Rita M. Bean

Rita M. Bean, PhD, is a Professor Emerita in the School of Education at the University of Pittsburgh, where she previously directed the university Reading Center for many years. Before joining the university, she worked as an elementary teacher and K–12 reading supervisor/reading specialist, experiences that have strongly informed her scholarship on reading curriculum, assessment and instruction, and the roles of reading specialists and literacy coaches. She is the coauthor of Cultivating Coaching Mindsets: An Action Guide for Instructional Leaders, as well as influential texts such as The Reading Specialist: Leadership and Coaching for the Classroom, School, and Community and Best Practices of Literacy Leaders: Keys to School Improvement.

Bean has published extensively in journals, books, and monographs on topics including professional learning, literacy coaching, adult literacy, and comprehensive, system-wide literacy programs. A member of the Reading Hall of Fame and a former board member and president of the International Literacy Association, she has helped shape the field through research and leadership roles, including co-chairing the committee that developed the Standards for the Preparation of Literacy Professionals 2017. Her contributions have been recognized with multiple honors, such as the