Reading Consultant Specialists (RCS)

Classroom teachers are the critical component for effective literacy instruction. Each school in the district also has a reading specialist on staff to provide additional support and expertise. The reading specialist supports the Literacy Program to classrooms and serves as a resource to all teachers in a building.

Grades K-2

• Assist in identifying students who qualify for intervention services
• Train and coach program assistants to work with intervention students
• Monitor progress of students in the intervention programs to ensure effective instruction and achievement

Grades 3-6

• Assist in identifying students who qualify for intervention services
• Directly service intervention students using the Soar To Success program
• Monitor progress of students to ensure effective instruction and achievement

Buildingwide

• Provide support to teachers for the Harcourt Trophies program
• Co-teach balanced literacy and differentiated instruction lessons in the mainstream classrooms
• Meet with grade-level teams for planning and consultation
• Provide professional materials and readings to building staff and administrators

A district-level literacy director and coordinator provide resources, training and support for teachers while continually assessing student needs, determining best practices, and evaluating current research to be sure that District 15 students are receiving the best possible instruction.

Reading Intervention Programs

Students who are at-risk readers as identified through test results and teacher recommendation get extra help through the research-based reading intervention programs available at their particular school. (Not all programs are available at all schools.) The school’s reading consultant specialist or a trained program assistant may work with children individually or in small groups, and struggling readers may be assigned to one of the District’s reading intervention programs.

For more information about reading intervention programs, contact your child's teacher or the school's reading consultant specialist.

Strategies for Parents—Helping Your Child Become a Better Reader (English PDF / Spanish PDF).