McKinney Vento Liaison

Department: Academic Services

Accountable To: Director of Social Services

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

This position is grant funded and is contingent upon grant funding.

Creation/revision date: June 11, 2024

Position summary: under the general direction of the director of social services, the McKinney Vento liaison assists in coordinating services to ensure that homeless children and youths are identified, enrolled in school and have the opportunity to succeed academically. The McKinney Vento liaison also ensures that the mandates of the federal McKinney Vento homeless assistance act are implemented. The position is grant funded and is contingent upon grant availability.

Essential duties:

• Acts as a liaison between schools, shelters, and the community on behalf of homeless and highly mobile students;
• Collaborates with school administrators and designated school point of contacts (i.e. School social workers) to ensure homeless families and students are enrolled in and receive educational services and supports for which they are eligible during the school year as well as summer programming;
• Ensures homeless children and youths are identified by school personnel through outreach and coordination activities with other entities and agencies;
• Confirms McKinney Vento eligibility and provides consultation support with school personnel regarding homeless families needs that impact educational stability and success;
• Ensures that any enrollment or transportation disputes are mediated in accordance with the law;
• Enhances school, community, and family knowledge and awareness of the McKinney Vento education act, including the educational rights of homeless students, and ensure public notice of these educational rights is disseminated in locations frequented by parents or guardians of such children and youths, and unaccompanied youths, and in a manner and form understandable to families;
• Monitors attendance and truancy of homeless students, as well as appropriate utilization of transportation services;
• Maintains knowledge of current community resources and supports to assist parents/guardians in addressing basic needs including food, clothing and shelter;
• Networks with community agencies, businesses and organizations that can assist families in overcoming homelessness;
• Utilizes crisis intervention skills, case management and community resources knowledge to support the family to move toward greater family stabilization for better school performance when possible;
• Collaborates with other school district liaisons to coordinate student transportation services to and from school, including transportation to and from the school of origin, and participate in all best interest determination meetings with families and other; districts;
• Maintains methods and documentation for tracking the number and location of highly mobile/homeless students and ensures accurate data is reported to the State Coordinator for Homeless Education;
• In collaboration with the Director of Social Services, writes and oversees federal and state grants that can support the district's homeless population;
• Provides professional development to district and school staff around the provisions of the McKinney-Vento Act;
• Assumes responsibility for own professional growth; attending appropriate professional meetings and conferences, including those required by the State;
• Performs other related duties as required.

Required Qualifications:
To be eligible for this position, an applicant must meet the following required qualifications.
Verification of these required qualifications is necessary.

• Bachelor's degree in Social Work/Counseling or related field.
• Must possess a valid driver's license.

Preferred Qualifications:
It is preferred that the applicant possesses the following qualifications; however, the following qualifications are not required to be eligible for this position.

• Previous knowledge or experience with McKinney-Vento Act and/or homelessness
• Previous experience working with families and children
• Previous experience working in a school setting
• Previous knowledge of local community resources
• Bilingual Abilities

Knowledge and Skills Required:
To perform the job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty
satisfactorily. The qualifications for this job description are representative of the knowledge,
skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Skills required, but not limited to, for this position include:

• Applying knowledge and understanding of McKinney-Vento law
• Using highly effective written and verbal communication skills.
• Using team collaboration/cooperation skills.
• Applying assessment, case management and intervention strategies to identify and reduce barriers to education.
• Networking with community agencies to create and coordinate resources and services. Possessing proficient computer software and technology skills.
• Organizing and maintaining timely confidential documentation, records and reports.
• Demonstrating strong organizational, time management and decision-making skills.
• Bilingual abilities or ability to arrange for interpreter services and direct services in appropriate language.
• Ability to effectively communicate and professionally interact with others.
• Experience working with parents, students, and individuals from a variety of populations and backgrounds.
• Ability to plan and organize.
• Skills in providing supportive feedback
• Knowledge of child development (0-22 years of age), psychopathology, social and environmental conditioning, cultural diversity and family systems.

Physical Requirements:
The physical requirements 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.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand and walk. The employee is occasionally required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 30 pounds.
Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

Working Conditions:
The working environment characteristics described here are representative of those an
employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable
accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to wet and/or
humid conditions; moving mechanical parts; high, precarious places; fumes or airborne
particles; toxic or caustic chemicals; and outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Washington Elementary School District is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer in compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Civil Rights Act Title VII of 1972, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. Washington Elementary School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability or age in employment or in any of its educational programs or in the provisions of benefits and services to students.

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