Parent Involvement Specialist

Chicago Public Schools•Chicago, IL

2h•Onsite

About The Position

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is a large urban school district committed to providing a world-class education to over 325,000 students. The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) supports networks, schools, and families with special education needs, including instruction, interventions, and legal compliance. The Parent Involvement Specialist will report to the Manager, Academic Access, and will focus on enhancing collaborative relationships between parents, advocacy agencies, educators, and administrative personnel, with a specific emphasis on families of students with disabilities. This role involves coordinating and supporting district family involvement initiatives, providing training for parents and staff, and guiding the development of parent-facing communications and resources. This is a full-time, exempt position.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED equivalent, required
Minimum of two (2) years of experience supporting parents of students with disabilities, required
Effective verbal and non-verbal communication skills
Knowledge of the policies and procedures relating to Federal and Illinois special education laws and regulations
Ability to comprehend and implement OSD processes and procedures
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with others
Knowledge of and ability to use modern office equipment, including Microsoft Office software, internal CPS database
Ability to work independently and manage confidential information
Experience in developing, coordinating and delivering professional training and workshops
Demonstrate sensitivity to cultural and linguistic differences of families and educators

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, preferred
Bilingual in English and Spanish, preferred

Responsibilities

Provide workshops and training to parents and educators of students with disabilities that focus on collaboration, effective communication, and working with parents as equal educational partners
Collaborate with an advisory committee of parents of students with disabilities, special education personnel, school administration, and personnel of advocacy agencies for the purpose of providing recommendations to the Chief Officer of the Office of Special Education on how to continue improving the overall quality of special education programs and services within the Chicago Public Schools
Attend local special education advisory boards/committees on an as-needed basis to provide communication to parents at the local levels
Establish relationships with existing parent involvement departments, initiatives, or sister agencies to ensure that parents of students with disabilities are participants in those efforts
Develop and utilize needs assessment for parents of students with disabilities to help guide the District’s efforts in supporting parent involvement
Collect, maintain, and analyze parent involvement data to determine the correlation of improved involvement to improved student outcomes
Establish partnerships with advocacy agencies to create supportive networks for parents that focus on collaborative relationships with schools and educators
Provide and/or coordinate workshops for parents of students with disabilities on a variety of topics that will assist them with understanding and navigating the special education process
Promote the use of early conflict resolution to help parents and educators maintain positive working relationships
Other duties as assigned