Principal Literacy Specialist

MetaMetrics is an educational research and technology company that provides tools and services to accelerate learning for students of all ages. We form partnerships with exam boards, ed-tech companies, and government agencies, and provide scientific measures of academic achievement to link assessment results with real-world instruction.

The Principal Literacy Specialist is an experienced educator with expertise in the area of English language arts methodologies in the K-12 setting. This individual has practical classroom experience teaching English language arts skills and has leveraged related curricular and assessment tools to monitor and improve student progress. A senior member of the Test Development department, the Principal Literacy Specialist is responsible for:

(i) providing assessment expertise to clients, including exam boards, ed-tech companies, and state departments of education

(ii) developing passages and items for mid- to large-scale assessment contexts and constructing test forms

(iii) writing associated documentation such as: test specifications; validation reports; test administration and scoring protocols; score reporting; test interpretations

(iv) supporting other parts of the business (sales, product management, psychometrics, etc.) in explaining, QA-testing, researching, or enhancing our tools and services

In relation to assessment development and documentation, the Principal Literacy Specialist should adhere to Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing (AERA, APA, NCME, 2014).

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Be the subject matter expert on literacy standards within the Research and Development department. 
• Present the various Lexile frameworks to clients helping them to understand how they align to the five pillars of reading as well as how various frameworks can be integrated into their programs.
• Participate on cross-functional teams to assist with the writing of proposals.
• Develop creative Lexile assessment solutions to meet client needs.
• Participate in the entire test development process, including: needs analysis and test specifications; passage/item development, review and management; data collection; data analysis and scoring; productization and launch; test validation and documentation.
• Work on test development projects as part of a larger team, attending to any area where test development expertise is required; work within approved timelines, budget, and resources while delivering maximum quality.
• Contribute to the development of instructional resources and to the development of new Lexile frameworks.
• Liaise with clients and partners to ensure understanding of assessment development processes and ensure satisfaction with project outcomes.

Supervisory Responsibilities 

None.

Education and/or Experience:

• Master’s in reading, ELA, and/or literacy domain. 
• A minimum of 3 years teaching and/or education experience at the K-12 level with an emphasis in reading comprehension.  
• 10+ years of experience in standards-based educational assessment development, validation, and administration. 
• Thorough understanding of test development processes. 
• Ph.D. in applicable discipline may be substituted for up to 2 years of classroom teaching experience. 

Computer Skills:

Proficient in Windows environment, proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Google Suite, and internet navigation. 

Other Qualities:

• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret common scientific and technical journals in the field of educational assessment and educational instruction.
• Ability to write speeches and articles for publication that conform to prescribed style and format. 
• Ability to effectively present information to top management, public groups, and clients (as necessary).