JOB DESCRIPTION SUMMARY
The
Transition Counselor is directly supervised by the
Special Education Program Officer and School Principal and is responsible for coordinating rehabilitation and transition services for students with IEPs beginning no later than age 14 and continuing through graduation in collaborating with the Special Education Teacher and IEP Team. Services may include: career counseling and guidance, community and agency linkages, and planning and preparation for employment, post-secondary education/training and independent living.
- Employment preparation may include support with the following activities: research employment opportunities, provide volunteer and employment resources to students, job application assistance, conduct mock-interviews, and coordinate vocational evaluations, job shadowing experiences and community-based assessments.
- Post-secondary Education/Training preparation may include support with the following activities: match interests and abilities to determine post-secondary goals, research post-secondary training programs, coordinate referrals to college prep programs, coordinate college tours, complete college applications, determine eligibility for Pittsburgh Promise scholarship, referrals to adult agencies, coordinate tours for adult training facilities, register for ACT/SAT accommodations, research college scholarships, FAFSA application assistance, ASVAB exam assistance.
- Independent Living preparation may include support with the following activities: daily living skills such as money management, homemaking, personal hygiene, functional mobility, communication needs, use of assistive technology and community travel. Activities may also include voter registration assistance, driver's exam preparation, selective service registration, housing resources and referrals to adult agencies who may provide independent living support.
WORK MONTHS
10 Months
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
1. Use ongoing transition assessment (transition surveys, interest and learning style inventories, etc.) to identify and support students post-secondary goals.
2. Provide IEP team with agencies who may provide services to students based on the student's age, disability and need.
3. Coordinate referrals to community service providers (OVR, OBH, etc.) as appropriate and with parental permission.
4. Coordinate services between educators, agencies, service providers, employers and job coaches.
5. Coordinate referrals to appropriate PPS transition programs (SOS, CBVE, Travel Instruction, CITY Connections, MAPP) and support students as necessary.
6. Participate in IEP meetings for students of transition age.
7. Assist students in gaining a better understanding of their strengths, needs, accommodations and supports and culminate this information into the Summary of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance.
8. Review and provide information to the IEP team regarding students' progress towards transition goals and activities.
9. Collect graduation data for completion of the graduation NOREP.
10. Complete student course selections and schedule PSE students (including CTE programming and referrals).
11. Provide individual or group counseling on personal, academic, career, or transition related issues.
12. Identify and provide information on transition services and activities, programs, and resources to the certified special education teacher and IEP team.
13. Attend and engage in school meetings as appropriate (Student Services, CORE Team, SAP Team, etc.).
14. Establish and maintain a transition portfolio/file for each student on caseload.
15. Plan and coordinate transition events (transition fairs, college fairs/tours, etc.).
16. Participate in SPP Indicator 13 / Effective Practices for Secondary Transition trainings and share information with the school team.
17. Collaborate with other rehab professionals regarding best practices and new initiatives relating to Secondary Transition.
18. Participate in local transition council meetings (TCC), professional development and other trainings as they relate to the role of the transition counselor.
19. Participate in and contribute information for PaPOS - Indicator 14 (Exit and Post Surveys), utilizing student information provided by the certified special education teacher, as required by the State.
20. Coordinate referrals to transition events (Disability Mentoring Day, Bender Leadership Academy, TCC Mock Interview & Employment Fair, etc.) and support students as necessary.
21. Collect data on graduates, drop outs, work experiences, CTE program enrollment and transition program participation as requested by PSE.
22. Other relevant duties as assigned by supervisor in support of the department's or school’s goals and objectives and the District's mission and Superintendent's Priority Goals
EDUCATION REQUIRED
Master’s Degree i n Rehabilitation Counseling
CERTIFICATION/LICENSURE REQUIRED
C.R.C. (Certified Rehabilitation Counselor)
For more information on Pennsylvania (PA) Department of Education Certification Requirements visit the https://www.education.pa.gov/Educators/Certification/PAEducators/Pages/PACerts.aspx PA Department of Education’s Certification Types and Codes
YEARS OF EXPERIENCE
Varies based on the specific need of the school.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, & ABILITIES
- ? Formal training in the areas of
o Counseling individuals with disabilities.
o Medical, psychosocial and functional aspects of disabilities.
o Vocational issues, career development and the world of work
o Utilizing transition assessment to determine post-secondary goals
- Knowledge and understanding of the history and legislation of rehabilitation, vocational education and secondary transition
- Ability to utilize different counseling techniques and modalities to assist individuals with physical, mental, developmental, cognitive, and emotional disabilities to achieve their personal, career and independent living goals
- Knowledge of community resources, services and programs available to individuals with disabilities
- Ability to determine, coordinate and arrange for rehabilitation and transition services for children within school systems
- Knowledge of job seeking and job retention skills identified by employers as essential for successful employment
- Enthusiastic about the fundamental goal of advancing student achievement in an urban public school district.
- Value, demonstrate, and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion .
WORKING CONDITIONS & PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
The working conditions and physical requirements described here are representative of, but not limited to, those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodation may be made.
- Working conditions for this position are determined by the supervisor of the position
APPLICANT ELIGIBILE CRITERIA
?External applicants and internal non-school-based professional employees who are properly certified are eligible to apply for this position. This job posting is
not a component of the School-Based Professional Internal Transfer Season. Current Pittsburgh Public School employees who are school-based professionals (teachers, librarian, counselors, social workers, etc.) are not eligible to apply to this position.
CITY OF PITTSBURGH RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT
This position does not have a residency requirement.
