Social Worker - McKinney-Vento District Liaison

Wake County Public School System; Cary (NC); Hybrid; USD 55,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

None

Job summary

Wake County Public School System is seeking a Social Worker-McKinney-Vento District Liaison to remove barriers for homeless students. The role anchors services under McKinney-Vento, coordinating with district staff and community partners to ensure enrollment and access to supports.

The position requires a master’s in school social work, NC licensure eligibility, and a valid driver’s license, with a hybrid telework-ready schedule and a Monday–Friday work week in Cary, NC.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in school social work from a regionally accredited college or university.
• North Carolina Professional Educator’s License for school social work (required or eligible).
• Valid driver’s license per NC requirements.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and oversight of the federally mandated McKinney-Vento program.
• Identify homeless children and youths through trainings and outreach.
• Ensure access to educational services and full opportunities to succeed.
• Manage grant funding and coordinate services with district, community, and external agencies.
• Develop partnerships to support housing and homelessness services.

Skills

Human behavior knowledge

Social work skills

MS Office & Google Apps

Crisis response skills

Strategic planning

Time management

Confidentiality

Independence

Communication skills

Collaboration

Education

Master's degree in school social work

Tools

Microsoft Office

Google Apps

Job description

POSITION TITLE (Oracle title)

SOCIAL WORKER

WORKING TITLE

Social Worker-McKinney-Vento District Liaison

SCHOOL/DEPARTMENT

Counseling and Student Services (CaSS)/Social Work

LOCATION

Crossroads II, Cary, NC

PAY GRADE

Guidance Counselors/Social Worker Salary Scale

FLSA STATUS

Exempt

ELIGIBILITY FOR EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT

Yes

WORK WEEK SCHEDULE

Monday-Friday (occasional evenings and weekends) Position is eligible for hybrid telework workweek

Position Purpose

Removes barriers that interfere with the legal federal requirements of McKinney-Vento program service delivery through knowledge of federal, state, and local laws, board policy, human behavior, social systems, and social work skills.

Minimum Qualifications

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES (KSAs)

• Extensive knowledge of human behavior, social systems, and social work skills/methods;
• Considerable knowledge of Microsoft Office, specifically Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; Google Apps;
• Effective crisis response skills;
• Effective strategic planning skills and experience supporting system-level improvement;
• Effective time management and organizational skills;
• Strategic problem-solving skills;
• Ability to comply with confidentiality requirements in local, state, and federal policies and statutes;
• Ability to work independently, meet deadlines and accomplish specific tasks quickly, as requested;
• Ability to constantly monitor the safety and well-being of students;
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely both in oral and written form using a variety of communication techniques and tools to ensure the appropriate flow of information, collaborative efforts, and feedback;
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with school system staff, students, parents, community groups, vendors, external agencies, and the public.

Education, Training, And Experience

• Master’s degree in school social work from a regionally accredited college or university.

Certification And License Requirements

• Hold or be qualified to hold a North Carolina Professional Educator’s License for school social work;
• Must hold and maintain a valid motor vehicle operator’s license according to the State of North Carolina requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with children, youth, families;
• Knowledge of federal and state funding for housing and homelessness services;
• Knowledge of housing and homelessness supports within Wake County including how to access such supports;
• Bilingual speaking and writing skills.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Provides leadership, direction and oversight of the federally mandated McKinney-Vento Program.
• Ensures homeless children and youths are identified by school personnel through community, school, district, and individual trainings, community, school and district outreach, and coordination of activities with other entities and agencies.
• Ensures homeless children and youth are enrolled in and have full and equal opportunity to succeed in the school or schools of the LEA.
• Ensures homeless families and homeless children and youths have access to and receive educational services for which such families, children, and youth are eligible.
• Ensures homeless children and youth receive services through Head Start programs (including Early Head Start programs), early intervention services under Part C of the IDEA, and other preschool programs administered by the LEA (Title 1 Preschool).
• Mediates enrollment disputes in accordance with the requirements of the McKinney-Vento Act.
• Ensures parents and guardians and unaccompanied youths are fully informed of all transportation services,
• Ensures school personnel receive professional development and other support.
• Ensures unaccompanied youths are enrolled in school, have opportunities to meet the same challenging State academic standards as the State establishes for other children and youths, are informed of their status as independent students under section 480 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) (20 U.S.C. 1087vv), and their right to receive verification of this status from the local liaison.
• Enrolls out of school students in transition in the Homeless school in Infinite Campus.
• Maintains and revises regularly documents used for monitoring by the state.
• Manages grant funding through BAAS and Title 1 funding through Oracle to ensure funds are spent in accordance with authorized expenditures.
• Provides daily consults to community, district and families regarding McKinney-Vento eligibility and services.
• Develops collaborative partnerships within and outside the district.
• Performs other related duties, as assigned.

Work Environment/Physical Requirements

This job operates in a professional office environment and has a noise level of mostly low to moderate. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, scanners, and copiers. The position, at times, must be able to come into direct contact with school system staff, staff members of. Work is considered light physical work, requiring the exertion of up to ten pounds of force. The work requires frequently involving driving automotive equipment.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

6/2026

DISCLAIMER:

The above statements are intended to describe the general purpose and responsibilities assigned to this position. They are not intended to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and skills required by the employees assigned to this position. This description may be revised by HR and approved at any time.