Pupil Services Specialist (12 Month) (35 Hour)

Are you interested in a career where you can make a difference, do what you are passionate about and receive personal fulfillment? If so, we want you to join us!  

The State of Connecticut, Department of Children and Families' (DCF) is seeking qualified candidates for multiple openings as a Pupil Services Specialist.  

What We Can Offer You:

• The opportunity to work for a Forbes top company: 'Forbes' State of Connecticut Ranked One of the Best Employers of 2023 - State of CT Receives National Recognition for Offering Job Growth, Competitive Benefits, and Flexible Schedule;
• A Platinum Healthcare Plan, the nation’s best for state employees and dependents, according to a report by Georgetown’s Center on Health Insurance Reform and article by Ellen Andrews, Ph.D., along with comprehensive benefit offerings;
• Extensive pension plan and supplemental retirement offerings;
• Generous paid time off, including 13 paid holidays per calendar year;
• Professional growth and development opportunities;
• A healthy work/life balance to all employees.  

Position Highlights:  

• Full-time
• 35 hours per week
• Monday - Friday
• 8:00am – 3:30pm
• Although this position is located at our Central Office in Hartford, CT, this position will require statewide travel.  

The Role:

We would entrust you to perform services for students in one of the following areas; educational diagnosis, counseling, social work, specialized instruction, or psychological services and assessments.  

Additionally, we would have you:

• Serve in a resource capacity to educational staff and other appropriate individuals.  
• Confer with parents, guardians, and teachers concerning individual students and assist in planning educational programs.  
• Keep records and make necessary reports, including but not limited to, IEP's state assessments and educational histories.  
• Serve as a liaison with school systems and community services.  
• Collaborate with facility clinicians by participating in Care Plan and Discharge meetings.  
• Update transcripts and determine courses needed to meet graduation requirements.  

Our Ideal Candidate Will:

• Be organized, resourceful, and have strong time management skills.
• Possess strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Have the ability to work independently and as part of a team to meet deadlines.
• Be detail-oriented and be adaptable.
• Have experience working with confidential and time-sensitive information.    

About Us:

The Department of Children and Families' (DCF) mission is partnering with communities and empowering families to raise resilient children who thrive. We are proud of our diverse and dedicated workforce who strive every day to meet the needs of those we encounter.  

This role will be a part of our newly created Juvenile Justice Educational Oversight Unit (JJEOU). The JJEOU was established to assure youth and young adults in juvenile justice facilities are receiving educational services and supports consistent with the standards of the Connecticut State Department of Education and meets the performance expectation of the Commissioner of the DCF.  

We hope you take this opportunity to join our team and make a difference!

These positions will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion and merit employment rules.  

In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process.

Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on the job opening and must specify their qualifications on their application. The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified. 

Please note you will be unable to make revisions once you submit your application for this posting to the JobAps system. Interviews will be limited to candidates whose experience and training most closely meet the requirements of the position. 

The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.

Although applicants will receive correspondence via email, as a backup they are also encouraged to sign on to their Personal Status Board on a daily basis to monitor their status, view all emailed notices and complete tasks required in the recruitment process. 

Due to the large volume of applications received, we are unable to provide confirmation of receipt or status during the recruitment process. Updates will be available through your JobAps portal account.   

Note:  At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position.  These documents may include:  a cover letter, resume, transcripts, diplomas, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency.  Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications as indicated to apply for this position. 

This posting may require completion of additional referral questions (RQs). You can access these RQs via an email that will be sent to you after the posting's closing date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section). Your responses to these RQs must be submitted by the question's expiration date. Please regularly check your email and JobAps Personal Status Board for notifications. Please check your SPAM and/or Junk folders on a daily basis in the event an email provider places auto-notification emails in a user's spam.  

Should you have questions pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Julie Barker, at Julie.Barker@ct.gov.

All application materials must be received by the recruiting agency by the time specified on the job opening for the position for which you are applying. Late applications may not be submitted and will not be considered. Exceptions are rare and limited to documented events that incapacitate a candidate during the entire duration of the job posting time period.  It is the candidate’s obligation and responsibility to request an exception and provide a legally recognized justification to accommodate such exception.  Requests should be made to DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.

In a state institution, facility or region within a state unified school district, performs professional services within the area of pupil personnel and special education services in a school setting and serves in a resource capacity and consultant to teachers.

Performs services for students in the area of special training such as educational diagnosis, counseling, speech and hearing, social work, or psychological services; serves in a resource capacity to educational staff and other appropriate individuals; confers with parents and teachers concerning individual students and assists in planning educational programs; keeps records and makes necessary reports; may serve as liaison with school systems and community services; performs related duties as required.

Knowledge of the philosophy and methods of service delivery to the assigned disciplines; knowledge of the principles and practices of education and or services for special needs population; ability to motivate students; ability to communicate at the appropriate level; ability to establish cooperative relationships with those contacted in planning educational programs; ability to prepare written reports; ability to perform educational testing.

A Master's degree which includes a planned program of preparation for the field in which the special services are performed.

• Experience acting as a liaison between students, former education placements, outside agencies, local school programs, and other interested parties.  
• Experience with individual and group counseling of students.  
• Experience participating and contributing student information as a member of the Student Study Teams (SST) and Planning and Placement Team (PPT) process.  
• Experience monitoring the achievement of Individual Education Plan (IEP) and Individual Transition Plan (ITP) objectives.  
• State of Connecticut certification in at least one of the following: School Counselor (068), School Psychologist (070), School Social Worker (071) or Special Education (065).

1. Incumbents in this class must possess an appropriate certificate issued by the Connecticut State Board of Education in special education or special services areas such as school counselor (elementary or secondary), speech and hearing consultant, school psychologist, psychological examiner or school social worker.
2. Incumbents in this class may be required to possess and retain a current Connecticut Motor Vehicle operator's license.

In addition to the checking of references and of facts stated in the application, a thorough background investigation of each candidate may be made prior to appointment.

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.