Education Specialist

Position Summary:

Reports directly to the Supervisor(s) of Education Unit and to the Senior Director of Educational Achievement & Partnerships as a member of the Education Specialist Unit within the Foster Care Program.

Children’s Aid Mission:

To help children in poverty to succeed and thrive. We do this by providing comprehensive support to children and their families in targeted high-needs New York City neighborhoods. Children’s Aid annually serves children and their families at over 40 sites in New York, as well as through three national program models. Children’s Aid is concentrating its efforts on creating cradle-through-college pathways in high-need neighborhoods, with a focus on children’s health, family stability, education, and social and emotional development.

Culture and Values

We put children, youth, and families first: We listen to and incorporate the voices of children, youth and families in all that we do.
We seek equity and transformation in our communities: We courageously work within and outside systems to create opportunities for children, youth and families.
We strive for excellence: We hold ourselves to the highest standards and are committed to continuous learning and improvement.
We are powered by collaboration: Our work is stronger when we trust, partner, and respect each other and the communities we serve.
We are driven by compassion: We lead with kindness, care, and empathy and believe in the endless potential of the people we serve and our team.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Exemplary organizational skills and knowledge of mandates, laws, regulations that directly impact youth in foster care in NYC.
• Exemplary maintenance of students’ records in e-files, on dash board, and documented in CNNX and CARE4
• Assists in onboarding new staff via presenting mini workshops, one-on-one assistance/trainings
• Utilize the most current educational data to monitor, advocate and refer students for educational intervention and support services in meeting the individual academic needs of students.
• Conduct customized education-based professional development workshops for educators, caseworkers, foster/biological parents
• Refer, monitor & track the effectiveness of afterschool tutoring and other support services; serve as the liaison between the tutors and the schools.
• Cultivate partnerships with other CBOs, schools, support agencies, and businesses to leverage resources in expanding opportunities for exposure and experiences that can positively impact achievement outcomes.
• Consistently and accurately document /maintain progress notes and copies of educational documentation; ensure compliance with timelines and accuracy for data entered updated in Connections.
• Knowledge of CARE4 and how to interact with the database.
• Ensure educational stability as per ACS policy and regulations, by advocating for the rights of foster children to receive a quality, consistent educational experience in their school of origin.
• Coordinate/trouble- shoot transportation and logistical issues related to transporting foster children to their schools of origin.
• Conduct school visits, schedule meetings with pertinent school personnel, dialogue with students and parents, and monitor school documentation to ensure that appropriate academic interventions, mandated special education supports (as applicable), social/emotional supports, and opportunities to participate in extracurricular programming are provided as mandated or needed.
• In collaboration with the caseworkers, participate in educational planning meetings including IEP/504, disciplinary hearings, PT Conferences, and other educational meetings in support of the foster students and their families.
• Attend transitional conferences for new intakes to ensure educational planning is discussed with biological and foster parents, respectively.
• Knowledge of how to make timely Early Intervention referrals for families with children in the home who are 0 – 3 years of age
• Work collaboratively with caseworkers to increase the number of foster students who complete high school/ or earn a GED and attend college by targeting at-risk youth, assisting them in developing academic and vocational goals, and matching individual student needs with academic/financial/and other support services./programs.
• Participate in supervision, in-service training, and Education Specialist Team Meetings.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Minimally -Bachelor's Degree required in social work, education or related field: Master’s preferred
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with youth and families.
• Experience in working collaboratively as part of a team.
• Knowledge of the D.O.E and its Special Education programs.
• Knowledge of Foster Care/Adoption field is helpful.
• Excellent oral, writing and organizational skills.
• Flexibility and ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Bilingual (Spanish/English) a plus.
• Driver’s License a plus