Education Specialist

Children's Network of Hillsborough • Tampa, FL

1d • $0 - $29 • Onsite

About The Position

The Children’s Network of Hillsborough is committed to working with the community to protect children and preserve families. The purpose of the Education Specialist role is to ensure that appropriate educational services are provided and upheld for all children within the Hillsborough County system of care. This role will serve as the subject matter expert and liaison between the school system and system of care providers to ensure the educational needs and requirements for all youth are being upheld.

Requirements

• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university; preferred degree in psychology, social work, sociology or related human services degree.
• Child Welfare Certification preferred, or 2 years of prior child welfare experience required
• Official transcripts are a mandatory requirement
• Must have a strong foundation in educational advocacy, trauma-informed practices, and understanding of the child welfare system.
• Experience or understanding of various educational assessments, and special education to address learning gaps and ensure students receive appropriate academic support, including IEPs and 504 plans when necessary.
• A deep understanding of the foster care system is essential, as placement instability and trauma can significantly impact a child's education.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills allow them to work effectively with schools, child welfare agencies, caregivers, and legal advocates to promote educational stability.
• Additionally, they must be adaptable problem-solvers, navigating school transitions, coordinating resources such as tutoring and mentoring, and addressing crises that may arise.
• Valid driver’s license required, with proof of insurance
• Driver’s license check is a requirement
• Criminal background screening (fingerprinting) (Local Law Enforcement and FBI/FDLE)
• Drug Screening is a requirement
• Children’s Network participates in E-Verify
• Must have strong language skills to effectively communicate, advocate, and support students, educators, and caregivers.
• Verbal communication is essential for clearly conveying information to students, teachers, caseworkers, and caregivers in an accessible and supportive manner.
• Written communication is equally important for preparing reports, progress updates, and advocacy letters with clarity and professionalism.
• Active listening skills help specialists understand the unique needs of foster youth and collaborate effectively with caregivers and school staff.
• Cultural and linguistic competency is also crucial for working with diverse populations, including students and families for whom English is a second language.
• Additionally, the ability to use precise, persuasive advocacy language ensures that foster youth receive the necessary educational services and accommodations.
• These language skills enable Education Specialists to build strong relationships, navigate complex systems, and create meaningful academic opportunities for foster youth.
• Requires strong mathematical skills to analyze academic data, track student progress, and develop effective educational strategies.
• They must interpret assessment scores, identify learning gaps, and use data-driven decision-making to tailor interventions that support student success.
• Budgeting and resource allocation skills are also essential when coordinating educational services, such as tutoring, scholarships, and special programs.
• Must possess strong reasoning abilities to assess complex situations, make informed decisions, and develop effective solutions.
• They need to evaluate a student’s academic, emotional, and social needs, considering factors such as trauma, placement changes, and learning challenges.
• Reasoning skills are essential when analyzing assessment data, identifying patterns, and determining the most appropriate interventions to support each student’s unique situation.
• They also need to think critically when navigating the educational system, coordinating services across multiple agencies, and advocating for resources and accommodations.

Nice To Haves

• preferred degree in psychology, social work, sociology or related human services degree.
• Child Welfare Certification preferred

Responsibilities

• Participate in implementation of quality management systems
• Monitoring process will begin in July to June of every year
• Participate in all Child Safety reviews per year.
• Perform any other activities as needed by the CNHC
• Participate in specialized service provider program monitoring as needed
• Implement and maintain Quality Improvement systems to: Review existing policies and procedures to ensure consistency and compliance with Federal, State, Region and Local laws/mandates/policies/procedures as well as the agency’s SOC
• Maintain electronic/hard copy files of all approved policies and procedures relating to assigned program areas
• Stay current with Federal and State Laws, rules and best practices
• Participate in all certification / training necessary for the fulfillment of job responsibilities
• Attend at least one approved conference annually
• Assure that best practices are being implemented
• Identify SOC training needs and resources
• Coordinate training with Training Specialist
• Identify technical assistance needs
• Provide technical assistance on federal and state laws, rules, and programmatic and procedural issues
• Provide programmatic expertise in efforts to locate missing children, descriptive narratives, agencies and resources available, prevention initiatives, recovery interview techniques
• Participate in Case Management Organization Team Meetings and others relevant to area of expertise
• Provide performance report and assessment of improvement initiatives
• Whenever possible, review relevant case information in advance to gain knowledge of the most current issues (Clerk of Court, FSFN, ASK etc.)
• Maintain a professional demeanor at all times
• Maintain neutrality without alliance to any of the parties
• Engage all attendees’ participation in the meeting by requesting their perspective on the matters being discussed
• Listen objectively and consider all opinions provided
• Ability to deescalate and maintain professional interactions in staffings
• Be flexible and balance the need for participation with the need to keep things running efficiently and within the allotted timeframe
• Recommendations / plans that are developed must be aligned with statute, code, policy and require either consensus by all participating attendees or approval by the court
• Other duties may be assigned as special projects may be requested

Benefits

• All hours worked will be compensated in accordance with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and agency policies, including applicable overtime and other compensation requirements.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level