Literacy Director

KIPP Memphis Public Schools; Memphis (TN); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Retirement plan options

Paid time off

Job summary

KIPP Memphis Public Schools is seeking a Literacy Director to drive literacy achievement across its campuses. The role sets vision for standards-aligned reading and writing instruction, builds capacity among teachers and leaders, and ensures curriculum, data, and intervention systems accelerate literacy outcomes for students.

The role collaborates with school leadership and the academics team to ensure access to excellent English instruction and close literacy gaps, with a focus on ACT readiness

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Minimum of 5 years of teaching experience with a strong literacy/ELA track record.
• Experience teaching high school English/literacy.
• Prior experience coaching or leading adults.
• Deep knowledge of K-12 literacy content and standards-aligned practices.
• Experience using student work and assessment data to drive instructional decisions.
• Strong communication, facilitation, and relationship-building skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide real-time coaching and instructional modeling for teachers.
• Support lesson planning and curriculum planning with standards alignment.
• Analyze student work and writing outcomes to inform coaching priorities.
• Develop literacy intervention strategies and coordinate with RTI staff.
• Align instruction to ACT, PreACT, and state assessments.
• Collaborate with school leaders to strengthen English instruction network-wide.
• Design and facilitate professional learning on literacy instruction.

Skills

Literacy instruction

Data-driven instruction

Coaching/mentoring

Communication

Curriculum alignment

Assessment alignment

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree (preferred)

Job description

About KIPP Memphis

KIPP Memphis is part of the national KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program) network of free, open-enrollment, college-preparatory public schools committed to preparing students in underserved communities for success in college and life. KIPP Memphis serves students from kindergarten through twelfth grade across multiple campuses, with a mission to help every student develop the knowledge, skills, and character needed to pursue the path they choose.

Description

KIPP Memphis is part of the national KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program) network of free, open-enrollment, college-preparatory public schools committed to preparing students in underserved communities for success in college and life. KIPP Memphis serves students from kindergarten through twelfth grade across multiple campuses, with a mission to help every student develop the knowledge, skills, and character needed to pursue the path they choose.

Position Overview

The Literacy Director is a systems-level instructional leader responsible for driving literacy and English language arts achievement across KIPP Memphis campuses. This role sets the vision for rigorous, standards-aligned reading and writing instruction; builds the instructional capacity of teachers and school-based leaders; and ensures that curriculum, data, and intervention systems work together to accelerate student literacy outcomes — including readiness for ACT, PSAT, and state assessments. The Literacy Director works closely with school leadership teams, instructional coaches, and the broader academics team to ensure every student has access to excellent English instruction and the support needed to close literacy gaps.

Key Responsibilities

Real-Time Coaching & Instructional Modeling

• Provide real-time coaching and instructional modeling for teachers, including live observation and feedback, co-teaching, and demonstration lessons
• Build teachers' capacity to deliver rigorous, engaging literacy instruction across reading, writing, and language standards

Curriculum Planning & Lesson Internalization

• Support lesson internalization and curriculum planning, helping teachers deeply understand text complexity, standards alignment, and instructional purpose before they teach
• Partner with teachers to anticipate student misconceptions and plan responsive, standards-aligned instruction

Student Work & Data Analysis

• Analyze student work and writing outcomes to identify trends in student understanding and inform coaching priorities
• Build protocols and systems that help teachers use student work to adjust instruction in real time

Literacy Intervention

• Develop literacy intervention strategies for students reading below grade level or struggling with foundational literacy skills
• Partner with campus teams (including special education and RTI staff) to ensure tiered literacy supports are well-matched to student needs and progress is regularly monitored

Assessment Alignment

• Align instruction to ACT, PreACT, and state assessment expectations, ensuring students are building the reading, writing, and language skills needed for college and career readiness
• Monitor assessment data across grade levels to identify gaps and adjust instructional priorities accordingly

Collaboration with School Leaders

• Collaborate with school leaders to strengthen English instructional practices network-wide, aligning campus-level priorities with network literacy goals
• Serve as a thought partner to principals and instructional leaders on literacy vision, curriculum, and staffing decisions

Additional Responsibilities

• Design and facilitate professional learning on literacy instruction, including network-wide PD, campus-based training, and summer institute sessions
• Collaborate with school leaders and the academics team to set and track annual literacy achievement goals
• Represent KIPP Memphis literacy instruction in network-wide and community-facing settings as needed
• Perform other duties as assigned in support of the academic mission of KIPP Memphis

Requirements

Principal Qualifications (Required)

• Bachelor's degree required
• Minimum of 5 years of teaching experience, with a strong track record of student achievement in literacy/English language arts
• Experience teaching high school English/literacy required, given this role's responsibility for aligning instruction to ACT, Pre-ACT, and state assessment expectations
• Prior experience coaching or leading adults (teachers, coaches, or instructional leaders)
• Deep knowledge of K-12 literacy content, standards-aligned instructional practices, and the reading/writing skills assessed on the ACT, PreACT, and state assessments
• Experience using student work and assessment data to drive instructional decisions
• Strong communication, facilitation, and relationship-building skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in education, literacy, curriculum & instruction, or a related field
• Experience in a charter school, high-performing urban school, or similar mission-driven environment
• Familiarity with Tennessee academic standards and state assessments
• Experience designing and facilitating adult professional learning

Competencies

• Instructional expertise in literacy and English language arts
• Real-time coaching and instructional modeling
• Data analysis and instructional planning
• Systems thinking across multiple school sites
• Commitment to equity and closing opportunity gaps
• Collaborative, relationship-driven leadership style

Compensation & Benefits

Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience, in line with KIPP Memphis's compensation scale for instructional leadership roles. KIPP Memphis offers a comprehensive benefits package, including health/dental/vision insurance, retirement plan options, and paid time off.

KIPP Memphis is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other protected status.