Students in Transition (Mckinney Vento) and Operations Specialist- Federal Programs - Kansas City Public Schools

Job Title: Students in Transition (Mckinney Vento) and Operations Specialist- Federal Programs

JTC: 02253

Salary Grade S644 - $66,903 – 104,363

Department: Student Services

Reports To: Executive Director of Student Support

FLSA Status:Exempt

Date Prepared:September 2024

PURPOSE OF JOB: Position is responsible for supporting the needs of the homeless student population and ensuring the delivery of mandated services to facilitate the student’s attendance and access to appropriate education. Position assesses students and families; interprets laws relating to homeless students; works as a team member to develop intervention strategies; provides case management; monitors student progress; and makes referrals. Position also acts as a resource to school staff and conducts related training.

This position is also responsible for analyzing, maintaining, and implementing financial information, preparing and monitoring budgets, compiling state reports in an accurate and timely manner, verification of enrollment, school site visits, accurate and timely financial reports and statements, payroll time and student daily attendance, human resources documents requisitions, purchase orders and effectively discharging all internal control procedures. Analyzes and shares with other administrators, enrollment data that impacts other district departments and schools. In addition to supporting the needs of the homeless student population, ensuring the delivery of mandated services to facilitate the student’s attendance and access to appropriate education.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: include the following.

The McKinney-Vento Act includes a “job description” for the local liaison in the form of a list of duties. According to the Act [42 U.S.C. § 11432(g)(6)(A)], local liaisons must ensure that

• children and youth experiencing homelessness are identified by school personnel through outreach and coordination activities with other entities and agencies;
• children and youth experiencing homelessness are enrolled in, and have a full and equal opportunity to succeed in, schools within the district;
• children, youth, and families experiencing homelessness have access to and receive educational services for which they are eligible, including Early Head Start and Head Start programs, early intervention services under Part C of the Individual with Disabilities Education Act, and other preschool programs administered by the school district;
• children, youth, and families experiencing homelessness receive referrals to health care, dental, mental health, substance abuse, housing, and other appropriate services;
• the parents or guardians of students experiencing homelessness are informed of the educational and related opportunities available to their children, and are provided with meaningful opportunities to participate in the education of their children;
• public notice of the educational rights of students experiencing homelessness is disseminated in locations frequented by families and youth experiencing homelessness, including schools, shelters, public libraries, and soup kitchens, in a manner and form understandable to parents, guardians, and unaccompanied youth;
• enrollment disputes are mediated in accordance with the provisions of the Act;
• parents, guardians, and unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness are fully informed of all transportation services available to McKinney Vento students, including transportation to the school of origin, and are assisted in accessing transportation;
• school personnel providing services to students experiencing homelessness receive professional development and other support; and
• unaccompanied youth
• are enrolled in school;
• have opportunities to meet the same challenging State academic standards as other children and youth; and
• are informed of their status as independent students under the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. § 1087vv) and receive assistance verifying this status for purposes of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

DAILY DUTIES MAY INCLUED BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO:

• Interprets laws relating to homeless students; and ensures the delivery of mandated services.
• Maintains necessary records ensuring confidentiality of students and their families and prepares related reports.
• Model nondiscriminatory practices in all activities.
• Advocate for children and families who fail to meet traditional enrollment requirements.
• Implements strategic financial and operations plan for division.
• Designs and develops site-based expenditure reports from the PAD and budget vs. actual reports and introduces measures to contain expenditures.
• Oversees the division’s budgets to ensure fund availability and that requested expenditures are within budgetary constraints.
• Assists in the development of business solutions and ensure that the division uses the best business practices in all financial transactions to help achieve established goals and objectives.
• Collaborates with Business & Finance to ensure adherence to Board policies and procedures.
• Responsible for the processing of invoices for correct distribution, timely and accurate payments that make full use of available discounts and reimbursements.
• Must be well organized and complete vendor payments for services rendered in a timely manner.
• Reviews all invoices and obtains approval to pay. Posts invoices to accounting system daily/ weekly.
• Compiles accurate reports for the State of Missouri, assuring compliance with state requirements.
• Verifies enrollment figures and maintains accurate account of enrollment changes for various federally funded programs.
• Works cooperatively with district departments and school administrators (Admissions, Exceptional Education, Language Services, Early Childhood/ Head Start, the Student Discipline Office, and Transportation).
• Maintain a high level of knowledge and competence throughout the district on the enrollment process.
• Conducts site visits as required.
• Maintains and protects accounting and enrollment records by keeping information confidential.
• Contributes to the team effort by accomplishing job objectives.
• Conducts and interprets customer and public opinion surveys.
• Supervises day-to-day operations of various federally funded programs.
• Coordinate and confer with community leaders and philanthropic organizations for the purpose of building program resources.
• Organize various district wide activities to promote at-risk student inclusion and district awareness of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Children and Youth Act.
• Other duties may be assigned.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: yes

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Any certificate at any grade level or master’s degree in social work, counseling, or closely related degree.
• Missouri professional license as a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) or as a Provisional Licensed Professional Counselor (PLPC)
• Experience preparing detailed written and oral reports, including the development and facilitation of training.
• Knowledge and experience in Federal Programs (Title IA&D, III, VII, and IDEA/ B) and how the intersection affects McKinney-Vento students.
• Three (3) years’ experience working with financial information, budgets, and invoicing.
• Three (3) years’ experience with federal grant writing, grant funding, and grant management
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to maintain confidentiality concerning McKinney-Vento students and situations.
• Office skills including typing (keyboarding) and computer skills with the ability to use Excel, Word, MS Office, Student Information System and other operating systems.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bilingual written and verbal skills.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

This job requires that the employee be able to: sit, stand, walk, speak, hear, use hands, fingers, reach with hands and fingers; bend, stoop, lift objects of at least ten pounds. Job requires the employee occasionally to stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. Visual ability requires mono and color vision, close vision, distance vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT:

Length of work year: 260 days; 7.5hrs/day, 5 days/week

Benefits: Health and Dental Insurance are provided.

KCPS Defined Benefit Pension plan –mandatory 9%contribution is required from employee and matched by KCPS; Voluntary retirement savings plans are also available.