Elementary Reading Specialist $100,000 USD/year Pay is set based on global value, not the local market.
Most roles = hourly rate x 40 hrs x 50 weeks
Description
Required: Master's in reading instruction OR structured literacy certification (Orton-Gillingham, Wilson, IMSE, CERI, LETRS, Neuhaus, UFLI, or equivalent)
- On-site at Waypoint Academy, Dripping Springs (Austin area), TX. Relocation assistance provided.
- $100,000 annual salary, paid weekly. Health, dental, and vision benefits begin on day one.
- Nature-based school integrating structured academics with outdoor adventure programming
Most reading specialists work only with students who have already fallen behind. You've built your career believing that approach is fundamentally flawed — that Science of Reading principles belong in every child's instruction, not reserved for those flagged after failure. If that conviction shapes your teaching, read on.
Waypoint Academy operates as a nature-based school where mornings deliver focused academic instruction and afternoons shift to archery, survival skills, and exploration throughout the Texas Hill Country. Your role centers on the morning schedule: delivering small-group structured literacy instruction that advances every K-2 student in phonics, decoding, fluency, and writing. You design the lessons. You interpret the data. You regroup and modify instruction continuously. The second portion of your day involves coaching students through adaptive learning applications, cultivating the relationships that drive every student toward 100% completion of their app-based objectives. No scripted programs. No pull-out intervention model. You hold accountability for literacy outcomes across the entire cohort.
You're entering a small, emerging school. That means you'll be constructing the literacy program rather than stepping into an established one. As the school grows, you'll determine how structured literacy expands into additional cohorts and grade levels. If you're seeking a fixed role with predictable routines, this position won't suit you. If you're prepared to demonstrate that every child learns to read more effectively when instruction is designed specifically for them, this is your opportunity.
What you will be doing
- Delivering small-group structured literacy instruction: systematic phonics, decoding, fluency, and foundational writing to all K-2 students, not limited to those identified for intervention
- Interpreting student performance data from adaptive platforms and running records to reorganize groups and modify instruction continuously
- Providing one-on-one and small-group coaching through adaptive learning software, establishing relationships that ensure goal attainment
- Creating original lessons grounded in structured literacy methodology, customized to each group's present skill level and progression rate
- Integrating occasional outdoor or experiential activities to strengthen literacy concepts when these genuinely support learning outcomes
What you will NOT be doing
- Developing IEPs or managing pull-out intervention schedules with classroom teachers. All students are your direct responsibility.
- Monitoring students passively while they use learning apps. You coach them actively toward goal completion, not observe them navigate screens.
- Working in a conventional classroom environment throughout the day. Students transition outdoors in the afternoon, so literacy instruction is concentrated and high-intensity.
- Correcting stacks of worksheets — adaptive platforms manage practice volume and track progress, allowing you to concentrate on direct teaching.
Key responsibilities
Drive reading and writing advancement for all K-2 students through structured literacy methods and adaptive learning technology.
Candidate requirements
- Bachelor's degree in any field
- Master's degree in reading instruction OR structured literacy certification including Orton-Gillingham, Wilson Reading System, IMSE, CERI, LETRS, Neuhaus, or UFLI. One of these credentials is mandatory, not optional.
- 2+ years of full-time K-2 structured reading instruction utilizing systematic phonics in a school or clinical environment, completed within the last 5 years
- Demonstrated ability to design original reading lessons, and you can articulate what you teach and your methods without citing a published curriculum
- Available to work on-site at Waypoint Academy, Dripping Springs (Austin area), TX
- Prepared to instruct all K-2 students (not exclusively struggling readers) and incorporate AI-powered adaptive learning platforms daily
- Legally authorized for U.S. employment without requiring visa sponsorship
Nice to have
- Background with multiple structured literacy approaches (e.g., Orton-Gillingham and UFLI) with articulated reasoning for selecting each framework in specific contexts
- Documented reading improvement across entire cohorts, not solely intervention groups. You can identify the assessment metrics and quantify the results.
- Working knowledge of adaptive reading systems (Lexia, Amira, Reading Eggs, or comparable platforms) and leveraging their analytics to inform instructional choices
- Teaching experience in non-conventional school models: micro-schools, outdoor education initiatives, Montessori programs, or similar contexts
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