Specialist, Job Placement

Position Overview

The Office of Social Emotional Academic Development works with the Chancellor to ensure coherence in the educational experience for our students, families, and schools. Our goal is to initiate change and lead DC Public Schools into the highest performing school district in the nation. We are currently in the process of creating our next strategic plan. After engaging with over 3,000 internal and external stakeholders to help shape the future of DCPS, our draft strategic priorities include:

• Engage Families: Deepen partnerships with families and community.
• Ensure Excellent Schools: Increase the number of high quality schools across the district by defining blended autonomies for schools and creating opportunities for innovation.
• Promote Equity: Define, understand, and promote equity to close achievement gaps and interrupt institutional bias.
• Educate the Whole Child: Provide rigorous, joyful and inclusive academic and social emotional experiences for all students.
• Empower Our People: Recruit, develop, and retain a talented, caring, and diverse team.

The mission of the Office of Teaching and Learning (OTL) is to deliver high-quality instructional resources, enhance classroom practice and scale effective programs to increase DCPS student achievement and prepare all students for success in college, career, and life.OTL spans four core competency areas:

• Professional learning;
• Curriculum;
• Enrichments and interventions; and
• Formative assessment.

Team members support school-based staff in implementing DCPS's existing academic programs while simultaneously working to rethink and redesign school programming, academic and curricular resources and educator professional development.

The Division of Specialized Instruction (DSI) works to provide a high quality continuum of services in an inclusive environment so every student with disabilities is prepared for success in college, career, and life. The division works with schools to design, implement, and monitor programs and supports for students with disabilities.

The Specialist, Job Placement is responsible for overseeing and identifying skills related to career clusters and soft skills training across multiple work sites within the assigned agency, as well as managing the alignment of student interests to integrated, competitive employment.

This position is a safety-sensitive position. As a result, throughout employment this position will be subject to the Employee Mandatory Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy.

The Specialist, Job Placement will report to the Director, Transition.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The below statements are intended to describe the general nature and scope of work being performed by this position. This is not a complete listing of all responsibilities, duties, and/or skills required. Other duties may be assigned.

• Researches data about industries, companies, labor market statistics, and employment trends.
• Ensures accurate record keeping, including student demographics, case files, and referrals.
• Develops community partnerships with private businesses and government agencies that could serve as internship, job sampling, and paid employment opportunities for students.
• Instructs students in motivational training, job seeking skills, and job retention skills, as well as any other topics beneficial to the students' needs.
• Works with the local workforce development boards, one-stop centers, and employers to develop work opportunities for students with disabilities, including internships, summer employment, apprenticeships, and other employment opportunities available throughout the school year.
• Maintains an active employer contact database.
• Matches employer needs to student skills and vice-versa.
• Works with employer supervisors to educate them on how to identify the needs of students who require auxiliary aids, services, or other accommodations while on the job.
• Provides services to employers, such as teaching them the benefits of hiring people with disabilities.
• Performs job analysis to determine job requirements.
• Maximizes the number of students who achieve competitive integrated full-time employment or part-time employment.
• Reviews IEP transition plans with students to ensure that it aligns with the employment goal on their individualized plan for employment (IPE), which is supported by the students' interests and abilities.
• Consults with the personnel or human resource department about hiring practices.

Qualifications

• Master's degree preferred.
• Previous exposure to or experience in the education sector a plus.
• Knowledge of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act of 2015.
• Knowledge of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, as amended in 2004.
• Bachelor's degree and three to five years of related work experience.

DCPS Values

• STUDENTS FIRST: We recognize students as whole children and put their needs first in everything we do.
• EQUITY: We work proactively to eliminate opportunity gaps by interrupting institutional bias and investing in effective strategies to ensure every student succeeds.
• EXCELLENCE: We work with integrity and hold ourselves accountable for exemplary outcomes, service, and interactions.
• JOY: We enjoy our collective work and will enthusiastically celebrate our success and each other.
• COURAGE: We have the audacity to learn from our successes and failures, to try new things, and to lead the nation as a proof point of PK-12 success.
• TEAMWORK: We recognize that our greatest asset is our collective vision and ability to work collaboratively and authentically.