LEAD OF PUPIL SERVICES, K–12

Understanding the Role
 
The Lead of Pupil Services, K–12 provides systemwide leadership for academic advisement, school counseling, student support, graduation planning, special-population coordination, records accuracy, crisis response, family engagement, and college, career, and postsecondary readiness across Challenge Preparatory Charter Schools. The position ensures that students receive coordinated, equitable, developmentally appropriate, and legally compliant supports from kindergarten through grade 12.
The Lead serves as the organization’s principal expert on pupil personnel services and establishes consistent procedures across elementary, middle, and high school programs. The role requires advanced knowledge of New York State school counseling expectations, transcript evaluation, diploma and graduation requirements, credit accumulation, Regents and pathway requirements, STARS, ATS, IEPs, Section 504 plans, student records, attendance, intervention systems, and the New York State comprehensive developmental school counseling/guidance program. The Lead works closely with school leaders, counselors, teachers, special education staff, related-service providers, families, community partners, and authorizer or district representatives to remove barriers and improve student outcomes.
Essential Leadership Responsibilities
1. Systemwide Pupil Services Leadership
2. Comprehensive School Counseling Program
3. Transcript Evaluation, Credit Auditing, and Graduation Readiness
4. Student Information Systems and Records Integrity
5. Section 504, IEP, Special Education, and Accessibility Coordination
6. Multi-Tiered Student Support, Mental Health, and Crisis Response
7. College, Career, and Postsecondary Readiness
8. Attendance, Enrollment, Promotion, and Student Transitions
9. Family Engagement and Student Advocacy
10. Supervision, Professional Development, and Staff Capacity
11. Compliance, Reporting, and Continuous Improvement

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following:

- Serve as a member of the school’s leadership team

Systemwide Pupil Services Leadership (K–12)

- Lead and continuously improve a unified K–12 pupil services model aligned to mission, charter goals, and all federal/state/local requirements.

- Define roles, workflows, calendars, referral pathways, and accountability for counseling and student support across all school levels.

- Facilitate regular K–12 pupil services meetings to review student needs, compliance, data trends, and cross-school coordination.

- Advise leaders on graduation readiness, student wellness, attendance, special populations, and emerging risks.

- Build and maintain a K–12 pupil services handbook (SOPs, timelines, referrals, confidentiality, escalation).

- Ensure smooth transitions between elementary–middle, middle–high, and postsecondary pathways (college/career/military/other).

Comprehensive School Counseling Program

- Oversee the annual development, implementation, evaluation, and updates of organization-wide and building-level counseling/guidance plans aligned to NYS requirements.

Graduation Readiness & Transcript Accountability

- Direct transcript evaluation, credit auditing, and graduation readiness reviews (including transfer entry, annual audits, and senior certifications).

- Maintain graduation plans and credit trackers; coordinate credit recovery, summer school, make-up courses, and approved alternative pathways.

- Ensure clear communication to students/families about diploma options, requirements, assessments, and supports.

- Monitor NYS graduation requirement changes and update policies, systems, and training accordingly.

Student Information Systems & Records Integrity

- Serve as K–12 lead for STARS, ATS, SESIS, and other student data systems (scheduling, credits, grades, counseling, attendance, special education, college/career).

- Ensure data accuracy, timeliness, and security through audits, quality control, and staff training.

- Coordinate reconciliation of discrepancies among transcripts and records; manage secure handling of cumulative records and confidential documents.

Section 504 / IEP / Special Education Support

- Oversee Section 504 processes and compliance (referrals, eligibility, plans, reviews, documentation, accommodations, testing supports).

- Partner with special education teams to ensure consistent IEP implementation and 504 accommodations.

- Monitor service delivery, missed supports, testing accommodations, transition services, and corrective actions.

- Escalate unresolved compliance concerns appropriately.

Student Support, Mental Health & Crisis Response

- Lead a multi-tiered system of academic, attendance, behavioral, and SEL supports (prevention → intervention → intensive support).

- Establish procedures for threat/risk assessment, mandated reporting, crisis stabilization, reentry, grief response, and emergency communication.

- Coordinate referrals to licensed clinical providers when needs exceed school counseling scope.

- Partner with community organizations and coordinate case conferences for students with complex needs.

College, Career & Postsecondary Readiness

- Supervise a K–12 readiness program from early awareness through individualized postsecondary planning and transition.

- Oversee college/career advising, work-based learning, internships, dual enrollment, CTE pathways, and financial aid support.

- Track key outcomes (applications, FAFSA/TAP, acceptances, scholarships, apprenticeships/employment, military enlistment, summer transitions).

- Use placement/persistence data and alumni follow-up to improve programming.

Attendance, Enrollment, Promotion & Transitions

- Collaborate to address chronic absenteeism, lateness, disengagement, mobility, enrollment barriers, and reengagement needs.

- Support promotion review, articulation, transfer enrollment, discharge/records transfer, and transition planning.

- Ensure intervention plans for students at risk of non-promotion, over-age/under-credited status, dropout risk, or other barriers.

- Ensure timely, understandable, culturally responsive family communication in required languages.

Family Engagement & Student Advocacy

- Create structures so families and students understand progress, counseling, disability supports, attendance, promotion/graduation, and postsecondary options.

- Plan family events, orientations, workshops, and resource fairs across K–12.

- Maintain culturally responsive, trauma-informed, accessible communication; establish escalation/resolution processes for family concerns.

Perform other tasks as required by the CEO

Skills, Qualifications, and/or Competencies Required:

- Strong knowledge of K-12 school systems

- Current New York State certification as a School Counselor (Professional, Permanent, or another valid school counselor credential recognized by NYSED).

- Master’s degree or higher in school counseling, counseling, education, psychology, social work, educational leadership, or a closely related field.

- At least five years of successful school counseling or pupil personnel experience, including substantial experience at the high school level.

- Demonstrated expertise in transcript evaluation, credit accumulation, New York State diploma and graduation requirements, Regents and pathway requirements, and graduation certification.

- Demonstrated proficiency with STARS and ATS; experience with SESIS, 504 tracking, student information systems, data systems, and electronic records is strongly preferred.

- Strong working knowledge of IEPs, Section 504 plans, accommodations, special education processes, transition planning, and disability-access requirements.

- Experience developing, implementing, and evaluating a comprehensive K–12 school counseling program and annual counseling plan.

- Experience supervising, coaching, or leading school counselors or other pupil personnel staff.

- Strong written, oral, facilitation, conflict-resolution, analytical, and organizational skills.

- Ability to manage confidential information, competing deadlines, complex student cases, and high-stakes compliance responsibilities with sound judgment.

Who We Seek

- New York State School Building Leader or School District Leader certification, particularly if the position will include duties reserved to certified administrators.

- New York State clinical license such as LMHC, LMSW, LCSW, psychologist, or another relevant license, in addition to school counselor certification.

- Seven or more years of progressively responsible K–12 counseling, student services, special education, college/career, or school leadership experience.

- Experience in a New York City public or charter school environment and familiarity with NYC Public Schools systems and procedures.

- Experience supporting multilingual learners, students with disabilities, students in temporary housing or foster care, first-generation college applicants, and historically underserved communities.

- Bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish.

- Experience presenting to Boards, authorizers, auditors, families, and community partners.

- Experience designing data dashboards, program evaluations, standard operating procedures, and professional development.

Recruitment Process
Phase I - Interview with the HR Recruiter
Phase II - Interview Challenge Leadership Team
Phase III - Reference Check
Final - Hire Recommendation and Offer
 
Estimated Salary Range
$90,000 - $100,000

The salary is based on year(s) of educational industry experience, your education, and NYSED certification.