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Letrs Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Charlotte, NC; or New York City, NY (relocation support provided) * 40 hours/week, 100% in-classroom with K-2 students Your structured-literacy credential -- Orton-Gillingham, LETRS, Wilson, IMSE, or ...

New

Charlotte, NC; or New York City, NY (relocation support provided) * 40 hours/week, 100% in-classroom with K-2 students Your structured-literacy credential -- Orton-Gillingham, LETRS, Wilson, IMSE, or ...

Charlotte, NC; or New York City, NY (relocation support provided) * 40 hours/week, 100% in-classroom with K-2 students Your structured-literacy credential -- Orton-Gillingham, LETRS, Wilson, IMSE, or ...

New

Charlotte, NC; or New York City, NY (relocation support provided) * 40 hours/week, 100% in-classroom with K-2 students Your structured-literacy credential -- Orton-Gillingham, LETRS, Wilson, IMSE, or ...

Charlotte, NC; or New York City, NY (relocation support provided) * 40 hours/week, 100% in-classroom with K-2 students Your structured-literacy credential -- Orton-Gillingham, LETRS, Wilson, IMSE, or ...

Charlotte, NC; or New York City, NY (relocation support provided) * 40 hours/week, 100% in-classroom with K-2 students Your structured-literacy credential -- Orton-Gillingham, LETRS, Wilson, IMSE, or ...

New

Charlotte, NC; or New York City, NY (relocation support provided) * 40 hours/week, 100% in-classroom with K-2 students Your structured-literacy credential -- Orton-Gillingham, LETRS, Wilson, IMSE, or ...

Charlotte, NC; or New York City, NY (relocation support provided) * 40 hours/week, 100% in-classroom with K-2 students Your structured-literacy credential -- Orton-Gillingham, LETRS, Wilson, IMSE, or ...

New

Charlotte, NC; or New York City, NY (relocation support provided) * 40 hours/week, 100% in-classroom with K-2 students Your structured-literacy credential -- Orton-Gillingham, LETRS, Wilson, IMSE, or ...

New

Charlotte, NC; or New York City, NY (relocation support provided) * 40 hours/week, 100% in-classroom with K-2 students Your structured-literacy credential -- Orton-Gillingham, LETRS, Wilson, IMSE, or ...

Charlotte, NC; or New York City, NY (relocation support provided) * 40 hours/week, 100% in-classroom with K-2 students Your structured-literacy credential -- Orton-Gillingham, LETRS, Wilson, IMSE, or ...

Charlotte, NC; or New York City, NY (relocation support provided) * 40 hours/week, 100% in-classroom with K-2 students Your structured-literacy credential -- Orton-Gillingham, LETRS, Wilson, IMSE, or ...

Charlotte, NC; or New York City, NY (relocation support provided) * 40 hours/week, 100% in-classroom with K-2 students Your structured-literacy credential -- Orton-Gillingham, LETRS, Wilson, IMSE, or ...

Charlotte, NC; or New York City, NY (relocation support provided) * 40 hours/week, 100% in-classroom with K-2 students Your structured-literacy credential -- Orton-Gillingham, LETRS, Wilson, IMSE, or ...

Charlotte, NC; or New York City, NY (relocation support provided) * 40 hours/week, 100% in-classroom with K-2 students Your structured-literacy credential -- Orton-Gillingham, LETRS, Wilson, IMSE, or ...

Charlotte, NC; or New York City, NY (relocation support provided) * 40 hours/week, 100% in-classroom with K-2 students Your structured-literacy credential -- Orton-Gillingham, LETRS, Wilson, IMSE, or ...

Charlotte, NC; or New York City, NY (relocation support provided) * 40 hours/week, 100% in-classroom with K-2 students Your structured-literacy credential -- Orton-Gillingham, LETRS, Wilson, IMSE, or ...

New

Training in LETRS, Glean Education's Online Learning Academy, AIM Institute, Keys to Literacy, and/or other Science of Reading-based professional learning. * Exemplary knowledge of delivering reading ...

Letrs information

What is LETRS?

LETRS stands for 'Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling.' It is a professional development program designed to educate teachers, especially those working with early readers, on the science of reading and evidence-based literacy instruction. LETRS-trained educators learn how to teach foundational reading skills, assess students’ literacy needs, and use strategies grounded in research to help all students become proficient readers. The program covers topics such as phonics, phonological awareness, vocabulary, comprehension, and writing instruction.

What does a LETRS educator do?

A LETRS job typically involves training educators in the Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) program. This professional development program equips teachers with research-based strategies to improve literacy instruction. Individuals in LETRS-related roles may facilitate workshops, provide coaching, or support schools in implementing effective reading interventions. These jobs are often held by literacy specialists, instructional coaches, or educators looking to enhance reading outcomes.

What skills and qualifications are needed to thrive as a LETRS educator?

To thrive as a LETRS educator, you need a solid background in literacy instruction, reading science, and educational best practices, often supported by a teaching degree and LETRS training certification. Familiarity with LETRS curriculum materials, assessment tools, and data tracking systems is vital. Outstanding communication, adaptability, and a passion for ongoing professional development set exceptional educators apart in this role. These skills enable educators to implement evidence-based reading instruction effectively, improving student literacy outcomes.

What are common challenges faced by educators when implementing LETRS training?

One of the most common challenges educators encounter when implementing LETRS training is adapting existing instructional practices to align with evidence-based literacy strategies. Teachers may also find it time-consuming to integrate new routines and materials, especially when balancing other curriculum requirements. Collaboration with colleagues and ongoing support from administrators can help ease the transition and ensure that the training translates into effective classroom practice. Open communication and access to professional learning communities are key to overcoming these hurdles.

What is the difference between Letrs vs Reading Specialist?

AspectLetrsReading Specialist
CredentialsTypically requires teaching certification and literacy trainingRequires teaching certification and specialized reading certifications
Work EnvironmentClassroom-based, often in elementary schoolsSchool-based, focusing on reading intervention and assessment
Industry UsageUsed as a literacy program and teaching methodUsed as a specialized role for reading intervention
PurposeTo improve literacy skills through structured lessonsTo assess and support students with reading difficulties

While Letrs is a literacy program and teaching method, a Reading Specialist is a trained educator who provides targeted reading interventions. Both roles focus on literacy, but Letrs is more about instructional content, whereas a Reading Specialist offers personalized support and assessment.

How to become LETRS certified?

To become LETRS certified, individuals typically complete the official training program offered by the provider, which includes attending in-person or online courses and passing assessments. Certification often requires a commitment to professional development in literacy instruction and may involve ongoing learning or renewal processes.

What are the most commonly searched types of Letrs jobs in California?

The most popular types of Letrs jobs in California are:

Infographic showing various Letrs job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 73% Full Time, 22% Part Time, and 5% Contract. Highlights an 90% Physical, and 10% Remote job distribution.

Reading Specialist II

2 Hour Learning

Santa Monica, CA • On-site

$120K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision

This job post has expired 1 day ago. Applications are no longer accepted.


Job description

  • $120,000/year salaried, paid weekly, with day-one health, dental, and vision benefits
  • On-site at one Alpha campus: Beverly Hills, La Jolla (San Diego), Lake Forest (Orange County), Palo Alto, Piedmont, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Santa Monica, or South Bay (LA), CA; Greenwich, CT; Boca Raton or Miami Beach, FL; Chicago, IL; Boston, MA; Charlotte, NC; or New York City, NY (relocation support provided)
  • 40 hours/week, 100% in-classroom with K-2 students

Your structured-literacy credential — Orton-Gillingham, LETRS, Wilson, IMSE, or a Master's in reading instruction — got you in the door of every K-2 reading job you've applied to. In most of them, it was also the ceiling: you implemented someone else's program and reported on it. Here the credential is the starting line. If that distinction matters to you, keep reading.

Alpha has torn up traditional instruction. Students complete academic coursework independently on AI-adaptive apps. No lectures, no textbooks, no pacing guides. Your role is the one place a human expert is irreplaceable. You design 20-minute small-group workshops from real-time app data; the sessions are short by design, because precision beats length. You also run motivation sessions that drive 100% of your students to their weekly app goals using Alpha's motivational model (school currency, leaderboards, age-appropriate gamification). You hear a student's miscue mid-session, pinpoint the phonemic gap, and have tomorrow's workshop redesigned by end of day. That's the standard.

Families at these campuses have chosen Alpha for outcomes, not just attendance. Parents see weekly data on their child's reading growth and they have views. You will be asked direct questions about how a specific student is progressing, and "they're doing fine" will not be an acceptable answer. You will need to point to the running record, name the phonemic gap, and explain what you are doing about it. That accountability should feel like fuel, not friction.

Your first months are about earning the room. Workshops have to be fun, leveled, and visibly effective; student satisfaction and "love your Guide" surveys (target 90%+) measure that directly. As you prove it, your scope extends past your own classroom: what works for your students becomes the pattern other Alpha campuses adopt, and your diagnostic rigor shapes how reading is taught as Alpha grows. What you build here doesn't stop at your door.

Before we hire you, you'll record a short video telling an engaging story for young kids, and you'll spend a full day on campus working directly with K-2 students. Flat energy with kids won't pass, no matter how strong your credentials. That's by design. Apply today.

What you will be doing

  • Designing small-group K-2 reading workshops from live adaptive-app data, grounded in structured-literacy methods (Orton-Gillingham, Wilson, LETRS, IMSE, or equivalent)
  • Running daily motivation sessions that get 100% of your students to their weekly app goals using Alpha's motivational model (school currency, leaderboards, age-appropriate gamification)
  • Interpreting AI-generated performance data (fluency curves, decoding accuracy, comprehension signal) to adjust instruction mid-day, not just in pre-planning
  • Administering running records, fluency probes, and decoding assessments to produce gains visible on the weekly campus data review
  • Being the relatable, energetic adult your K-2 students look forward to seeing every day

What you won't be doing

  • Following a published reading curriculum, scripted program, or district pacing guide; you design lessons from student data
  • Lecturing to a full classroom; all instruction happens in small, focused groups and students complete academic subjects via adaptive apps
  • Working as a reading consultant, coach to other teachers, or district-level specialist; you are in the classroom with kids every day
  • Running a traditional classroom block: subject-by-subject lectures, homework review, test prep. Your scheduled blocks are workshops, motivation sessions, and data-driven small groups instead
  • Writing IEPs, 504 plans, or formal diagnostic reports; student progress lives in app data and your running records, not in special-education paperwork

Reading Specialist II key responsibilities

Produce measurable K-2 reading gains across phonics, fluency, and comprehension in a campus community where outcomes are reviewed weekly.

Basic Requirements

  • Structured-literacy certification (Orton-Gillingham, LETRS, Wilson Reading System, IMSE, CERI, Neuhaus, UFLI, or equivalent) OR a Master's degree in reading instruction
  • Bachelor's degree in any subject, plus 2+ years of full-time K-2 structured reading instruction in a school or clinical setting within the last 5 years, using systematic phonics or structured literacy
  • Demonstrated ability to design your own reading lessons and articulate what you teach and how, without relying on a published program
  • Willingness to work in person full-time at one Alpha campus: Beverly Hills, La Jolla (San Diego), Lake Forest (Orange County), Palo Alto, Piedmont, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Santa Monica, or South Bay (LA), CA; Greenwich, CT; Boca Raton or Miami Beach, FL; Chicago, IL; Boston, MA; Charlotte, NC; or New York City, NY (relocation support provided)
  • Willingness to work with all K-2 students (not only struggling readers) and integrate AI and adaptive-learning tools into daily instruction as those tools evolve
  • Legally authorized to work in the U.S. without visa sponsorship

Nice-to-have Requirements

  • Hands-on experience with AI-powered or adaptive reading platforms (e.g., Amira, Lexia, i-Ready, Reading Plus) for planning or student data analysis
  • Track record of measurable reading outcomes (fluency gains in WCPM, accuracy improvement, decoding level advancement) you can name with numbers
  • Experience with diagnostic reading assessments (DRA, DIBELS, AIMSweb) for forming differentiated groups
  • Experience in high-accountability school environments (independent, elite charter, premium tutoring with families who track outcomes closely)
  • Background performing, coaching youth sports, or otherwise holding a K-2 audience outside the reading classroom

About Alpha

Want to join a learning rebellion that's transforming the traditional classroom?

Alpha School is on a mission to reshape education with a bold approach that harnesses AI to accelerate learning and unleash student potential.

They don't play by the old rules.

Alpha is creating a new paradigm where students master core academics in just two hours a day, freeing up time for hands-on, passion-driven learning that truly prepares them for the real world.

Alpha School is rewriting the rules of education.

Sounds too good to be true? It's not.