Position Overview
The Office of Schools is responsible for effective management, operation and achievement of schools and provides leadership to principals, administrators, and teachers to ensure academic excellence for all students.
Divisions/Teams
- Instructional Superintendents: are responsible for managing (1) the leadership of their assigned schools, (2) the performance of their assigned schools, and (3) the operations of their assigned schools. The core focus of the Instructional Superintendents is to ensure that high-quality instruction is delivered in their schools, by continually assessing the quality of curriculum, instruction, and assessment at the school level.
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Early Stages: works exclusively with children ages 2 years 8 months through 5 years 10 months and is responsible for meeting the District’s obligation under the Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B (619) to develop a comprehensive child find system to identify and locate all preschool-age children in the District who have a disability. The core aspects of this work include: (1) a public awareness campaign, (2) citywide developmental screening initiatives, (3) a referral and intake system, (4) the special education evaluation/eligibility process, (5) the transition process from Part C Early Intervention and (6) interagency partnerships with government and nonprofit agencies, (7) data management to determine which children have been identified and are receiving services.
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Early Childhood Education (ECE): works to support the provision of high-quality early education services that prepare children for kindergarten entry and later school success. Approximately 6,000 children ages three to five attend early childhood classrooms in 78 elementary schools across the district, including several schools that offer Head Start programming.
The Coordinator, Family Care and Compliance guides and supports the parent through the Early Stages process and ensures the team and parent have the necessary information to complete the eligibility process. The FCC role is responsible for managing an assigned caseload and ensuring all cases meet local and federal regulations and for determining and implementing solutions in cases that may result in a failure to meet timelines. The FCC role ensures parents fully comprehend the special education process and are provided with the information necessary to make critical decisions throughout the entire Early Stages process. Finally, this role is responsible for completing all required communications with the parent in a timely manner and documenting this work completely and accurately.
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 Coordinator, Family Care and Compliance (Early Stages) will report to the Manager, Early Stages Center .
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.
Supports families throughout the Early Stages process to ensure that they understand their rights and responsibilities under IDEA.
Assists families with removing barriers to engagement in the special education process and with enrollment in a DCPS school, when applicable.
Conducts family engagement efforts that ensure DCPS meets its due diligence obligations in accordance with DCPS policies and local regulations.
Reviews all relevant client information to schedule children promptly and in accordance with Early Stages policies.
Proactively identifies cases at risk of being noncompliant with local and federal timelines and independently implements solutions, coaching the team and informing management, as needed.
Reviews DCPS and Early Stages compliance reports and supports the Family Care and Compliance team overall in meeting documentation requirements related to federal reporting.
Prepares parent and team for appointments by providing relevant information, obtaining written consent and family interview responses, completing hearing and vision screenings, and setting up necessary space and technology.
Manages a caseload of families and documents related work in appropriate DCPS and state databases, in accordance with Early Stages policies.
Collaborates with relevant stakeholders to gather essential documentation (e.g., from Strong Start, medical providers, child care providers, DCPS staff, and teachers).
Travels to other sites within the DC metro area as needed.
Qualifications
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Bachelor's degree and two to four years of related work experience.
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Master's degree preferred.
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Previous exposure to or experience in the education sector a plus.
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Experience using software systems to manage large amounts of data and documentation.
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Experience and commitment to using data to make decisions and assess performance.
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Experience building and maintaining professional relationships.
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Ability to collaborate with a team.
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Experience responding quickly and effectively to urgent requests from diverse stakeholders.
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Self-direction and a strong proactive mindset about determining tasks and priorities.
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Ability to manage multiple responsibilities.
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Excellent oral and written communication skills.
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Discretion, good judgment, and sensitivity in working with families and professionals.
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STUDENTS FIRST: We recognize students as whole children and put their needs first in everything we do.
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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.
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EQUITY: We work proactively to eliminate opportunity gaps by interrupting institutional bias and investing in effective strategies to ensure every student succeeds.
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EXCELLENCE: We work with integrity and hold ourselves accountable for exemplary outcomes, service, and interactions.
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TEAMWORK: We recognize that our greatest asset is our collective vision and ability to work collaboratively and authentically.
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JOY: We enjoy our collective work and will enthusiastically celebrate our success and each other.