Dara Hoffman
Ellicott City
Summary
National Board Certified educator and certified Reading Specialist with over 20 years of elementary teaching experience and deep expertise in structured literacy and the Science of Reading. Proven instructional leader with experience guiding curriculum implementation, facilitating data-driven instructional cycles, mentoring educators, and supporting multi-tiered systems of support. Committed to building collaborative literacy systems that improve outcomes for diverse learners.
Overview
22
22
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Classroom Teacher
Veterans Elementary School
01.2007 - Current
- Deliver explicit, systematic literacy instruction aligned to Maryland College and Career Ready Standards and Science of Reading research.
- Implement structured literacy practices across phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, morphology, and comprehension.
- Integrate evidence-based programs including UFLI Foundations and HMH Into Reading to ensure vertical alignment and instructional coherence.
- Utilize formative, benchmark, and diagnostic assessments to analyze student growth and guide instructional adjustments.
- Lead small-group guided reading and skill-based intervention aligned to MTSS frameworks.
- Design scaffolded instruction for students with IEPs, 504 Plans, and multilingual learners.
- Collaborate with special educators, ELD teachers, and reading specialists to develop cohesive literacy plans across instructional settings.
- Serve as Literacy Lead for HMH Into Reading implementation, supporting teachers in curriculum rollout, instructional alignment, and planning.
- Facilitate grade-level data meetings as Grade-Level Data Lead, guiding collaborative analysis of student performance and instructional planning cycles.
- Contribute to School Improvement Team initiatives with a focus on literacy goal setting and strategic action planning.
- Serve as Teacher Leader for countywide Systemic Professional Learning, contributing to professional development design and facilitation.
- Mentor Towson University interns and serve as Learning Partner Teacher for non-tenured educators, providing instructional coaching and feedback to strengthen literacy practices.
- Act as liaison to Howard Community College Teacher Education Program, supporting partnerships in teacher preparation and instructional best practices.
- Support cross-grade vertical alignment conversations to strengthen foundational literacy skill progression.
4th Grade Classroom Teacher
Phelps Luck Elementary School
01.2004 - 01.2007
- Delivered standards-aligned literacy and content instruction.
- Participated in collaborative professional learning communities to analyze student achievement data and refine instructional practices.
- Supported differentiated literacy instruction to meet the needs of diverse learners.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Education, Reading Specialist
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MDBachelor of Arts - Elementary Education, History, Environmental Science
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MISkills
- Instructional Expertise
- Instructional Coaching
- Teacher Mentorship
- Professional Learning Facilitation
- Grade-Level Leadership
- Schoolwide Literacy Leadership
- Collaborative Team Facilitation
- Assessment Leadership
- Equity and Differentiation for Literacy Instruction of Diverse Learners
Certification
National Board Certification – Middle Childhood Generalist
Effective December 9, 2023
State of Maryland – Advanced Professional License
Endorsements: Reading Specialist; Elementary Education (1–6); Early Childhood (PreK–3); Middle School
Additional Endorsements: Reading (12); Special Education
Professional Learning
- Science of Reading Fundamentals for Maryland Educators, Ongoing
- LETRS Volume 1, 2024-09-01
Timeline
Classroom Teacher
Veterans Elementary School
01.2007 - Current
4th Grade Classroom Teacher
Phelps Luck Elementary School
01.2004 - 01.2007
Bachelor of Arts - Elementary Education, History, Environmental Science
Michigan State University
Bachelor of Science - Education, Reading Specialist
Johns Hopkins University