Job Number:

Posting Date

Primary Location

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is one of the largest school districts in the United States, serving over 320,000 students in 500+ schools and employing approximately 44,000 people, most of them teachers. CPS has set ambitious goals to ensure that every student, in every school and every neighborhood, has access to a world-class learning experience that prepares each for success in college, career, and civic life.  In order to fulfill this mission, we make three commitments to our students, their families, and all Chicagoans: academic progress, financial stability, and integrity. Six core values are embedded within these commitments – student-centered, whole child, equity, academic excellence, community partnership, and continuous learning.

Located within the Office of College Career Success (OCCS), the Office of School Counseling and Postsecondary Advising (OSCPA) ensures that school counseling teams have the support and resources necessary to implement comprehensive school counseling programs that advance the academic, personal/social, and career development of all students. OSCPA is comprised of the following teams: school counseling, college and career specialists, scholarships, and post-secondary initiatives. All provide professional development and support to school counselors, college and career coaches, and school administrators at the school level.The College and Career Specialist has the overall responsibility of managing the college and career preparation strategies and activities within their designated Network(s), while managing and monitoring the Office of School Counseling and Postsecondary Advising (OSCPA) key performance indicators.

Reporting to a Director within OSCPA and with a dotted line to the assigned Network Chief, the College and Career Specialist is responsible for implementing targeted strategies that prepare all Chicago Public School students for postsecondary opportunities. Chief among the responsibilities is to provide direct services to high schools to advance a college-going culture and use a set of curricular and enrichment strategies delivered through the domains of awareness, readiness, access, and success. Each domain is designed to promote preparation for postsecondary transition and ensure the schools meet their short and long-term outcome measures.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES:

• Network-Level College and Career Planning – In collaboration with Network Chiefs, develop and lead the implementation of Network-level plan(s) for driving postsecondary metrics.
• • Develop and manage Network/school plans in collaboration with OSCPA, Network and school staff
  • Establish productive relationships to ensure a common understanding of OCCS and Network postsecondary objectives and drive efforts to achieve shared goals at each school. Meet regularly with school administration, Network postsecondary team, and central office to mark progress towards goals and develop strategies to improve data
  • Serve as a lead postsecondary advisor to senior administrators – Network Chiefs, principals and school-level postsecondary teams (i.e., counselors, college coaches, and internal/external postsecondary partners)
  • Collect and analyze data as needed to guide program direction and emphasis
  • Ensure OCCS key programs and goals are known to and understood by key stakeholders (e.g., college partners, TRIO, Ladder Up, OneGoal)
  • Promote the importance of having a College and Career Coach in the school building. Target schools that could strongly benefit from a coach resource based on data outcomes. Assist in recruitment and placement of coaches to ensure school needs are met
  • Support district-wide college access initiatives that promote network and school-level success (e.g., Higher Education Advisory Task Force)
  • Drives key metrics at supported schools, including but not limited to:
  • • Associated Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):
    • % of seniors that complete 3+ college applications
    • % of seniors that apply to 1+ match institution
    • % of students with college acceptances
    • % FAFSA completion rate
    • % of students who apply to at least 1 affordable option (individual student calculation)
    • % students completing 1+ scholarship application
    • % of students receiving scholarships for college
    • Amount of overall scholarship dollars awarded to students
    • % of students in grades 9-12 completing Individualized Learning Plans (ILP)
    • % of Seniors completing a concrete postsecondary plan
    • % of students enrolled in college, enlisted in the military, or employed 6 months after high school graduation
    • % of graduates persisting and succeeding in college or employment beyond the 1st year of participation
    • % of monthly Specialist objectives completed in the Postsecondary Advising Planner
    • % of Seniors that compete the SEQ
• Support and monitor postsecondary-related staff in assigned schools, including the development and direct supervision of District-assigned College and Career Coaches.
• Build Capacity of School Postsecondary Teams – Provide professional development, tools and resources to assist school Counselors and College Career Coaches in creating a college and career-going culture and driving strong postsecondary outcomes
• • Build ongoing school staff capacity through network and citywide professional learning communities
  • Support counselors and coaches in developing and implementing strategies to identify and support student needs; Provide targeted coaching and development around key areas of need
  • Support principals’ evaluations of coaches on a periodic basis in alignment with key performance indicators
  • Monitor student individualized learning plans (ILP) and completion progress at schools
  • Build outside partnerships and identify resources that can assist in the attainment of quality college and career opportunities
  • Link resources to schools based on needs assessment
• Direct Support of College Access/Persistence Activities with Students and Parents – Directly support school-level college preparation activities as needed and coordinate Network and Citywide college access and persistence activities for students and parents
• • Guide school-level staff to meet with students – individually and in groups – to talk about college and career options
  • Plan and implement district-wide postsecondary events – e.g., Hispanic forum; Gates Millennium Scholars information sessions and writing workshops; State College Expo; FAFSA completion activities; college “Match” information sessions, etc. – to promote college access
  • Drive financial aid access activities school-wide
  • Conduct network-wide workshops (monthly or quarterly) that inform and prepare students in grades 9-12 for financing their college education, including the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), scholarships, etc.
  • Maintain information on institutions that offer “strategic” scholarships
  • Ensure schools are tracking key metrics such as college applications, scholarship applications, college acceptances, scholarships received, Senior Exit Questionnaire completion, etc.
  • Support efforts to ensure a smooth senior transition into college and college persistence beyond the first year (e.g., summer workshops, freshman year of college data tracking and touchpoints, etc.)
  • Serve as a liaison between Central Office and partnerships to promote and advertise enrichment activities (e.g., Summer Quest, TRIO, internships, job shadows, etc.)
  • Provide direct school support to complete the Senior Exit Questionnaire (SEQ)
  • Lead parent engagement efforts around postsecondary access and persistence
• Drive Individualized Student Planning – Support Naviance and other post-secondary planning tool implementation and usage in all schools
• • Train coaches, students, and other school staff (including administrators, teachers, and counselors) on Naviance, etc.
  • Conduct comprehensive workshops preparing students for the Naviance Individualized Learning Plan (ILP) and Milestone completion
  • Monitor Naviance utilization at the area and school level
  • Monitor the % of 9^th through 12^th grade students that complete Individual Learning Plans (ILP) and concrete postsecondary plans
• Facilitate integrated school counselor/coach planning and implementation – Participate in ongoing counselor and coach integrated support strategies using the REACH Counselor Framework, Annual Implementation Plan, and ASCA National Model
• • Work with counseling teams to maintain strong counselor, coach, and post-secondary team integration in the schools
  • Work with counseling teams to develop counseling Implementation Plans aligned to school, Network, and District goals
• Other duties as assigned

In order to be successful and achieve the above responsibilities, the College and Career Specialist must possess the following qualifications: 

Education Required:

• Bachelor’s Degree in a related field from an accredited college or university is required 
• Master’s degree preferred

 Experience Required:

• Minimum of five (5) years of full-time professional youth development and programming experience
• Minimum of three (3) years of full-time professional post-secondary (college and career) related work experience

 Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Possesses an unyielding commitment to continuous improvement and an unwavering belief that all students can achieve at high levels
• Possesses the knowledge, principles and practices of academic and college/career development
• Maintains the ability to establish effective working relationships with students and parents; school, network and central office staff; and representatives from universities, businesses, government and community-based organizations
• Strong communicator: speaking, listening and writing
• Has a proven track record leading large-scale programs and/or projects
• Demonstrates a sense of urgency in accomplishing goals and objectives to ensure success
• Proficient in Windows Operating System and MS Office; strong internet skills
• Planning and budgeting capabilities
• Team player
• Ability to develop and maintain partnerships

Other Requirements:

• Must have a  valid driver’s license and reliable access to a personal car to travel between multiple sites in a day
• Occasional evening and weekend work is required

Conditions of Employment

As a condition of employment with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), employees are required to:

• Establish/Maintain Chicago Residency -Employees are required to live within the geographic boundaries of the City of Chicago within six months of their CPS hire date and maintain residency throughout their employment with the district. The Chicago residency requirement does not apply to temporary/part-time positions, however, all CPS employees must be residents of Illinois.
• Be Fully Vaccinated Against COVID-19 -Unless approved for a medical or religious exemption, all employees are required to be up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations, including boosters, and to submit proof of vaccination to the district within 30 days of hire. “Up-to-date” on vaccination is defined as being at least two weeks past all primary vaccine doses and any applicable boosters.