An examination of secondary reading specialists: Demographic, training, and employment characteristics

Research indicates a need for support for struggling readers at the secondary level. Research further indicates that these students need access to reading specialists that can provide them with expert guidance and instruction to improve their reading skills. Minimal research has been conducted on reading specialists at the secondary level, so little is known about these teachers. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the demographic, training, and employment characteristics of secondary reading specialists. Selected data from the National Center for Education Statistics' 1990-1991, 1993-1994, and 1999-2000 Schools and Staffing Surveys were utilized in this study. The results show that there are a strikingly small number of full-time reading specialists employed at the secondary level. Further, the data reveals that these teachers are primarily White and have an average age of approximately 45 years. Additionally, many of these teachers hold neither a major nor minor degree in the field of reading, but the majority hold teaching certification in the field of reading and hold full teaching certification. Additionally, the data show that these teachers are disproportionately trained at certain type of institutions of higher education. This study examines these characteristics and offers suggestions for future research in the area of secondary reading specialists.