GF Parent Support Specialist Middle School Pool

Job Title: Gf Specialist Parent Support

Funding this position is partially or fully grant funded. Employment is contingent upon availability of funds.

Pay Grade: IS 5 Duty Days: 209 Date Revised: 03/04/2025 HC

Minimum Qualifications: A high school diploma or equivalent is required. Two (2) years from an accredited college or university is preferred. Two (2) years of experience in education, social services, adult education, community organizations or related fields is required. Some travel may be required for this position. Candidates must have their own transportation and be willing to work evenings and weekends when necessary. Candidates must have a valid Texas driver's license or have the ability to obtain one.

Skill Requirements: This position requires the ability to work with diverse populations. Candidates must be able to read, write and communicate in English. Bilingual candidates preferred. However, some schools will require that the employee be bilingual. This position requires computer, interpersonal, public speaking and problem-solving skills.

Job Purpose and Responsibility: The Parent Support Specialist is responsible for providing support to schools by coordinating programs that build capacity for parent and family engagement. This position is required to comply with federal Title I, Part A regulatory guidelines, which are intended to ensure high academic outcomes for children from low-income families. The role of the PSS is part of a comprehensive effort to increase students' academic achievement by implementing and managing school-wide family engagement initiatives that empower families to become positive, active participants in the education of their children. They serve as connectors among schools, community and home. Collaborate with families to create a welcoming environment, provide involvement opportunities and increase access to information/resources. Develop a plan in collaboration with families and campus administration to embed family engagement in the school's culture.

Essential Functions:

• Contact families through phone calls, emails, and home visits to encourage participation in school and/or District activities and events.
• Conduct annual family needs surveys.
• Establish trusting relationships and serve as a point of contact for families.
• Collaborate with campus administrators to support families of students with attendance issues and other needs, advocate for families, as appropriate.
• Work directly with the principal to support parent/family outreach efforts that impact student achievement; assist with Title I, Part A Parent & Family Engagement requirements.
• Organize and provide ongoing family engagement programming and learning opportunities for families.
• Contribute to a welcoming school environment by creating and maintaining a Family Welcome Center at their campus with relevant materials and resources that promote and support family engagement.
• Assist with preparing outreach materials for distribution in language(s) of families served (i.e., event flyers, family engagement calendar, etc.)
• Assist families in navigating the school system, and understanding available campus, district, and community resources and services.
• Collaborate with other Parent Support Specialists, the Family Engagement Support Office and other campus/district staff to coordinate parent/family engagement events, workshops, and initiatives.
• Develop ongoing relationships with community-based organizations; refer families to community-based organizations, as appropriate.
• Attend parent and family engagement training and meetings, ACPTA general meetings, Campus PTA meetings, Campus Advisory Council and other relevant meetings within the community, as appropriate.
• Participate in required monthly PSS professional development training.
• Participate in vertical team meetings.
• Maintain a family engagement binder or electronic portfolio that demonstrates the facilitation and implementation of the Title I Parent Support program at assigned school.
• Document all family engagement activities in the district's ECST data collection system.
• Survey participants after engagement events and workshops.
• Provide an exceptional experience for all Austin ISD stakeholders by promoting a culture of respect and focus on achieving equitable outcomes.

Other Duties As Assigned: Perform other related duties as assigned; however, all employees are expected to comply with lawful directives in rare situations driven by need where a team effort is required.

Physical Effort and Work Environment: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations will be made if necessary. Services are generally provided in an office or school setting with no unusual physical demands or exposure to hazardous situations. This position may involve rare exposure to blood or body fluids. Regular attendance is required for this position.

Personal Work Relationships: This position reports directly to the appropriate supervisor of the department. Candidates will have regular contact with the Family Engagement Support Office staff, who provide training, consultation and supervision as needed. Candidates will consult frequently with teachers, principals, counselors, and other campus staff.

The Austin Independent School District provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

I have read & acknowledge the job description above.

Employee Signature: Date:

Austin Independent School District