Parent Involvement Specialist

The Parent Involvement Specialist will be held accountable for the following responsibilities:

Provide workshops and training to parents and educators of students with disabilities that focus on collaboration, effective communication, and working with parents as equal educational partners

Collaborate with an advisory committee of parents of students with disabilities, special education personnel, school administration, and personnel of advocacy agencies for the purpose of providing recommendations to the Chief Officer of the Office of Special Education on how to continue improving the overall quality of special education programs and services within the Chicago Public Schools

Attend local special education advisory boards/committees on an as-needed basis to provide communication to parents at the local levels

Establish relationships with existing parent involvement departments, initiatives, or sister agencies to ensure that parents of students with disabilities are participants in those efforts

Develop and utilize needs assessment for parents of students with disabilities to help guide the District’s efforts in supporting parent involvement

Collect, maintain, and analyze parent involvement data to determine the correlation of improved involvement to improved student outcomes

Establish partnerships with advocacy agencies to create supportive networks for parents that focus on collaborative relationships with schools and educators

Provide and/or coordinate workshops for parents of students with disabilities on a variety of topics that will assist them with understanding and navigating the special education process

Promote the use of early conflict resolution to help parents and educators maintain positive working relationships

Other duties as assigned

In order to be successful and achieve the above responsibilities, the Parent Involvement Specialist must possess the following qualifications:

Education Required:

High school diploma or GED equivalent, required

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, preferred

Experience Required:

Minimum of two (2) years of experience supporting parents of students with disabilities, required

Bilingual in English and Spanish, preferred

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Effective verbal and non-verbal communication skills

Knowledge of the policies and procedures relating to Federal and Illinois special education laws and regulations

Ability to comprehend and implement OSD processes and procedures

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with others

Knowledge of and ability to use modern office equipment, including Microsoft Office software, internal CPS database

Ability to work independently and manage confidential information

Experience in developing, coordinating and delivering professional training and workshops

Demonstrate sensitivity to cultural and linguistic differences of families and educators

Benefits:

Health & Wellness: Your Care, Your Choice

CPS is committed to providing comprehensive health coverage to our employees and their eligible dependents. You'll have access to a variety of choices to best fit your needs:

Medical Plan Options

Pharmacy

Dental

Vision

Behavioral Health & EAP

Employee Wellness Program