DOE Education Specialist

Work for Indiana
Begin a fulfilling career with the State of Indiana by joining one of the largest employers in the state, offering a range of opportunities across 60+ agencies. At the state, you'll find competitive compensation, a robust benefits package and a commitment to work-life balance. Most importantly, you'll have the chance to make a real and measurable impact on the lives of Hoosiers across Indiana.
About the Indiana Department of Education (DOE):
The Indiana Department of Education provides innovative support to Indiana schools, teachers, students, and parents. We proactively work with educators, policymakers, business leaders, and community-based organizations to build student success. Our strategic priorities include:
Delivering quality, purposeful educational opportunities for each student.
Elevating and supporting Indiana’s educators.
Increasing partnerships and delivering aligned, effective, and efficient support.
Role Overview:
The Literacy Center Specialist provides strategic leadership, coordination, and technical support in the design, implementation, and scaling of literacy initiatives aligned to the science of reading. This role plays a critical part in advancing Indiana's commitment to evidence-based instruction by supporting educators, schools, and districts in delivering high-quality foundational reading instruction for students in pre-kindergarten through grade 5.
This specialist interprets and applies state education policy related to literacy, collaborates across departments to align statewide efforts, and develops and disseminates high-quality resources and professional learning opportunities-both in print and digital formats. The specialist also represents Indiana in key statewide and national literacy initiatives.
Role Responsibilities:
Provide leadership in the implementation and continuous improvement of Indiana's Priorities for Early Literacy, ensuring alignment with the science of reading and current research.
Inform and coordinate the development of early literacy initiatives within the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE), particularly those focused on explicit, systematic instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.
Support the development and implementation of instructional guidance, professional development, and technical assistance to ensure strong early literacy practices are in place in PK-5 classrooms.
Analyze literacy data, research, and instructional trends to inform policy development, program design, and resource creation.
Respond to requests for information and support from the State Board of Education, State Legislature, local education agencies, and stakeholders across the state.
Serve as a trusted resource to educators and other departments by providing guidance aligned to the science of reading.
Maintain collaborative relationships with national and state-level educational organizations and contribute to the advancement of best practices in literacy.
Contribute to the development and upkeep of on-line platforms, including Indiana Learning Lab, that serve as professional learning communities for literacy educators.
Participate in cross-functional agency teams and other duties as assigned.
Role Requirements:
The ideal candidate demonstrates a strong foundation in early literacy instruction, policy, and systems-level leadership, with the ability to lead complex, research-based initiatives:
Bachelor's degree in education (Master's degree preferred), with at least five years of successful classroom teaching experience in PK-5 settings.
Active Indiana teaching license preferred.
Documented experience implementing the science of reading in classroom instruction, including use of structured literacy approaches.
Experience designing and delivering professional development or instructional coaching aligned with evidence-based reading practices.
Knowledge of state-level literacy policy, assessment, and curriculum standards.
Experience managing and maintaining digital content and communities of practice.
Salary:
The salary for this position traditionally starts at $59,800.00 but may be commensurate with education and work experience. Use our Compensation Calculator to view the total compensation package.
A Day in the Life:
The essential functions of this role are as follows:
Monitor education program/initiative objectives, outcomes, and actions to achieve agency goals.
Interpret and explain policies, rules, regulations, or laws to constituents within educational institutions.
Implement strategic action plans to address program gaps and opportunities.
Prepare and disseminate reports on program effectiveness.
Ensure program requirements adhere to federal and state policies and grants compliance.
Assist in the training and development of education system employees or agency consultants on program requirements and usage.
Serve as a liaison between agency and other state and federal agencies.
The job profile is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required