Description

Position Information

Posting Detail Information

Working Position Title
Education Advisor (28286) EXTENDED

Classification
Program Services Specialist

Position Number
00028286

Open Date
08/19/2025

Close Date
09/09/2025

Priority Review Date

Employee Class
Staff

Full-Time/Part Time
Part-Time

FTE
0.45

Position Status
Regular

FLSA
Non-Exempt

Job code
4774

Union Representation
Non-Union

Union Code
N/A

Unit/Department
Ctr Child Welfare & Education

College/Unit
P20 Initiatives Network

Division
Outreach Engagemt Regl Dev Dv

Location
MONAT 237

Link to Department Website or Custom Search Page
https://ccwe.niu.edu/

Position Summary, Requirements, and Qualifications

Position Summary, Requirements, and Qualifications

Overview

This position is part-time and will be working in Marion, IL; must be willing to commute and work in Marion, IL.

The Education Advisor provides problem resolution, subject matter expertise, advocacy, and guidance for educational wellbeing of children and youth in foster care (youth in care). The education advisor possesses extensive knowledge and skills that help youth navigate the complex network of education (general and special education) and child welfare. The education advisor also serves as education resource for youth in care, caregivers, child welfare caseworkers and administrators, school and district personnel, Guardian ad Litem ( GAL ), court personnel, etc.

POSITION IS LOCATED IN THE MARION , IL, AREA .

Position Summary

This position is part-time and will be working in Marion, IL, must be willing to commute and work in Marion, IL.

The Education Advisor is responsible for providing the following:

• Educational technical assistance to resolve individual youth issues
• Planning for youth's educational needs to be identified and addressed
• Interdisciplinary training to build capacity in the field for meeting educational needs of youth in care
• Partnership development between and among educational institutions, child welfare agencies, and other organizations that impact youth in care
• Systems intervention and strategic planning

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Educational Technical Assistance for Individuals

1. Guides caregivers, youth in care, education personnel, child welfare professionals in Department of Children and Family Services ( DCFS ) and Purchase of Service ( POS ) agencies, POS education liaisons, court personnel, community agencies in their roles in the intervention and resolution of educational issues.
2. Resolves issues that affect the education of individual youth involved within the Illinois foster care system.
3. Provides consultation on handling educational issues.
4. Provides direction, support and resources in assessing and dealing with the youths' educational needs to youth, caregivers and professionals including: child welfare caseworkers and administrators, school and district personnel (teachers, administrators, social workers, etc.), Court Appointed Special Advocates ( CASA ), Guardian ad Litem ( GAL ), POS education liaisons, attorneys, community providers, etc.

Educational Planning for Youth

1. Engages in planning to ensure appropriate educational services for youth.
2. Develops intervention plans to address behaviors that mitigate school engagement and educational achievement.
3. Provides strategic education planning for youth relocating to new schools and/or school districts.
4. Develops and coordinates appropriate education plans for children and youth transitioning from one education level to another (preschool, elementary, secondary and post-secondary).
5. Advocates for youth's best educational interests in school planning teams, such as Individualized Education Programs, 504 Plans, etc.
6. Provides educational expertise in non-school planning teams such as Clinical Intervention Placement Preservation ( CIPP ), child and family teams, etc.
7. Provides other guidance and recommendations to navigate educational issues and develop appropriate plans.

Developing Collaboration Across Systems

1. Initiates and sustains collaborative relationships with local school staff and administrators and school district personnel that facilitate educational advocacy on behalf of youth in care.
2. Promotes communication and fosters collaboration between caregivers and school.
3. Fosters collaboration between caseworkers and school around youth's education.
4. Develops and implements collaborations to address the education of youth in care between DCFS and representatives from other state agencies (such as the Illinois State Board of Education ( ISBE )), and between DCFS and medical facilities, community organizations, etc., as needed.
5. Collaborates with early intervention and early childhood to provide successful interventions, resources, and enrollment for children in care.
6. Supports DCFS in its efforts to monitor and improve educational outcomes through collaboration with DCFS administrators, Administrative Case Review, dually involved specialists, Agency Performance Team, etc.
7. Works collaboratively to develop strategies to promote educational wellbeing of youth in care.

Training & Professional Development/Building Capacity

1. Develops and conducts training on evidence-based education best practice, state and federal educational laws, DCFS educational policies and protocol, etc.
2. Builds capacity within child welfare through coaching and training caregivers and youth in care.
3. Builds capacity among DCFS and POS staff and administrators, POS educational liaisons, GALs, CASA and other court personnel through training and resources.
4. Provides professional development to school and district personnel on educational needs and challenges of youth who have been abused and neglected and/or in foster care.
5. Plans, organizes and promotes education training sessions.
6. Provides updates and resources on changes in federal and state rules and regulations pertaining to education, DCFS educational policies, procedures, protocols and initiatives.

Systems Intervention

1. Identifies trends that affect children's educational process; and communicates and works with Center director and other designated administrators to resolve problems.
2. Assists in systems intervention activities and develops initiatives that address problematic trends.
3. Provides strategies for sustainable planning to address educational needs of youth.
4. Prepares and maintains documentation of clients served, work performed, and all other required documentation and reports.
5. Reports to supervisor and/or designee.
6. Operates as part of the NIU EAP team and adheres to NIU policies and employment guidelines (and DCFS' when appropriate).

Minimum Required Qualifications (Civil Service)

Any one or combination totaling three (3) years (36 months) from the categories below:

1. Coursework in social work or behavioral sciences, or closely related field as measured by the following conversion table or its proportional equivalent:
   • 30 semester hours equals one (1) year (12 months)
   • Associate's Degree (60 semester hours) equals eighteen months (18 months)
   • 90 semester hours equals two (2) years (24 months)
   • Bachelor's Degree (120 semester hours) equals three (3) years (36 months)
2. Progressively more responsible work experience in social service/ counseling at a paraprofessional level under qualified supervision.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) (Civil Service)

1. Working knowledge of human nature.
2. Ability to interview individuals to determine their physical, social, and/or possible psychological needs.
3. Ability to organize, prepare, and maintain records, reports, files, and correspondence.
4. Ability to obtain services necessary to meet participants' needs.
5. Ability to establish effective working relationships with program participants and staff.

Specialty Factors (Civil Service)

None

Preferred Qualifications (Civil Service)

• Master's degree in education or other related fields and at least 5 years of experience in education or educational advocacy.
• Bachelors degree and 7 to 10 years of experience in education, and/or educational advocacy.
• Demonstrated professional work experience in education or educational advocacy.
• Demonstrated work experience applying State and Federal laws in a social services or educational setting.

Minimum Required Qualifications (SPS)

N/A

Additional Requirements (SPS)

N/A

Preferred Qualifications (SPS)

N/A

Physical demands/requirements

• Travel required.
• School/ DCFS meetings may require work outside normal business hours.

Appointment and Compensation Details

Appointment and Compensation Details

Anticipated Appointment Start Date
09/16/2025

Anticipated Appointment End Date

Percent of Staff Year
1.00

Standard Hours Per Week
17

Working Hours
8:30am - 5:00pm; Varies

Salary
$26,096.85 - $27,667.58 annually based on 0.45 FTE; NIU offers a robust benefits package.

Hourly or Semi-monthly Pay Rate/Range
$29.74 - $31.53 hourly

Earn Type
Hourly

Application Procedure

Application Procedure

Application Procedure

Application Procedures:

1. Fully complete the Education and Work History sections of the application. Be specific on your entire work history, including employment dates and duties for all positions held. Applicable part-time work experience will be considered toward qualifying for this position; however, it will be converted to a full-time equivalency to determine combined length of experience. Important: Please upload any unofficial transcript(s) and/or documentation that verifies any education, experience, and/or training you have received.
   • If eligible for Veteran's Preference Points, DD214/DD215/NGB22/DD256 paperwork reflecting an Honorable Discharge MUST be uploaded to this application to receive the maximum eligible points on the Civil Service examination.
2. After the posting has closed, your submission will be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for the classification, including any specialty factors associated with this position. If you meet the minimum required qualifications for this position, you will receive a score based on your education and experience, and your name will be placed on the active employment register.
3. Please monitor your e-mail for further information regarding your application. Emails will be generated from [email protected] . Please add this email to your address book to ensure timely delivery of any future communication.
4. Illinois residency required within 180 days of the hire date.

Credentials Assessment Examination:

• The examination for this position is a Credentials Assessment and is based on your application materials as submitted for this posting. A Credential Assessment is a rating by the Human Resources Office of an applicant's/employee's education, experience, and special credentials/qualifications (licenses, etc.). Applicants are required to upload documentation to verify the minimum qualifications for this position has been met.
• Required documentation noted in the posting, such as a driver's license, licensures, or certifications MUST be uploaded with your application materials.
• After assessment of all qualified applicants has been completed for this position, the names with the top three (3) scores will be referred to the hiring department for interview.

Additional Details:

• Click on Program Services Specialist for more information including salary ranges, typical duties, minimum acceptable qualifications, and testing requirements.
  • Applicants who may assume they do not meet the exact minimum qualifications are still invited to apply. Within the application documents, applicants should be sure to explain how their credentials and related qualifications address the requested minimum requirements.
• Please click on Human Resource Services - Benefits for detailed information about Northern Illinois University's benefits package.
• Employment is contingent upon your passing a criminal background investigation. You may not begin work until the criminal background investigation results have been received and cleared by Human Resources.

Special Instructions

Please submit the following with your application:

• Current Resume
• Cover Letter
• List of at least three current professional References
• Writing sample of a report covering a redacted case study

Quick Link to Applicant
https://employment.niu.edu/postings/83296

Is Background Check Required?
Yes

EEO Statement Summary

In accordance with applicable statutes and regulations, NIU is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, religion, age, disability (physical and mental), marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender (identity and expression), political affiliation, or any other factor unrelated to professional qualifications, and will comply with all applicable federal and state statutes, regulations and orders pertaining to nondiscrimination, equal opportunity and affirmative action.

The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies:

Ethics and Compliance Officer, Title IX Coordinator
Health Services Building Room 230
[email protected]
815-753-5560

Visa Policy

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire.

ADA Accommodation

NIU remains committed to ensuring that its recruitment and application procedures include full opportunities for applicants with disabilities. Employment opportunities will not be denied to anyone because of the need to make accommodations for a person's disability during either the application or interview process. An applicant who believes they require an accommodation to participate in the employment process due to a disability may request that accommodation through the Accommodation Request Form . For further assistance, please contact the office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity ( AAEO ) at [email protected] .

Safety Information

NIU provides annual reports on campus security and fire safety.
Read the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report .
Contact the Ethics and Compliance Office at 815-753-9364 for a hard copy.

Applicant Documents

Required Documents

1. Cover Letter
2. Resume/Curriculum Vitae
3. List of at least 3 Professional References
4. Writing Sample

Optional Documents

1. Transcripts (unofficial with official required at hire)
2. Certifications/Licensure #1
3. Certifications/Licensure #2
4. Certifications/Licensure #3
5. Military Discharge Documents ONLY (DD214/DD215/NGB22/DD256)

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

1. * What is the highest level of education attained?
   • GED
   • High School Diploma
   • Associates Degree
   • Bachelors Degree
   • Masters Degree
   • PHD
2. * How many years of experience do you have in this type of position?
   • 0-1
   • 1-3
   • 3-5
   • 5-7
   • 7+
3. * Are you currently a citizen or resident of the State of Illinois?
   • Yes
   • No
4. * If applicable, have you attached a copy of your DD214, DD215, NGB22, or DD256 for consideration of Veterans Preference Points? The copy submitted should reflect the status of discharge in order to be considered.
   • Yes
   • No
   • Not Applicable
5. * If you have completed any certifications or licensures, please list those below. (Please upload a copy of those listed.)
   (Open Ended Question)