CTE Business Specialist 3 (230-Work Days)

SUMMARY:

The CTE Business Services Specialist 3 provides administrative, fiscal, enrollment, and data management support for Career Technical Education (CTE) programs across Washtenaw County. The Specialist supports the nine local districts, Public School Academies (PSAs), and the WISD in implementing countywide CTE programming, maintaining accurate records, managing purchasing and reimbursement processes, coordinating state and federal reporting, and ensuring compliance with state requirements.

The CTE Business Specialist 3 manages day-to-day business operations for CTE programming including enrollment, budgeting support, CTEIS expenditures, 61a(1) Added Cost processes, grant documentation, PowerSchool updates, and required reporting while providing technical assistance to District staff, teachers, and administrators to meet District, state/federal requirements.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Demonstrates a strong commitment to equity, social justice, and inclusion in all practices and position responsibilities.
• Demonstrates the ability to examine how his/her/their position (directly or indirectly) impacts educational inequities in student achievement outcomes.
• Engages in reflection and ongoing learning and development on critical concepts and terms identified in the Washtenaw ISD Educational Equity Policy including concepts such as cultural proficiency, racial equity, and systemic and structural inequities.
• Interprets and administers state and federal rules and informs staff, administrators, and local districts of changes.
• Maintains regular, predictable attendance.
• Performs data entry related to areas of responsibility.

FINANCE, PURCHASING, AND BUDGET COORDINATION:

• Organizes and maintains CTE allocations by district.
• Supports CTE budgeting processes for countywide, regional, and local CTE programs.
• Collects and organizes budget requests; prepares individual teacher budgets and provide budget updates.
• Works with vendors for quotes, new vendor setup, invoice corrections, and order processing.
• Prepares purchase orders, tracks balances, and processes reimbursements in collaboration with the WISD Finance Office.
• Provides processes/best practices, procedures, forms, templates, and technical assistance to District staff for budget planning, purchasing, invoicing, and reimbursement.
• Processes invoices and facilitate reimbursements for payment in collaboration with the WISD Finance Department.
• Manages purchase order balances.
• Provides reimbursement support, ordering assistance, and record tracking.

CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION INFORMATION SYSTEM (CTEIS) EXPENDITURE REPORTING & 61a(1) ADDED COST SUPPORT:

• Works with the CTEIS data system to collect, manage, and maintain expenditure records and track data related to eligible CTE expenses.
• Supports districts with Added Cost 61a(1) purchasing requirements, documentation, and compliance.
• Supports CTE districts in managing Added Cost 61a(1) funding in collaboration with the WISD CTE Director, District CTE Directors and District Finance Directors.
• Collaborates with the CEPD, District Fiscal Agents and District Finance Directors to gather and prepare expenditure data and enter state-required expenditure reporting into CTEIS.

CTE INSTRUCTOR & PROGRAM SUPPORT:

• Assists with CTE instructor onboarding, including MiLogin, GEMS, and CIP Self-Review process, completion, and compliance, ensuring access to the required state reporting database.
• Provides technical assistance to LEA administrative staff and CTE directors in certifying annual CIP Self-Review compliance reports.

GRANT COORDINATION SUPPORT:

• Works collaboratively with the WISD CTE Grants Coordinator and District partners to collect documentation for Perkins and other grants.
• Works with District Finance Directors to prepare data and backup for drawdowns in collaboration with WISD CTE Grants Coordinator.
• Provides training, technical support, and policy interpretation to administration and staff of local districts and other ISD's related to student enrollment reimbursement and specialized software.
• Monitors data quality and maintains a quality assurance plan for state and federal audits.
• Holds quality assurance meetings and performs peer-record reviews; updates the reports to CTEIS and/or MDE OCTE.
• Develops informational/training presentations and training videos, as requested, for WISD programs and LEAS.
• Provides on-site and/or Zoom training(s) to assist LEA and WISD staff regarding procedures and requirements for compliance.
• Works with WISD's technology dept in creating/updating reports generated in CTEIS which are required to provide interpretation and feedback to LEA/WISD Superintendents, CTE and finance staff related to components of state and federal requirements.
• Works collaboratively with the WISD CTE Grants Coordinator, Finance Team, District CTE Directors and District Finance Directors to help facilitate and coordinate Federal Perkins Grants and other grant funding at the county and local District level.
• Organizes data and maintains communication with District Finance Directors and teachers, ensuring spending requirements and deadlines are met.
• Prepares final state reports in collaboration with the CEPD, WISD CTE Director, WISD CTE Grants Coordinator and District CTE Directors.

MILLAGE FUNDING SUPPORT:

• Assists with developing templates, collecting program funding requests, and organizing documentation to support millage-funded programming.
• Maintains records for budgeting, purchasing, and expenditures related to millage funds.
• Works collaboratively with the WISD CTE Finance Team, District CTE Directors and District Finance Directors to help facilitate and coordinate Millage Funds.
• Assists with development and organization of a County-Wide budgeting and spending model.

FORMS, LICENSING, DOCUMENTS, AND COMMUNICATIONS SUPPORT:

• Maintains and updates WISD CTE forms, templates, and electronic documents using Informed K12 (IK12) and Google Workspace.
• Assists teachers with program licensing documentation, submissions, and payment processing.
• Supports newsletters, website updates, and communication related to CTE operations.
• Supports teachers in maintaining program licensing requirements.
• Assists with organization, preparation and mailing of required documentation and payment as necessary.

PUPILS ACCOUNTING AND AUDIT SUPPORT:

• Assists with organizing, verifying, and processing CTE pupil accounting documentation for Count Day.
• Communicates with WISD auditors to provide necessary reports and information.
• Helps prepare documentation for state audits including CRCR and TRAC.
• Assists with uploading materials, organizing evidence, scheduling meetings, and responding to follow-up requests.
• Supports Pupil Accounting "Count-Day" requirements for CTE programming at the County-Wide and Local District level.
• Assists CEPD, WISD CTE Director, WISD CTE Grants Coordinator, District CTE Directors and District Finance Directors with state audits such as Civil Rights Compliance Review (CRCR) and Technical Review, Assistance, and Compliance (TRAC).
• Acts as a liaison during state and federal audits between auditors, WISD Business Office and local District administrators in the business and CTE departments.
• Represents the District with the State of Michigan for policy interpretation and compliance.
• Consults with state and constituent groups about policy change and development.
• Stays current on all student and school-based records practices, laws, and regulations.
• Oversees the electronic archiving of student enrollment and achievement documents.
• Performs annual compliance audits in accordance with standards.
• Researches and prepares reports for projects as assigned

RECRUITMENT, EVENTS, INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS, AND STUDENT RECOGNITION SUPPORT:

• Facilitates and coordinates WISD CTE Special Events including Open Houses, Advisory Committee Meetings, Hiring and CTE Recruitment events, in collaboration with the WISD CTE Team and the business/industry community.
• Creates, maintains, and distributes recruitment material in collaboration with the WISD Marketing Team.
• Helps to facilitate outstanding student awards and scholarships.
• Designs and orders award signs and prepares for distribution to students.
• Prepares scholarship claim letters and award certificates for scholarship recipients.
• Works with the Finance Department and vendors to track scholarship claim status and communicates with families regarding claim deadlines.
• PERFORMS OTHER RELATED DUTIES AS ASSIGNED.

QUALIFICATIONS:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Alternative requirements that may be appropriate and acceptable to the Board of Education may be considered. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:

REQUIRED:

• Experience working with New World.
• Experience in program coordination, career services, or a related field.
• Possesses knowledge of experiential learning practices, career development, and employer relations.
• Possesses a deep knowledge of CTE, including its mission, goals, and role in preparing students for college and career success.
• Experience managing a budget with varied funding sources.
• Experience preparing and processing invoices.
• Experience preparing and processing contracts.

PREFERRED

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Business Administration.
• Minimum of three (3) years previous experience with supporting end users; working with confidential personal data.
• Previous experience working with school-based records for Career Technical Education (CTE).
• PowerSchool experience.
• Experience gathering, organizing, and entering data for the CTEIS expenditures state-required reporting.
• Experience organizing, coordinating and meeting eligibility requirements for added cost 61a(1) funding expenditures.
• Experience supporting at least one (1) Civil Rights Compliance Review (CRCR) Audit.
• Experience coordinating multi-district CTE enrollment.
• Experience supporting CTE teaching staff.
• Experience coordinating Career Technical Student Organization (CTSO) participation, including arranging lodging, transportation, and registration payments.
• Experience with the Count-Day (Pupil Accounting) Process.
• Experience working in K-12 environments.
• Experience coordinating state and federal grants including the 61c(1) and the Carl D. Perkins Grant.
• Experience supporting at least one (1) Technical Review, Assistance, and Compliance (TRAC) Audit.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS:

• CPA - preferred.

LANGUAGE SKILLS:

• Demonstrates ability to read and interpret documents such as grants, journal articles, governmental forms, and handbooks.
• Demonstrates ability to express self clearly, both orally and in writing.
• Demonstrates ability to speak effectively before from groups of educators, parents, students, and the general public.
• Demonstrates ability to collaborate and communicate with individuals across various levels of the educational system, including superintendents, CEPD, CTE directors, counselors, transportation, finance, technology, auditors, and support staff.

TECHNICAL SKILLS:

• Demonstrates ability to work within a digital/electronic form management system such as Informed K12 (IK12).
• Demonstrates ability to analyze data using spreadsheets, databases, and other tools.
• Demonstrates excellent Microsoft Office suite (Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, e.g.) skills and working knowledge of Apple software and devices.
• Demonstrates ability to use a personal computer (PC) in a networked environment to utilize the internet and other electronic communication mechanisms such as email conferencing.
• Demonstrates familiarity with the CTE Portal, Grant Electronic Monitoring System (GEMS) and CIP Self-Review process.
• Demonstrates ability to maintain/update websites and newsletters.
• Demonstrates ability to use Zoom and Teams.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS:

• Demonstrates ability to perform basic math skills.

REASONING ABILITY:

• Demonstrates ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
• Demonstrates ability to coordinate schedules and transportation for multi-district CTE programming.
• Demonstrates a strong ability to negotiate with vendors, review contracts and make recommendations regarding purchasing and implementation of products.
• Demonstrates ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
• Exhibits a high level of professionalism with the ability to handle confid