Foster Care Education Specialist - Student Success

Children's Aid; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 57,000 - 63,000; Full time

Job summary

Children’s Aid seeks an Education Specialist to support foster youth in New York City. You will report to the Supervisor of the Education Unit and the Senior Director of Educational Achievement & Partnerships as part of the Education Specialist Unit within the Foster Care Program.

The role focuses on advocating for educational stability, coordinating school-based services, and collaborating with caseworkers to improve student outcomes.

Qualifications

• 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.

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.]

Skills

Excellent communication

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's Degree in social work/education/related field

Master's degree preferred

Job description

Children’s Aid seeks an Education Specialist to support foster youth in New York City. You will report to the Supervisor of the Education Unit and the Senior Director of Educational Achievement & Partnerships as part of the Education Specialist Unit within the Foster Care Program.

The role focuses on advocating for educational stability, coordinating school-based services, and collaborating with caseworkers to improve student outcomes.