Family Engagement Specialist/ASL Rater
Full-Time/Permanent
This position can be located at any location in Washington state. The Outreach Headquarters is located in Federal Way, WA
Note - This is a full year (12 month) based position and is scheduled to work during annual school closures.
This position is expected to start August 16, 2025.
This recruitment will tentatively close on June 26, 2025. We reserve the right to make a hiring decision at any time. It is in your best interest to submit materials as soon as possible. Applicant materials are reviewed weekly.
Our Agency: The Washington Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Youth (CDHY) is an educational community and statewide resource committed to ensuring all deaf and hard of hearing students in Washington reach their full potential. Our agency offers a variety of services including academic, residential, outreach services, and professional development. CDHY celebrates all language experiences and deaf culture. We are committed to providing the best individualized learning experience for all students we serve. Washington School for the Deaf is the campus school for the Center and offers educational programming for preschool through age 21 in Vancouver, WA.
Our Staff: Our employees are more than just workers. They are part of a community, network, and family. Each staff member serves as a role model to students. We're looking for people that can contribute, grow, think, and dream. We thrive in a culture that embraces diversity and rewards imagination. CDHY is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion! Our agency strives to create an inclusive and diverse learning community with emphasis on access, success, and equity by recruiting, retaining, and ensuring the success of diverse students, faculty, and staff. CDHY aims to build a community that values and respects one another by providing the best learning environment for faculty, staff, and student success.
About the CDHY Outreach Team:
The Outreach Team offers services to deaf and hard of hearing students, their families, and the educators that serve them throughout Washington State. Our team consists of specialists in: American Sign Language, audiology, deaf plus, early intervention, educational interpreting, family engagement, listening and spoken language, literacy, school psychology, Signing Exact English, social-emotional learning, speech-language, teaching strategies and curriculum, and transition (birth-22). We offer support to students, families, early childhood programs, and school districts through direct services, state-wide events, and professional development opportunities. We are a state-wide resource dedicated to ensuring all deaf and hard of hearing students in Washington receive the support they need to reach their full potential and achieve their goals.
About the position:
The Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Youth's mission is to provide educational services to all Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) children in the state of Washington and to support their development by building connections between families and the professionals who work with them. The Family Engagement Specialist (FES) supports this goal by working with parents and families in the home environment educating, empowering, and meaningfully engaging the families of DHH children. The FES focuses on educating parents/families about access to visual language, ASL, and early literacy skills, supporting language acquisition and early communication skills so that young children have a foundation to reach their full potential. This position also builds connections between local and state resources and systems, helps minimize duplication of efforts, and creates consistency in statewide services and information sharing.
Provide in-person and virtual home visits to families to instill a foundation of meaningful and accessible engagement with their children through teaching ASL and supporting language acquisition, communication development, and early literacy skills. Team with Birth-5 teachers of the Deaf (TODs) and other members of the team working directly with families and early childhood programs. Team with Birth-5 team members and other outreach consultants on preschool consultations and evaluations. CDHY Birth-5 services ensure connections to early childhood programs, school districts, other family centered services, and supports transition to preschool.
Develop partnerships pivotal to capacity building and implement partnerships that support collaboration between families and professionals.
Team with other birth-5 team members to create a calendar of meaningful events, activities and communication that significantly enhances families comfortability and engagement at family centered events, local school programs, and WSD, encouraging language growth, and deepening support for students aimed at improved developmental skills, early academic, and social success.
Work with the other Family Engagement Specialists, early childhood TODs, birth-5 SLP, and other consultants on child and student consultations and evaluations, specifically focused on ASL and communication development.
Conducts special projects and research as needed.
Attending and/or participating in required training and professional development through the Department of Children Youth & Families (DCYF) Early Supports for Infants & Toddlers (ESIT) Part C program, including obtaining the ESIT Developmental Associate credential. Attending other professional development opportunities focused on ASL acquisition, early child development, Deaf Culture, working with families, and other applicable early childhood information, etc.
Required Qualifications:
Preferred/Desired Qualifications:
CDHY is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Please provide your resume, cover letter and at least 2 professional references.
Must be able to pass federal and state criminal background screening.
The position is hybrid working assignments with both teleworking and in-person assignments.
Requires up to 50% travel. Must be willing and able to travel frequently by vehicle, air and train.
Must have valid driver’s license prior to beginning work.
This position is in the bargaining unit represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE). For membership questions, contact the local Union Representative.
This position is eligible for full benefits (medical, dental, vision, long-term disability, life insurance, and retirement).
Salary information:
Salary is set using the State of Washington General government pay scales (Range 53).
Vacation and sick leave accrual, paid holidays, personal holiday, personal leave day, and overtime eligible after 40 hours of work in a week.
For questions about this recruitment, or to request reasonable accommodation in the application process, please email the Human Resources office at recruitment@cdhy.wa.gov.
More than Just a Paycheck!
Employee benefits are not just about the kind of services you get, they are also about how much you may have to pay out of pocket. Washington State offers one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation.
We understand that your life revolves around more than just your career. Like everyone, your first priority is ensuring that you and your family will maintain health and financial security. That's why choice is a key component of our benefits package. We have a selection of health and retirement plans, paid leave, staff training and other compensation benefits that you can mix and match to meet your current and future needs.
Read about our benefits:
The following information describes typical benefits available for full-time employees who are expected to work more than six months. Actual benefits may vary by appointment type or be prorated for other than full-time work (e.g. part-time); view the job posting for benefits details for job types other than full-time.
Note: If the position offers benefits which differ from the following, the job posting should include the specific benefits.
Insurance Benefits
Employees and their families are covered by medical (including vision), dental and basic life insurance. There are multiple medical plans with affordable monthly premiums that offer coverage throughout the state.
Staff are eligible to enroll each year in a medical flexible spending account which enables them to use tax-deferred dollars toward their health care expenses. Employees are also covered by basic life and long-term disability insurance, with the option to purchase additional coverage amounts.
To view premium rates, coverage choice in your area and how to enroll, please visit the Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) website. The Washington Wellness program from the Health Care Authority works with PEBB to support our workplace wellness programs.
Dependent care assistance allows the employee to save pre-tax dollars for a child or elder care expenses.
Other insurance coverage for auto, boat, home, and renter insurance is available through payroll deduction.
The Washington State Employee Assistance Program promotes the health and well-being of employees.
Retirement and Deferred Compensation
State Employees are members of the Washington Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS). New employees have the option of two employer contributed retirement programs. For additional information, check out the Department of Retirement Systems' web site.
Employees also have the ability to participate in the Deferred Compensation Program (DCP). This is a supplemental retirement savings program (similar to an IRA) that allows you control over the amount of pre-tax salary dollars you defer as well as the flexibility to choose between multiple investment options.
Social Security
All state employees are covered by the federal Social Security and Medicare systems. The state and the employee pay an equal amount into the system.
Public Service Loan Forgiveness
If you are employed by a government or not-for-profit organization, and meet the qualifying criteria, you may be eligible to receive student loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.
Holidays
Full-time and part-time employees are entitled to paid holidays and one paid personal holiday per calendar year.
Note: Employees who are members of certain Unions may be entitled to additional personal leave day(s), please refer to position specific Collective Bargaining Agreements for more information.
Full-time employees who work full monthly schedules qualify for holiday compensation if they are employed before the holiday and are in pay status for at least 80 nonovertime hours during the month of the holiday; or for the entire work shift preceding the holiday.
Part-time employees who are in pay status during the month of the holiday qualify for the holiday on a pro-rata basis. Compensation for holidays (including personal holiday) will be proportionate to the number of hours in pay status in the month to that required for full-time employment, excluding all holiday hours. Pay status includes hours worked and time on paid leave.
Sick Leave
Full-time employees earn eight hours of sick leave per month. Overtime eligible employees who are in pay status for less than 80 hours per month, earn a monthly proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full-time employment. Overtime exempt employees who are in pay status for less than 80 hours per month do not earn a monthly accrual of sick leave.
Sick leave accruals for part-time employees will be proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full-time employment. Pay status includes hours worked, time on paid leave and paid holiday.
Vacation (Annual Leave)
Full-time employees accrue vacation leave at the rates specified in WAC 357-31-165(1) or the applicable collective bargaining agreement (CBA). Full-time employees who are in pay status for less than 80 nonovertime hours in a month do not earn a monthly accrual of vacation leave.
Part-time employees accrue vacation leave hours in accordance with WAC 357-31-165(1) or the applicable collective bargaining agreement (CBA) on a pro rata basis. Vacation leave accrual will be proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full-time employment.
Pay status includes hours worked, time on paid leave and paid holiday.
As provided in WAC 357-58-175, an employer may authorize a lump-sum accrual of vacation leave or accelerate the vacation leave accrual rate to support the recruitment and/or retention of a candidate or employee for a Washington Management Service position. Vacation leave accrual rates may only be accelerated using the rates established WAC 357-31-165.
Note: Most agencies follow the civil service rules covering leave and holidays for exempt employees even though there is no requirement for them to do so. However, agencies are required to adhere to the applicable RCWs pertaining holidays and leave.
Military Leave
Washington State supports members of the armed forces with 21 days paid military leave per year.
Bereavement Leave
Most employees whose family member or household member dies, are entitled to three (3) days of paid bereavement leave. In addition, the employer may approve other available leave types for the purpose of bereavement leave.
Additional Leave
Leave Sharing
Parental Leave
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
Leave Without Pay
Please visit the State HR Website for more detailed information regarding benefits.
Updated 12-31-2022
Read Full Description