Parent Educator

Broward County Public Schools • Fort Lauderdale, FL

14h • Hybrid

About The Position

The Parent Educator's primary goal is to address the social service needs of families with Early Childhood Education students. This involves providing targeted services, fostering parental involvement in education, explaining programs, connecting families with community resources, and participating in group meetings. The role requires home visits to engage parents, reinforce positive attitudes towards school, and identify any home-related issues impacting student success, reporting these to appropriate personnel. The Parent Educator also assists in organizing and supporting parent involvement activities, policy councils, and committees, and helps coordinate school and community programs. Additionally, they contribute to developing screening criteria, identifying program participants, attending staff meetings and training, and maintaining program reports. Effective communication with parents, students, and staff is crucial for maintaining positive relations and meeting social service needs. A key aspect of the role is becoming knowledgeable about community resources to direct families appropriately. Feedback on participant attitudes and concerns is provided to relevant individuals. The Parent Educator assists with attendance monitoring and recruitment, and regularly confers with the Social Worker to ensure compliance with federal, state, and Head Start Performance Standards, including submitting necessary documentation. Family literacy materials and resources are provided to promote emergent literacy at home. All activities must comply with equal employment and non-discrimination policies. Professional development is encouraged to enhance job skills, and employees are expected to stay current with relevant literature and technical information. Adherence to safety rules, federal and state laws, and School Board policies, including Head Start/Early Head Start Performance Standards, is mandatory. Other duties may be assigned by the Director or designee.

Requirements

• Standard high school diploma or satisfactory completion of an approved General Educational Development (GED) Testing Program.
• A minimum of two (2) years, within the last five (5) years of experience, in the field related to the title of the position.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Knowledge of community resources and programs.
• Access to reliable transportation.
• Able to work flexible hours.
• Computer skills as required for this position.

Nice To Haves

• Bilingual skills.

Responsibilities

• Visit students' homes to explain school programs and encourage parental involvement in their child's education.
• Reinforce positive attitudes of parents and students towards school and identify home problems affecting student accomplishments.
• Assist in organizing, recruiting, and providing support for Early Childhood Education classrooms, Policy Council, and parent involvement committees.
• Coordinate activities to encourage parent involvement in school and community programs.
• Assist in developing screening process criteria and determining appropriate program participants.
• Attend and participate in staff meetings, supervisory sessions, workshops, and parent group meetings.
• Compile, edit, and maintain information for program reports and assist in their preparation.
• Conduct all personal contacts in an appropriate manner to maintain positive relations and assist with social service needs.
• Become knowledgeable of public and private service agencies and direct families to them as needed.
• Provide feedback on the attitudes, opinions, and concerns of program participants.
• Assist in monitoring attendance and recruitment.
• Confer with the assigned Social Worker to ensure program standards are met and documentation is submitted.
• Provide family literacy materials, resources, and activities to support emergent literacy in the home.
• Participate in professional learning programs to enhance individual skills.
• Review current developments, literature, and technical sources related to job responsibilities.
• Ensure adherence to safety rules and procedures.
• Follow federal and state laws, including Head Start/Early Head Start Performance Standards, and School Board policies.
• Perform other duties as assigned by Director or designee.

Benefits

• Salary and benefits shall be paid consistent with the District's approved compensation plan.
• Length of the work year and hours of employment shall be those established by the School Board.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED