Stephen Chiger

Stephen Chiger is an educator, author, and literacy expert whose career focuses on supporting students in developing reading and writing skills. Chiger taught high school English and journalism for more than a decade in New Jersey and works at Uncommon Schools, where he directs literacy curriculum and assessment for multiple grades. Prior to this role, he was the Howitt Fellow for School Leadership at North Star Academy College Preparatory High School, serving as a member of the leadership team, English Department chair, and founder of the school's journalism program. During his tenure, the school closed the national SAT achievement gap in literacy.

As director of 5-12 literacy for Uncommon Schools, Chiger manages English language arts curriculum, training, and instruction across the network. In this capacity, he led Uncommon's Newark middle and high schools to outperform economically advantaged counterparts on state and national assessments. Chiger has trained thousands of educators in literacy instruction, bringing research-based strategies to classrooms and school leaders nationwide. He has been recognized by the Dow Jones Newspaper Fund, the Journalism Education Association, and the Society of Professional Journalists, and has been a fellow of The Academy for Teachers and the American Society of Newspaper Editors.

Chiger is the co-author of "Love and Literacy," a book on secondary English pedagogy co-written with Paul Bambrick-Santoyo. "Love and Literacy" explores the classrooms of teachers who have guided students to high levels of literacy, emphasizing that students engage with texts when they understand them. Chiger also co-wrote "Gram and Gran Save the Summer," a book of solve-it-yourself mysteries that teaches media literacy to younger readers in grades 4 through 7. This work reflects his commitment to making literacy accessible and engaging for readers of all ages.

Chiger has served as president of the Garden State Scholastic Press Association and co-director of the Hugh N. Boyd Journalism Diversity Workshop, and was named Educator of the Year by the New Jersey Council of Teachers of English. He also co-founded a nonprofit that operated a summer camp for high school students interested in media diversity and journalism careers. Chiger holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Lafayette College, a Master of Science in Journalism from Northwestern University, and a Master of Education in Educational Leadership from Columbia University. His background spans journalism, classroom teaching, and educational leadership, positioning him as a voice on literacy, equity, and student achievement.