Staff Specialist - Baltimore, United States - Baltimore City Public School System

Description

District Office - Position - Special Education

Job Number

Start Date

Open Date 01/24/2024

Closing Date

The primary role of the Homeless Education Liaison is to ensure that City Schools and its partners identify and enroll children and youth experiencing homelessness and provide such children and youth with a full and equal opportunity to success in school. The Homeless Education Liaison's duties are those mandated by Title VII, Subtitle B of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (Public Law , Education for Homeless Children and Youth, Title X, Part C, Subtitle B as implemented in Maryland under COMAR 13A A(5) ("McKinney-Vento").

Essential Functions

• Serves as City Schools' point person and cross-department contact for development and implementation of policies and procedures related to homeless students as required by the McKinney-Vento Act, ESEA (Every Student Succeeds Act) and ensure that City Schools' forms and communications materials correctly reflect these policies and procedures.
• Ensures that effective policies and procedures are in place to facilitate the provision of services to each eligible homeless student that are comparable to services offered to other students in the local school system, including (a) Public preschool programs; (b) Educational programs and services; (c) Programs in career and technology education; (d) Special Education programs; (e) Programs for gifted and talented students; (f) Before-school and after-school programs; (g) School meal programs; and (h) Transportation.
• Monitors and resolves school district-wide problems relating to the identification of and provision of services to homeless students.
• Works directly with schools to ensure the identification and training of McKinney-Vento/ Homeless Coordinator in each school, facilitate regular communication and information sharing among such school-based coordinators, and development materials for school-based coordinators to use in training other school-based staff.
• Prepares training materials for and ensure the training of district office staff in the areas of the McKinney-Vento Act relevant to their positions, e.g. Transportation, Enrollment & Attendance, Title I, Communications, and School Support.
• Develops and distributes linguistically and culturally appropriate McKinney-Vento outreach materials and disseminate public notice of the educational rights of homeless children and youth in the schools, community agencies, family shelters, soup kitchens, and organizations where such children and youth receive services.
• Work with homeless parents or guardians of homeless children and youth and unaccompanied youth to ensure they are advised of available educational and related opportunities; through best interest determination they are fully informed and assisted with timely decision-making for school placement; that they are fully informed and supported with of all modes of transportation, including transportation to the school of origin; and that parents or guardians are provided with meaningful opportunities to participate in the education of their children.
• Trains school counselors and college access programs to ensure that unaccompanied homeless youth are made aware of, and assisted to fill out, school benefits and post-high school benefits such as scholarship programs dedicated to homeless youth. Ensures clear procedures and enough resources for support of unaccompanied youth are implemented, both those who are in school and those who are returning to school.
• Conducts needs assessments to ensure that students and families & schools have enough tangible supports and supplies to provide to homeless students and their families, including by recruiting charities, businesses, and volunteer organizations to donate supplies (e.g. school supplies, uniform).
• Ensures that preschool-age homeless children have access to City Schools' preschool programs and are referred to Baltimore City Head Start.
• Works with City Schools' leadership to ensure waiver of fees and to streamline reimbursement process for timely reimbursement for any outlays for educational or transportation expenses.
• Ensures that disputes related to enrollment, school choice, transportation, and other services are mediated according to City Schools' appeal process.
• In conjunction with school-based McKinney Vento/ Homeless coordinators or School Support Liaisons, and the Office of Achievement and Accountability, ensures the tracking of attendance and achievement of the population of McKinney-Vento eligible students ensures the compiling and analyzing of data to make evidence-based decisions, and collaboratively work regularly with educators and advocates within City Schools and the broader community to develop effective strategies to improve overall student performance.
• Coordinates and collaborates with the Maryland State Department of Education - Homeless Education Coordinator. Track data on City Schools' homeless services programs and projects to ensure City Schools' compliance with applicable statutory and regulatory requirements and report such data to appropriate authorizes as necessary. Engage in regular communication with the Office of Achievement and Accountability to develop recommendations on amount of and uses for Title I set aside for McKinney-Vento eligible students.
• Establishes and maintains collaborative relationships with agencies and community groups to ensure effective identification of and coordinator of services to homeless students and their families. Help draft and carry out requirements of Memorandum of Understanding with outside agencies, including Mayor's Office of Human Services - Homeless Services Division and Baltimore City Head Start, on data sharing, identification, cross-training, and cross-referral of McKinney-Vento eligible students.
• Works with City Schools' Office of Achievement and Accountability grants, outside agencies, community groups, foundations, and others to develop a source of revenue (or in-kind services) for staffing for and services to homeless students and their families.
• Coordinates with other local school systems on inter-district issues, such as best interest, transportation or transfer of school records.
• Trains and works collaboratively with community representatives, governmental officials, and others who work with McKinney-Vento families.
• Performs and promotes all activities in compliance with equal employment and nondiscrimination policies; follows federal laws, state laws, school board's policies and the professional standards for program evaluation.

COMPETENCIES

• Customer Focus - Commits to meeting the expectations and requirements of internal and external stakeholders; acts with stakeholders in mind; values importance of providing high-quality customer service.
• Interpersonal Skills - Builds constructive and effective relationships; uses diplomacy and tact to diffuse tense situations; can put others at ease and disarm hostility.
• Managing Relationships - Responds and relates well to people in all positions; is seen as a team player and is cooperative; looks for common ground and solves problems for the good of all.
• Functional/Technical Skills - Possesses required functional and technical knowledge and skill to accomplish job tasks at a high level; demonstrates active interest and ability to enhance and apply new functional skills.

Maximum Salary

Minimum Salary

Desired Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in counseling, social work, psychology, education, or related fields. Degree must be from an accredited college or institution. Master's degree (preferred).
• One year of related experience in student counseling, teaching or implementing student support programs.
• Experience with assessment, case management, and interpersonal and good customer support skills.
• Experience with providing support activities for students and their families.
• Preferred knowledge of ESEA (Every Student Succeeds Act) McKinney-Vento school law, guidelines, and requirements; knowledge and understanding of intervention strategies and referral sources relating to homelessness.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including creating and giving professional presentations and trainings
• Proficiency in the use of technical computer applications including Microsoft Word, Access, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Full time or Part time Full time

Additional Details

Qualified candidates for the above position must submit the following:

• Completed online application
• Resume that clearly demonstrates the above minimum qualifications. It is important that you include all experiences and education related to the position to which you are applying.
• Upload copies of all transcripts -undergraduate, graduate and all MSDE Certifications
• Must provide three (3) professional references to include: name, title, business address, e-mail address and phone number
• All documentation/certification necessary (scanned copies accepted) to substantiate minimum qualifications; must be uploaded into application
• All documentation must be scanned and uploaded to application

Benefits -- This position is eligible for benefits. To review the available options please see the information relevant to the union for this position by viewing the following link:

Baltimore City Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ancestry or national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or age in its employment, programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts of America and other designated youth groups. For inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies, please contact Equal Opportunity Manager, Title IX Coordinator Equal Employment Opportunity and Title IX Compliance Office 200 E. North Avenue, Room 208 Baltimore, MD 21202; phone); fax).

This position is affiliated with the Paraprofessionals and School Related Personnel (PSRP) bargaining unit.

This position is affiliated with the City Retirement Plan.