School Support Specialist Position Announcement (Los Angeles)

The SERP Institute, a nonprofit education research and development organization, seeks a part-time School Support Specialist to support schools and districts in the greater LA area in-person and remotely. This is a part-time, 1099 position, available immediately. We anticipate weekly hours will fluctuate depending on needs, but it is anticipated that the position will require 30-60 hours per month. The position will pay $60/hr.

The primary work will be to support implementation and evaluation of the Strategic Adolescent Reading Intervention (STARI) in several districts in California and Nevada. STARI is a Tier II intervention for students in grades 6-8 who read two or more years below grade level. The work of the School Support Specialist will involve clear communication and close collaboration with various stakeholders in multiple schools and districts, including teachers, literacy coaches, and school and district leaders. This position will be responsible for school recruitment and engagement with the STARI study, serving as the primary contact for participating schools, and working with participating schools to plan for and monitor STARI implementation, observe STARI classrooms, and support with STARI logistics.

Roles and responsibilities:

• Actively engage in recruiting additional schools in California (including within LAUSD) and in Nevada to participate in an ongoing, grant–funded research study.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for school- and district-based liaisons in districts across California and Nevada, including LAUSD. Assist schools with optimizing STARI scheduling, STARI materials ordering and distribution, and other tasks as needed to ensure successful implementation of STARI.
• Collaborate with the project director and other team members to support implementation of STARI in grades 6-8 in participating schools.
• Schedule and lead observations of STARI classrooms to document fidelity of instruction.
• Assist with scheduling study-required, end-of-year assessments, and assist with collecting parent consent in active consent districts (including LAUSD).
• Travel to schools in LAUSD, other areas of California, and possibly Nevada, expected. Travel expenses covered by SERP.

Bachelor’s degree required. Excellent communication skills in written and oral language are critical. Success in this role requires dedication to K-12 education and literacy achievement, flexibility in the kinds of tasks one is willing to take on, ability to prioritize work and change directions as the job dictates, and a willingness to work respectfully with people in districts, schools, and other organizations.

Preferred qualifications include experience working in large school systems, and experience as a literacy teacher, particularly in grades 6-8. While many responsibilities will be completed remotely, location in the LA region is highly preferred for purposes of in-person school visits. Some travel is required to conduct observations in schools in other parts of California and possibly Nevada.

Position Duration: April 2025 – June 2027 or 2028, depending on school recruitment

To apply: Please submit a cover letter and a one-page resume. SERP will contact potential candidates within two weeks.