Family Support Specialist

Parent Involvement Specialist

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is a district on the rise, serving over 325,000 students in 500+ schools and employing over 45,000 people, most of them teachers. CPS has set ambitious goals to ensure that every student, in every school and every neighborhood, has access to a world-class learning experience that prepares each for success in college, career, and civic life. Aligned with our transformed philosophy, we are steadfastly focused on ensuring that the District provides resources equitably to support every student, every school, and every community. Six core values guide the work we do every day for our students – student-centered, whole child, equity, academic excellence, community partnership, and continuous learning. Each role in the district supports our vision that every student deserves a rigorous, joyful, and equitable learning experience.

The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) works to support networks, schools, and families with all issues related to special education including instruction, interventions, and legal and compliance support. OSD provides the tools and resources to ensure that all students with disabilities receive a high-quality public education that prepares students for success.

Job Summary:

Reporting to the Manager, Academic Access, the Parent Involvement Specialist will be responsible for coordinating, monitoring, and supporting the Department's goal of improving the collaborative relationships between parents, advocacy agencies, educators, and administrative personnel. A key focus will be to support the District's family involvement initiatives with a strategic focus on families of students with disabilities. The Parent Involvement Specialist will provide and coordinate training for parents and District personnel and guide the development of information provided to parents within the Department's website, publications, and communications. This is a full-time, exempt position that will be paid for time worked on a salary basis.

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
• 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:

• High school diploma or GED equivalent, required
• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, preferred
• 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

Financial Security: Planning for Today and Tomorrow

We understand the importance of financial stability, which is why CPS offers strong retirement and savings options:

Basic Life Insurance

Life and Disability Insurance

Pension Plans

Supplemental Retirement Plans (403(b) and 457(b))

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)

Spot Pet Insurance

Work-Life Balance: Supporting Your Personal and Professional Life

CPS values the well-being of its employees and offers competitive paid time off policies:

Paid Leave

Sick Leave

Vacation Days

Parental Leaves

Short-Term Disability

Religious Holidays

Leaves

Reference the Chicago Public Schools: A Comprehensive Benefits Overview or the benefits handbook for comprehensive details.

Conditions of Employment

As a condition of employment with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), employees are required to:

• Establish/Maintain Chicago Residency - Employees are required to live within the geographic boundaries of the City of Chicago within six months of their CPS hire date and maintain residency throughout their employment with the district. The Chicago residency requirement does not apply to temporary/part-time positions, however, all CPS employees must be residents of Illinois.