiered literacy intervention for K-3 students identified as High Risk, using one-to-one or appropriately sized small-group instruction based on student need.

2. Deliver explicit, systematic, cumulative, and diagnostic instruction in phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics, decoding, encoding, fluency, vocabulary, oral language, and comprehension.

3. Administer and interpret district-approved universal screening, diagnostic, and progress-monitoring measures.

4. Develop, implement, and maintain individualized literacy intervention plans in partnership with the student's instructional team and, when required, the parent or guardian.

5. Use student performance data to establish intervention goals, determine instructional groupings, select evidence-based practices, and adjust instruction.

6. Provide and document the required intervention minutes for assigned students in accordance with Kansas requirements and district procedures.

7. Maintain accurate records of intervention attendance, instructional focus, assessment results, student growth, plan updates, and family communication.

8. Collaborate with classroom teachers to connect intervention instruction with core literacy instruction while ensuring that intervention is supplemental and targeted to identified skill needs.

9. Participate in MTSS, Student Improvement Team, data review, and problem-solving meetings.

10. Communicate regularly with families regarding student needs, intervention plans, progress, and practical strategies for supporting literacy at home.

11. Recognize characteristics associated with dyslexia and other reading difficulties and support timely, appropriate problem-solving and referral processes without using intervention as a reason to delay an evaluation when one is warranted.

12. Support district implementation of structured literacy and Kansas English Language Arts standards through modeling, consultation, and resource development.

13. Collaborate with building and district leaders to analyze trends in universal screening, intervention participation, fidelity, and student outcomes.

14. Support DoDEA grant implementation through accurate data collection, documentation, program evaluation, and reports requested by district leadership.

15. Participate in ongoing professional learning related to literacy, assessment, intervention, culturally responsive practice, and support for military-connected students.

16. Protect student confidentiality and comply with district policy and applicable state and federal requirements.

17. Perform other duties as assigned by the Director of Teaching and Learning.

Term of Employment: Teacher Contract

Salary Range: Determined by placement on teacher salary schedule.

Evaluation Frequency: Job performance will be evaluated a minimum of 1 time per year.

Updated 9/2026

Notice of Nondiscrimination

Geary County USD #475 does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and/or activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. For questions or complaints based on race, color, national origin, sex or age, please contact the USD 475 Executive Director of Personnel Services, 123 N. Eisenhower, Junction City, KS 66441. Telephone: [phone]. For questions or complaints based on disability, please contact the USD 475 Executive Director of Special Education, 123 N. Eisenhower, Junction City, KS 66441. Telephone: [phone]