K-12 Homeless Liason

Billings Public Schools; Billings Township (MI); On-site; USD 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

Billings Public Schools is seeking a K-12 Homeless Liaison to provide comprehensive intake, assessment, and coordination of services for homeless students under the McKinney-Vento Act. This role supports the academic, personal, and social needs of qualifying students across grades K-12 and works closely with teachers, staff, and families to maximize access to educational opportunities.

The position requires valid Montana OPI certification or equivalent qualifications, a relevant bachelor's

Qualifications

• Valid Montana OPI Certification.
• Bachelor's degree in education, school counseling, social work, psychology, or related field.
• Experience providing services for school-aged children (minimum 1 year) or an equivalent combination.

Responsibilities

• Interpret and follow the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act, other legal rights, and District policies for homeless youth and families.
• Identify homeless youth with assistance from school personnel and through coordination with other entities and agencies.
• Inform parents/guardians of homeless and unaccompanied youth of their rights under the McKinney-Vento Act.
• Inform parents/guardians of opportunities available to homeless youth, ensuring access to services.
• Assist in enrollment of homeless youth and obtaining school records and supplies.
• Coordinate with district food service to ensure students receive free meals at school and inform families about backpack meals and food pantries.
• Coordinate transportation to keep homeless youth in their school of origin.
• Attend school meetings (IEPs, 504s, parent meetings) as requested.
• Provide opportunities for parents/guardians to participate in their children's education.
• Communicate regularly with parents, teachers, and administrators as a resource for staff, parents, and students.
• Distribute public notice of educational rights of homeless youth.
• Be knowledgeable and collaborate with community resources and services.
• Provide referrals to community resources based on need.
• Conduct awareness presentations to staff and community groups; annual update to district and school administration.
• Collaborate with district programs (Indian Education, Special Education, Foster Care, HiSET Options, preschool, Young Families, Adult Education, summer school, etc.).
• Collaborate with agencies with formal partnerships (Tumbleweed, YBGR, Aware, Teen Pantry, etc.).
• Conduct home visits and maintain communication with homeless families and youth.
• Maintain documentation of identified students (attendance, grades) per grant goals and collaborate with schools/families to improve outcomes.
• Work with district personnel on grants and budgets.
• Coordinate with Montana OPI Homeless Education for services to homeless youth.
• Ensure expenditures stay within grant scope and budgets with accurate records.
• Attend community meetings and participate in task forces/committees as requested.
• Maintain inventories of donated items and distribute to eligible homeless youth.
• Stay current with best practices and policy updates; advise on revisions needed.
• Conduct annual program evaluations for effectiveness and improvement.
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills

Experience with school-aged children

Education

Bachelor's degree in education, school counseling, social work, psychology, or related field

Equivalent combination of education, training and experience

Montana OPI Certification

Job description

K-12 Homeless Liaison

BEA Salary Schedule

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Valid Montana OPI Certification
• Bachelor's degree in education, school counseling, social work, psychology, or a related field AND a minimum of one year of experience providing services for school aged children; OR,
• An equivalent combination of relevant education, training and experience.

JOB GOAL: To provide comprehensive intake, assessment, coordination of services to families and students in grades K-12 who qualify under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (Title IX, Part A). This includes but is not limited to providing support and activities to meet the academic, personal, and social needs of qualifying students, consult and coordinate with teachers, staff, and parents to enhance their effectiveness in helping students; and provide support to other instructional programs.

PERFORMANCE RESPONSIBILITIES (may include but not limited to the following):

• Interpret and follow the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act, other legal rights, and District policies and procedures for homeless youth and families.
• Identify homeless youth with assistance from school personnel and through coordination activities with other entities and agencies
• Inform parents/guardians of homeless and unaccompanied youth of their rights under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act.
• Inform parents/guardians of homeless youth of the educational and related opportunities available to them, ensuring they are able to access and receive these services.
• Assist in the enrollment of homeless youth and in acquiring necessary school records and any needed school supplies.
• Coordinate with district food service to ensure students receive free meals at school. This includes informing youth and families of the backpack meals and food pantries.
• Coordinate transportation services to ensure homeless youth can stay in their school of origin.
• Attend school meetings as requested, ie..IEPs, 504s, parent meetings, etc..
• Provide opportunities for parents/guardians to participate in the education of their children.
• Communicate regularly with parents, teachers, and administrators, serving as a resource for school staff, parents, and students.
• Distribute public notice of the educational rights of homeless youth.
• Be knowledgeable and collaborative with appropriate community resources and services.
• Provide referrals to community resources based upon student and family need.
• Conduct awareness presentations to school staff, service providers, community groups, etc.. as requested. This includes an annual update to district and school administration.
• Collaborate with other programs in Billings Public Schools such as but not limited to the following: Indian Education, Special Education, Foster Care, HiSET Options, preschool, Young Families, Adult Education, summer school, etc.
• Collaborate with agencies that have a formal partnership with the school district such as, but not limited to the following: Tumbleweed, YBGR, Aware, Teen Pantry, etc..
• Conduct home visits and maintain communication with homeless families and youth.
• Maintain required documentation of identified students, including but not limited to the following: attendance, academic achievement/grades per goals set forth in the homeless grant application and collaborate with schools and families in improving the outcomes.
• Work with district personnel in completing any state block grants, or other grants.
• Coordinate and collaborate with the Montana Office of Public Instruction Homeless Education department/coordinator for the provision of education and related services to homeless youth.
• Ensure all expenditures are within the scope of the grant and other budgets, keeping accurate records of expenditures.
• Attend community meetings and participate in community task forces/committees as requested.
• Maintain inventories of donated items, and coordinate and distribute to eligible homeless youth.
• Continue with professional development, staying current with best and innovative practices, remaining current with federal, state, and district policies and procedures, and advise the district should policies and procedures need revisions and/or updates.
• Conduct annual program evaluations for effectiveness and improvement.
• Other applicable duties as assigned.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

The physical demands described herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job: standing 50 percent or more and ability to move around a classroom. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

OTHER:

• Must be able to provide own transportation and ability to drive to schools and community services.
• Skills in critical thinking, problem analysis, program management, and resolution.
• Ability to maintain effective professional relationships with staff, students, parents, and the public.
• Ability to follow directions.
• Demonstrated communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work effectively with people from a variety of culturally diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Ability to maintain acceptable work attendance levels.
• Ability to work during different scheduled hours as needs determine.
• Ability to work during different scheduled hours as needs determine, including some time during the summer months.

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER:

This employer does not knowingly discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, or national origin.

Closes:

Open Until Filled

* Please Note: Positions posted as "Open Until Filled" must be posted for a minimum of 10 calendar days and then can close at any time after that.