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 degree in reading instruction OR certification in structured literacy (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 coverage begins day one.
- Nature-based school integrating structured academics with outdoor adventure programming
Most reading specialists work only with students already falling behind. You've long believed this approach is flawed — that Science of Reading principles should apply universally to every child, not exclusively to those identified for intervention. If this philosophy shapes your instructional practice, continue reading.
Waypoint Academy operates as a nature-based school where mornings focus on rigorous academics and afternoons shift to archery, wilderness survival skills, and exploration of the Texas Hill Country. Your responsibility centers on the morning block: delivering small-group structured literacy instruction that advances every K-2 student in phonics, decoding, fluency, and writing. You create the lessons. You interpret the data. You regroup and modify instruction dynamically. Your remaining time involves coaching students through adaptive learning applications, cultivating the relationships that ensure every student reaches 100% of their digital learning goals. No prescribed curriculum. No pull-out intervention model. You are accountable for literacy outcomes across the entire cohort.
You will be joining a small, emerging school. This means you will construct the literacy program rather than inherit an established one. As student enrollment expands, you will determine how structured literacy scales across additional cohorts and grade levels. If you prefer a fixed position with predictable routines, this role is not appropriate. If you aim to demonstrate that every child learns to read more effectively when instruction is designed specifically around their needs, this is the opportunity.
What you will be doing
- Facilitating small-group structured literacy instruction: systematic phonics, decoding, fluency, and foundational writing for all K-2 students, not limited to those identified for intervention
- Interpreting student performance data from adaptive applications and running records to reorganize groups and modify instruction between sessions
- Providing one-on-one and small-group coaching as students work through adaptive learning software, fostering relationships that ensure goal achievement
- Creating original lessons grounded in structured literacy principles, customized to each group's present level and learning trajectory
- Integrating select outdoor or experiential activities to strengthen literacy concepts when they authentically support learning outcomes
What you will NOT be doing
- Developing IEPs or managing pull-out schedules with general classroom teachers. All students fall under your direct responsibility.
- Monitoring students passively as they use learning apps. You coach them actively toward goal completion, not observe them navigating screens.
- Remaining in a conventional classroom throughout the day. Students transition outdoors for afternoon programming, so your literacy instruction is concentrated and fast-paced.
- Evaluating stacks of worksheets — adaptive software manages practice volume and tracks progress, allowing you to prioritize direct teaching.
Key responsibilities
Drive reading and writing advancement for all K-2 students using structured literacy instruction and adaptive learning platforms.
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 applying systematic phonics in a school or clinical environment, within the past 5 years
- Experience creating original reading lessons, and you can articulate what you teach and your methods without citing a commercial program
- Willing to work on-site at Waypoint Academy, Dripping Springs (Austin area), TX
- Willing to instruct all K-2 students (not exclusively struggling readers) and integrate AI-powered adaptive learning tools into daily practice
- Authorized to work in the United States without requiring visa sponsorship
Nice to have
- Proficiency with multiple structured literacy frameworks (e.g., Orton-Gillingham and UFLI) and a clear understanding of when each is most applicable
- Documented reading gains across an entire cohort, not solely intervention groups. You can specify the metrics and the results.
- Working knowledge of adaptive reading platforms (Lexia, Amira, Reading Eggs, or comparable tools) and leveraging their data for instructional planning
- Background in non-traditional educational settings: micro-schools, outdoor education, Montessori, or similar models
Applying for a role? Here’s what to expect.
Crossover's skill assessment process combines innovative AI power with decades of human research, to take the guesswork, human bias, and pointless filters out of recruiting high-performing teams.
Chat-style
screening interview.
Cognitive 
aptitude test.
Prove real-world 
job skills.
Interview with the hiring manager.
Pass
proctored test.
Accept job offer.
Frequently asked questions
Reviews
Meet some people who've landed similar jobs
Recruitment sucks. So we’re fixing it.
The Olympics of work
It’s super hard to qualify—extreme quality standards ensure every single team member is at the top of their game.
Premium pay for premium talent
Over 50% of new hires double or triple their previous pay. Why? Because that’s what the best person in the world is worth.
Shortlist by skills, not bias
We don’t care where you went to school, what color your hair is, or whether we can pronounce your name. Just prove you’ve got the skills.
Join the world's largest community of 
AI-first remote workers.