Highly Mobile Student Grant Coordinator

Colorado Department of Education – What We Do 
The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) provides leadership, resources, support, and accountability to the state's 178 school districts, 1,888 schools, over 53,000 teachers, and over 3,200 administrators to help them build capacity to meet the needs of the state's approximately 905,000 public school students. In addition, CDE provides structural and administrative support to the Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind and the Charter School Institute.

As the administrative arm of the State Board of Education, CDE is responsible for implementing state and federal education laws, disbursing state and federal funds, holding schools and districts accountable for performance, licensing all educators, and providing public transparency of performance and financial data.

CDE is a values-based agency that serves students, parents, and the general public by protecting public trust through ensuring adherence to laws, strong stewardship of public funds, and accountability for student performance.

CDE strives to incorporate five core values that we uphold in our work internally and externally.   If you come to CDE, be prepared to incorporate Integrity, Equity, Accountability, Trust, and commitment to Service in what you do.

Why Work For CDE
The work we do is rewarding and impacts the students, families, educators, and communities across Colorado. Our leadership also promotes a culture that puts families and self-care as a priority. Along with meaningful work and an environment that puts employees first, the state also offers rich benefits that intend to make us an Employer of Choice!
The following is a summary of the benefits we offer:

• Flexible work schedules and flexible workplace options that may include flexible working hours, working from home, working in the office, and/or a hybrid working environment.
• Premier medical, dental, vision, and dependent life insurance options. All with a generous employer contribution keeping employee costs as low as possible.
• Employer paid short-term disability and life insurance
• Up to 160 hours of Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML)
• 11 paid holidays per year
• Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals
• Retirement through the Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) www.copera.org
• Employer paid RTD Eco Pass (certain restrictions may apply)
• Paid professional development opportunities

A wide salary range is posted for this position and any job offer is based upon a salary analysis to comply with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act. The salary analysis considers relevant experience, education, certifications, and state seniority as compared to others doing substantially similar work. While most salary offers are made within the posted range, occasionally an offer is made below or above the posted range based upon this salary analysis.Work Environment:
This position is Full-time and is Hybrid (Remote/Home Office w/requirement to report to work location per business needs).

• Office hours are typically Mon-Fri, 8 am-5 pm
• Extended hours during the evening or the weekend may be required by business needs
• 20% Travel required to non-CDE locations/off-site locations within the State of Colorado, including some overnight trips.
• A Remote (Home) office is required
• Required to report to the work location per business needs
• Essential Functions (ADAAA)
  • LIGHT/Office environment:
    • Required to sit, view a computer screen, and utilize a keyboard and mouse for extended periods of time
    • May be required to lift and move up to 10 lbs of force frequently or 20 lbs occasionally 
    • Required lifting, bending, stooping, pushing, walking, etc.
    • Light work usually requires walking or standing to a significant degree
      
  • DL Not Required: Required to independently obtain and determine means to complete travel requirements. (For positions that only report to CDE locations and can use public transportation to complete that.)

Position Summary:

Are you interested in bringing more meaning to your career? Join the Highly Mobile Student Programs in the Office of Student Support at CDE and work daily to improve access, stability and opportunities for students experiencing homelessness and the foster care system in Colorado.   This role is essential to supporting local efforts in building meaningful and impactful programs for homeless and foster youth to succeed in school and life.  As the HMS Grants Coordinator, you will have the opportunity to connect with school district McKinney-Vento Liaisons and Child Welfare Education Liaisons across the state in support of Colorado’s most vulnerable students.  The perfect candidate will have a passion for supporting others, a drive to provide accurate and timely information, and a level headedness that keeps work moving forward in rapidly changing, diverse and sometimes uncertain environments.  

As a member of the Office of Student Support at CDE you will be highly collaborative, committed to continuous learning, and have a positive and encouraging approach to supporting programs and school districts. The team is composed of thinkers and doers who are committed to supporting every student every step of the way.  

The Highly Mobile Student (HMS) Grants Coordinator works under the direction, supervision and approval of the Highly Mobile Student (HMS) Programs Manager in the Office of Student Support (OSS), under the Student Pathways and Engagement Unit at the Colorado Department of Education (CDE).  Under their supervisor's guidance, the HMS Grants Coordinator will oversee the implementation, review and management of the federal Education of Homeless Children and Youth Grant (EHCY), authorized by the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (2015) and the state-funded Education Stability Grant (ESG) authorized under Colorado HB 18-1306. 

EHCY is authorized under Subtitle VII-B of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (per Title IX, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act). The final salary is anticipated to fall within the posted salary range, however could be higher or lower depending on the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other qualifications of the preferred candidate while considering internal equity.

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act is the only piece of federal legislation dedicated solely to the education of homeless children and youth. The main themes of the law center around access to a free public education, stability in school and the opportunity to succeed in school and school activities for students identified as homeless. EHCY supports local education agencies in the removal of educational barriers facing children and youth experiencing homelessness, with an emphasis on educational enrollment, attendance and success.

ESG supports educational stability of highly mobile students, including students experiencing foster care, students experiencing homelessness and students in migrant education programs. This program aims to provide academic and social-emotional support for highly mobile students, eliminate educational barriers and promote educational stability. The program emphasizes improving school attendance, reducing behavioral and discipline incidents, increasing grade-level promotion, reducing dropout rate and increasing graduation and completion rates.

State activities under these programs include, but are not limited to: working with the manager on implementing the competitive grant process in partnership with other CDE offices, overseeing the process for the award of grants and supporting grantees through training and technical assistance regarding grant management activities. This position will review budgets and program reports, providing recommendations for needed technical assistance and monitoring.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:
A. Grant Management

• Work with the HMS Programs Manager to implement all aspects of the EHCY and ESG grant programs from the request for applications development through final evaluation. 
• Implement continuous improvement processes regarding inclusive and effective implementation of the EHCY and ESG grant programs, in collaboration with the OSS Evaluation and Research Principal Consultant.
• Serve as the primary contact regarding grant related questions for the EHCY and ESG grant programs. 
• Coordinate the monitoring process with identified grantees and school districts including the creation of tools and resources to build efficiency in monitoring, reviewing pre-monitoring documents, summarizing strengths and challenges and compiling post monitoring documents for supervisor review.

B. Training and Technical Assistance Project Coordination

• Work with the manager to answer questions and provide resources, tools and other support to McKinney-Vento District Homeless Education Liaisons. 
• Serve on the McKinney-Vento dispute resolution state review committee.
• Support the technical assistance, professional development and training priorities set by the HMS Programs Manager, including providing input on needed topics.
• Support Highly Mobile Student Regional Collaborative Conversation events including communication, project tracking and logistics.  
• Collect and disseminate promising practices and tools for supporting students experiencing homelessness, experiencing foster care and other highly mobile students. 
• Organize monthly peer-to-peer conversations for McKinney-Vento liaisons, Child Welfare Education Liaisons and highly mobile youth professionals, managing registration, presenter selection and ensuring topics, training design and agendas are reviewed and approved by the HMS Programs Manager.  
• Develop a process for collecting and reviewing monthly topics for the HMS newsletter and other communications, draft content and ensure manager approval before distribution. 

C. Partnership and Collaboration 

• Support state-level partnerships by sitting on cross-agency councils related to HMS programs as directed by the HMS Programs Manager.  
• Partner with the HMS Programs Manager and state-level partners with activities related to Homeless Youth Awareness Month and other outreach activities to elevate the issue of youth homelessness in Colorado.  

MINIMUM EDUCATION  AND EXPERIENCE  REQUIREMENTS:  

• Three (3) years professional knowledge of and experience with education systems in Colorado.
• At least one (1) year of experience coordinating and executing training and technical assistance related to grant expectations and deliverables.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________
QUALIFICATIONS AND CONDITIONS: 
Qualifications for Success in the Position: 

• Demonstrated experience in managing grants.
• Knowledge of grant management methods including effective implementation of approved plans and program development to achieve desired outcomes.
• Statewide travel is required to assess and assist local education agencies in implementation and compliance with grant requirements.
• Comfortable in presenting to others virtually and in-person
• Adaptable to quickly changing environment
• Enthusiastic approach to teamwork and collaboration (team-oriented)
• Effectively manage time and priorities in deadline-driven environments while working independently with minimal supervision.
• Communicate effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• Build trusting relationships with grantees to help address challenges and meet student needs.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong attention to detail (proofing work, spelling, grammar, formatting, etc.).
• Demonstrated ability to effectively balance quality of work and productivity expectations
• Demonstrated ability to effectively collaborate with internal and external customers (e.g. school districts, and other CDE units)
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize and organize work to accommodate and meet the changing needs of the department and meet deadlines
• Demonstrated ability to take initiative and exhibit a proactive approach to work
• Demonstrated ability to identify problems and recommend solutions prior to the standard being jeopardized
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, as well as, on a team
• Ability and willingness to travel

Conditions of Employment (Required):

• Must be willing and able to submit to the pre-screening process and pass a background check.
• Ability and willingness to independently determine, obtain means, and complete required travel (20% to non-CDE locations/off-site locations within the State of Colorado, including overnight trips) 
• Report to work location per business needs
• DL Not Required: Required to independently determine and obtain means to complete travel requirements 

Complete Applications must include:

• Completed Online Application: Required - Submitted through our ATS.
• Resume: Required - Please attach as a separate document to the application.

FOR CURRENT OR FORMER EMPLOYEES OF THE STATE OF COLORADO:
 
Per the requirements of the Step Pay Program implemented on July 1, 2024, any State employee must be paid a rate that is equal to or greater than the appropriate step pay rate within their classification’s pay range based on completed years in their current class series as of June 30. All current and former State employees must ensure that your entire work history within the State Classified System, including at Institutions of Higher Education, is indicated in your application so that your time-in-series can be calculated accurately. 
 

Email Address:
All correspondence regarding your status in the selection/examination process will be conducted via email.  Include a working email address on your application; one that is checked often as time-sensitive correspondence such as exam information or notification will take place via email.  Please set up your e-mail to accept messages from "state.co.us" and "info@governmentjobs.com" addresses. It is your responsibility to ensure that your email will accept these notices and/or review your junk mail and spam-filtered email.
 

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) and Equal Employment Opportunity
The State of Colorado believes that equity, diversity, and inclusion drive our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply. The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer committed to building inclusive, innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities and enthusiastically serve them. Therefore, in all aspects of the employment process, we provide employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, a medical condition related to pregnancy, creed, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, or military status (with preference given to military veterans), or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law.
 
The Colorado Department of Education is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or performing essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to hr@cde.state.co.us.

Salary : $60,000 - $65,000