2026-27 Social Worker

Orange County Public Schools•Orlando, FL

About The Position

The Social Worker provides school social work services and referrals to students and families to address students’ social and emotional needs and promote successful learning. The role works collaboratively with district and school-based student services personnel. Depending on the job location, the position reports to the district-level Director or the school Principal. The Social Worker supports student mental health, resiliency, attendance, and other needs through counseling, evaluations, instructional lessons, referrals, home visits, crisis response, and participation in school support teams and meetings. The position also documents services, contributes to professional learning, supports interns and newly hired school social workers, and follows district policies and procedures. Performance is evaluated under the OCPS Instructional Personnel Evaluation System procedures manual.

Requirements

Master’s degree in social work from an accredited college or university.
Certification or eligibility for certification by the Florida State Department of Education.
Valid Florida driver’s license and/or access to transportation.
Ability to communicate effectively in writing and orally.
Ability to use effective, positive interpersonal skills.
Knowledge of state and federal laws related to school attendance, child abuse, and HIPPA.
Knowledge of community resources and community contacts.
Knowledge of and ability to interact with individual, group, and family dynamics.
Ability to analyze reports, social histories, and behavior assessments.
Commitment to a core set of beliefs about learning, teaching, and ongoing professional learning.
Knowledge of effective social work theories and practices.
Ability to provide effective social work practices and make sound decisions.
Ability to exert very moderate physical effort in light work, potentially involving stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, and lifting, carrying, pushing, or pulling objects weighing 12–20 pounds.
Visual perception and discrimination are required for most tasks; some tasks require oral communication ability and the ability to perceive and discriminate sounds.

Responsibilities

Manifest a professional code of ethics and values.
Respond to internal and external customers in a timely, accurate, courteous, and empathetic manner, representing OCPS positively.
Use technology routinely and effectively for communications, organization, and management tasks.
Collaborate and meet regularly with the school’s Student Services Team to support tiers of mental health support and resiliency initiatives.
Participate in and support the multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) process to address student needs, including attendance, academic, behavioral, social, health, and mental health needs; participate in related MTSS, ACST, IEP, 504, and discipline meetings as appropriate.
Represent school social work services at appropriate meetings and activities and help ensure federal, state, and district requirements are met.
Conduct assigned portions of student evaluations for ESE services within social work areas of responsibility.
Provide instructional lessons on resiliency topics, including Child Safety Matters and lessons following specific disciplinary infractions.
Provide individual and group counseling, which may include counseling as a related service on Individual Evaluation and 504 plans.
Support Threat Management Teams in an appropriate capacity as defined by the district.
Support students exhibiting self-harm or suicidal ideation and ensure appropriate interventions are implemented.
Collaborate with the school-based attendance team to support attendance and truancy interventions.
Connect families with community resources and information to meet student and family needs.
Conduct home visits to assess circumstances that may interfere with learning or appropriate educational placement.
Support district crisis response.
Provide timely documentation through district tracking and accountability systems, both digital and cumulative.
Keep up to date on job-relevant technology and attend district-supported training to maintain the required skill level.
Participate in and provide professional learning for OCPS employees and community members in social work areas of responsibility as needed.
Support and assist graduate interns and newly hired school social workers.
Follow district policies and procedures, including HRMD guidelines, instructional initiatives, and fixed-asset procedures.
Develop leadership in subordinates.
Maintain timely and accurate information and be accountable for the quality of information maintained by those supervised.
Pursue self-development and stay current with research, trends, and best practices relevant to the area of responsibility.
Perform other duties as assigned by the Principal or Director.