University of Missouri-Kansas City Hiring for Literacy and School Improvement Consultant, Regional Professional Development Ce at Kansas City, MO  Full Time

UMKC’s Regional Professional Development Center (RPDC)

This 12-month position at the Regional Professional Development Center (RPDC), part of the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s School of Education, is primarily funded through a contract with the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). The mission of the UMKC School of Education is to recruit, prepare and support teachers, mental health professionals and administrators who will create lifelong opportunities through education for America’s diverse urban communities. The physical location of the RPDC is Union Station, 30 W. Pershing Rd., KCMO Suite 401.

The School Improvement / Literacy Coach Consultant provides training and assistance, including job-embedded professional development, to PK-12 teachers and administrators in the Kansas City area in the elements of collaborative instructional practices with teachers and leaders for improved student achievement. This position will include knowledge about the science of reading work as that will be an area of emphasis in our training/coaching and with Scholl Improvement work during the 2023-2024 school year.

This position reports to the Director of the UMKC RPDC and works collaboratively with Missouri’s DESE staff to serve Missouri PK-12 educators, assist with statewide school improvement issues, and to perform other duties as assigned.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES/ACTIVITIES:

• Provide professional development, technical assistance, and on-site support to districts and schools in Literacy and School Improvement is to ensure:
  • high-performing collaborative data teams
  • data-based decision-making to inform instruction
  • the development and use of common formative assessments; and,
  • the use of effective instructional practices
• Assist, as requested, in development of training and coaching materials regarding best practice for effective literacy acquisition (and skills related to spelling, writing, speaking and listening), instruction, and intervention aligned with the science of reading for all students, but especially for students who are struggling readers.
• Assist, as requested, in development of training and coaching materials regarding best practice for effective assessment practices (universal screening, progress monitoring, and assessment to inform instruction and intervention) aligned with the current state of scientific research and evaluation of instruction and intervention effectiveness for all students, but especially for students who are struggling readers.
• Organize and conduct high-quality training, coaching, and technical assistance in the area of the five components of literacy instruction; phonological/phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency and comprehension, as they relate to reading, spelling, writing, speaking and listening.
• Organize and conduct high-quality training, coaching, and technical assistance to school districts to promote awareness and implementation of best practice for effective literacy acquisition, instruction and intervention aligned with the science of reading.
• Organize and conduct high-quality training, coaching, and technical assistance to school districts regarding best practice for effective assessment practices (universal screening, progress monitoring, and assessment to inform instruction and intervention) aligned with the current state of scientific research and evaluation of the effectiveness of these systems.
• Participate in collaborative planning meetings within RPDC, other regional literacy consultants and school improvement consultants and with DESE staff as requested.
• Engage in activities to stay informed on current research related to best practice literacy acquisition, implementation, intervention, and assessment.
• Participate in collaborative planning meetings with other literacy consultants within and across regions.
• Assist DESE with the collection of data for statewide analysis.
• Attend and actively participate in statewide monthly resource, support, and training meetings, as designated by the DESE master calendar and direction from the Literacy Coordinator.
• Report data and consultant activities by the 5th day of each month using a DESE provided system.
• Serve as a mentor for new consultants.
• Attend regional and national conferences, as requested by DESE.
• Other duties and functions as assigned.

SKILLS/KNOWLEDGE:

This position requires comprehensive knowledge of:

• Methodology and implementation processes regarding:
  • creating a collaborative culture
  • leadership and effective teaming
  • assessment for learning (common formative assessments)
  • goal setting (collective inquiry and problem-solving)
  • continuous learning
  • research-based effective instructional practices with literacy instruction and school improvement instructional practices
  • knowledge regarding the component of the science of reading
  • data (collecting, analyzing, and data-based decision-making)
• Effective professional development standards for adult learners
• Change process and systems change with school improvement
• Integration of school improvement efforts with literacy
• Culturally responsive teaching

This position requires some knowledge of:

• Schoolwide Positive Behavior Support
• Response to Intervention (RtI)
• DESE Literacy model and Reading Initiative
• High Schools That Work, Making Middle Grades Work, and Technology Centers That Work
• Missouri Turnaround Network
• Missouri Learning Standards (Common Core)
• Missouri Model Curriculum
• Missouri Educator Standards and Quality Indicators
• Essential Principles of Effective Evaluation
• Implementation and scaling up theory/practice
• Cultural awareness
• Missouri School Improvement Program (MSIP 6)

This position requires a skill base of:

• Effective meeting management and processes/protocols
• Coaching, presenting, consulting, and facilitating skills
• Conflict resolution and problem-solving processes
• Leadership skills
• Use of technology to enhance professional development

NOTE: This position is externally funded and is renewed annually based on performance and continued funding.

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience and at least 3 years of experience from which comparable knowledge and skills can be acquired is necessary

• Master’s degree or higher in education or related field. Education Specialist or PhD/EdD degree preferred
• Five (5) years’ experience as a teacher and/or administrator
• Expertise and/or significant leadership experience implementing instructional best practice resulting in improved student learning outcomes
• Demonstrated commitment to and experience in serving students with diverse backgrounds, perspectives, goals, and abilities in alignment with the School of Education’s mission, vision, values, and priorities
• Proficiency in word processing applications (i.e., Google Docs, Moodle, BrightSpace, Microsoft Office Suite, Apple systems)
• Excellent written, verbal and organizational skills
• Able to relate to various education skills that encompass a preK-12 school system
• Ability to conduct regional and in-state travel (travel expenses will be reimbursed)
• Other qualifications and experience, which in the opinion of the employing agency meet the requirements of the position may be accepted in lieu of the qualifications listed above

Full-time, benefit eligible

Starts at $50,367 and will be commensurate with experience, education, and internal equity.

Application Deadline:June 5th, 2023

Applicants must combine all application materials (cover letter, resume, and list of five references with contact information) into one PDF or Microsoft Word document and upload as a resume attachment.

Limit document name to 50 characters. Maximum size limit is 11MB. Do not include special characters (e.g., /, &, %, etc.).

If you are experiencing technical problems, please call (800) 488-5288.

Note, you must provide a description of job duties for each Work Experience entry on your application. Please carefully review the application instructions section of our Careers page prior to submitting your materials.

Values Commitment

We value the uniqueness of every individual and strive to ensure each person’s success. Contributions from individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives promote intellectual pluralism and enable us to achieve the excellence that we seek in learning, research and engagement. This commitment makes our university a better place to work, learn and innovate.
In your application materials, please discuss your experiences and expertise that support these values and enrich our missions of teaching, research and engagement.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Equal Opportunity is and shall be provided for all employees and applicants for employment on the basis of their demonstrated ability and competence without unlawful discrimination on the basis of their race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable state or federal law. This policy shall not be interpreted in such a manner as to violate the legal rights of religious organizations or the recruiting rights of military organizations associated with the Armed Forces or the Department of Homeland Security of the United States of America. For more information, call the Vice Chancellor – Human Resources at 816-235-1621.

To request ADA accommodations, please call the Office of Equity & Title IX at 816-235-6910.

Know Your Rights

To read more about Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) please use the following links:

• Know Your Rights English Version
• Know Your Rights Spanish Version

Why UMKC?

We offer full benefits that start day one, generous paid time off, paid winter break, and continuing education benefits. Visit our page to learn more.

Also, explore the to learn more about the rewards package we offer to acknowledge our employees as the university’s most important resource.