Comprehensive Literacy State Development Early Literacy Specialist - Regional Professional Development Center

Position Summary

Comprehensive Literacy State Development Early Literacy Specialist
Regional Professional Development Center
Economic and Workforce Development
Full Time/Term

The Southeast Regional Professional Development Center (RPDC) has been housed on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University since 1996. The Center serves approximately 84 school districts in the southeast region. RPDC personnel provide training programs for the teachers and administrators throughout the area on a continuous basis.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Participate in all grant activities with Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) selected schools and programs
• Participate in collaborative planning meetings with other early childhood specialists and literacy coaches within and across regions
• Assist Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) CLSD team with the collection of data for statewide analysis and the creation of supporting resources
• Attend and actively participate in statewide monthly resource, support, and training meetings, as designated by the DESE master calendar and direction from DESE CLSD team
• Report data and grant activities each month or more frequently as required by DESE CLSD team
• Support CLSD schools and programs with technical assistance and grant activities
• Assist and support CLSD early childhood selected schools and programs in improving literacy outcomes of students
• Assist early childhood schools and programs in implementing effective, evidenced-based instructional practices and strategies
• Establish consistent communication with designated CLSD early childhood selected school or program
• Attend regional and national conferences as requested by DESE
• Provide training activities that focus on support for Early Childhood schools and programs participating in the CLSD grant
• Provide job-embedded, continuous professional development to CLSD early childhood selected schools and programs through coaching cycles aligned with evidence based early literacy instruction
• Support classroom teachers on classroom implementation of the Early Childhood Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (EC LETRS) professional development course and/or instruction aligned with the science of reading
• Provide professional development to CLSD selected schools and programs that align with CLSD Early Childhood programming
• Collaborate with CLSD early childhood selected schools and programs to host family literacy learning events - provide learning opportunities and build reciprocal literacy partnerships with families
• Communicate and support specific school-to-home early language and literacy learning connections
• Collaborate and support, as a liaison, to establish sustainable family and community literacy partnerships for student early language and literacy learning experiences
• Collaborate with other initiatives and interagency work of the RPDCs and DESE to provide support to CLSD selected schools and programs meeting/conference activities
• Travel within the RPDC region as needed, and travel for attendance at DESE required meetings/conferences

Required Qualifications

• Bachelors' degree in education or closely related field with concentration, specialization and/or emphasis in literacy; master's degree is a plus
• Three (3) years of classroom experience in early childhood classroom or setting (Pre-Kindergarten and/or Kindergarten)
• Early Childhood teaching certificate (Birth/Pre-Kindergarten - Third Grade)
• Early Childhood Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (EC LETRS) Training
• Understanding of significant research in the field of early childhood and early literacy education (emergent literacy), including the relationship between family and community literacies, and the ability to apply the findings to the improvement of classroom instruction
• Growth mindset and interest in finding supports to motivate greater learning and early literacy partnerships with students, teachers and families
• Knowledge of the science of reading and experience in evidence-based instruction with birth - 5-year-olds (phonological awareness, phonemic awareness, oral language development, gross and fine motor skill development)
• Understanding and appreciation of various needs through urban, rural and suburban settings of children and families
• Ability to express complex ideas to a variety of audiences clearly and concisely both orally and in writing
• Ability to manage diverse activities and meet established deadlines
• Ability to establish and maintain rapport and effective working relationships with department staff, local school local education agency (LEA) personnel, families, and community programs
• Ability to analyze complex preschool and prekindergarten educational problems and develop feasible solutions
• Ability and means to travel in the state of Missouri on a regular basis

Required Information & Deadline

Application Deadline: To ensure full consideration, application materials must be received by May 29, 2026. The position will be available July 1, 2026 and will remain open until filled.

To Apply: Complete the online application by clicking on the APPLY button at the top of the page. You will need to submit the following in order for your application materials to be complete.

• letter of interest addressing all position qualifications
• current resume
• names and contact information of three professional references may be asked for at a later date