Educational Specialist

Forestdale is a NYC child welfare agency working to prevent child abuse/neglect through parenting, prevention, and foster care services, focusing on low-income and immigrant communities in NYC. Forestdale operates out of three offices to better serve the families of Brooklyn and Queens. We help thousands of families work through complex trauma, parents raise the next amazing generation of children, and youth successfully launch into adulthood. Forestdale’s mission is “to ensure that children and families have the fundamental assets they need to thrive and live independently.

Job Summary:

The Education Specialist is responsible for supporting youth in their educational, life skills, and career development journeys. This role plays a vital part in empowering young people to build leadership skills, explore postsecondary opportunities, and engage in meaningful cultural and educational experiences.

The Education Specialist will plan, lead and oversee a comprehensive educational assessment process to support the agency’s mission and initiatives. Review, analyze and interpret survey data as well as academic and administrative documents. Coordinate with agency staff to ensure all youth are connected and receiving appropriate academic support and services.

This is a one-year contracted position.

Major Responsibilities:

•    Facilitate Education Assessments, capturing the following 5 buckets: School fit, Strengths and Interests, Needs and Deficits, Learning Style, and Special Needs

o    Assist in obtaining academic documentation such as report cards, attendance, test scores, IEPs etc. 

•    Analyze surveys and provide data interpretation summaries

•    Provide outcome summaries to all necessary staff/families

o    Report identifiable challenges to learning or other barriers observed in outcomes.

•    Collaborate with staff and/or families to decide next steps and to address observed issues or challenges found

•    Attend case specific parent/teachers school conferences and other education, related conferences

•    Organize all data and documentation

•    Conduct school visits

•    Facilitate and conduct school transfers as needed

•    Accompany youth to college tours (local and out of state)

•    Assist the department in coordination of activities and special events (departmental and agency -wide)

•    Other duties as assigned

Minimum Requirements:

•    Bachelor’s degree required

•    Organizational, verbal and written communication skills 

•    Education experience and knowledge (i.e. IEPs, CPSE, facilitating school transfers, etc.) a plus

•    Experience planning and organizing activities

•    Ability to develop working relationships with children, teens and adults using good interpersonal skills

•    Ability to travel in and around the metropolitan New York City region and out of state

•    Ability to maintain composure and function well under stress

•    A clean New York state driver’s license to assist with driving youth on activities, college tours and taking them to college

•    Basic office skills (Knowledge of Microsoft, Excel, PDF programs etc.)

•    Ability to work in a group and/or take directions (Attend meetings, co-create documents, communicate findings and or share information)

•    Ability to accommodate a flexible work schedule, including some evenings and some weekends

•    Successfully meet the required background checks

•    Ability to speak and read another language a plus (i.e., Mandarin, French, Spanish, etc.)

 Salary: $50,000 - $62,000

Benefits:  Join the Forestdale Team and Enjoy Excellent Benefits:

• Four weeks’ vacation
• Medical/dental/vision/life/disability insurance
• 401(k), 7% employer contribution 2% match
• Tax-deferred health care/dependent care/commuter plans
• Flexible Schedule
• Opportunities for educational scholarships

Additional Information 

Forestdale Inc. is an equal opportunity employer that is proudly committed to becoming an anti-racist and multicultural organization that stands up for justice and equity. We welcome prospective employees from diverse backgrounds, for administrative support and direct service and leadership roles, who will join us on that journey, uphold our values and approach, and believe in our mission. Additionally, we aim to have a racially representative leadership and workforce that is reflective of the communities we work in partnership with.

Forestdale Inc. is committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, participants, volunteers, subcontractors, and vendors. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of our activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and termination of staff, selection of volunteers and vendors, and provision of services.