Eligibility Specialist

Overview

Friendship Public Charter School operates a network of high-performing, college-preparatory public charter schools serving students from pre-K3 through 12th grade. Our mission is to provide a world-class education that equips students with the knowledge, skills, and character necessary for success in college, career, and life.

We are seeking dedicated, mission-aligned professionals to join our team for the 2026–2027 school year. If you are committed to accelerating student achievement, fostering joyful and rigorous learning, and preparing students for bright postsecondary futures, we encourage you to apply.

The Eligibility Specialist ensures that families participating in Friendship’s aftercare program can access and maintain OSSE child care subsidy benefits through accurate application support, documentation verification, timely eligibility determinations/redeterminations (as permitted by OSSE), complete and auditable case record maintenance, and compliant communication with families, DHS, and OSSE. This role is designed to perform the operational work of an OSSE/DHS Eligibility Worker within the boundaries of OSSE’s delegation and oversight authority.

We look forward to learning more about you and your passion for serving students in Washington, DC.

*Please note that the salary scale for this position is $62,000 - $72,000

Responsibilities

Application intake and client interviewing (new applicants and recertifications)

• For Friendship’s Level II aftercare subsidy clients, conduct structured intake and redetermination interviews to capture and apply all OSSE-required eligibility factors (household status, DC residency, income, and qualifying need such as work, education, or training).
• Ensure each interview also covers program requirements and family responsibilities, and use an in-person or otherwise verified process when OSSE standards require document authentication.

 

Document collection, verification, and authenticity checks

• Collect, review, and verify every required document for Friendship families to establish eligibility (identity, child and household information, residency, legal relationship, income, and qualifying need), including meeting OSSE recency rules where applicable.
• Confirm families understand that signatures certify information as accurate under penalty of law and that Friendship cannot treat an application as complete until all required documentation is received and properly handled (copy versus original) under OSSE rules.

Eligibility determination and adverse action processing

• When Friendship is authorized to determine eligibility under OSSE Level II requirements (including any waitlist-era approvals), apply OSSE rules to determine initial eligibility, subsidy level, and family co-payment and document the decision rationale in the case record. If documentation is missing, issue a request, track the OSSE deadline (including the 30-calendar-day window to provide missing documents), and provide required notices for denials or terminations when requirements are not met.

Admission Form management and placement coordination (voucher execution)

• For Friendship aftercare placements, issue, track, and reconcile OSSE Admission Forms and ensure the family and provider sign and return forms within OSSE timelines before the child starts care.
• Verify each Admission Form includes all required elements (provider, service start date, assigned co-pay, and other required fields) and complies with OSSE validity rules, including the 30-day validity window described in OSSE guidance.

Eligibility redetermination/recertification and continuity

• Maintain a proactive recertification calendar for Friendship families and complete redeterminations on time to prevent lapses in subsidy coverage for enrolled students.
• Apply OSSE rules for ongoing eligibility (including the typical 12-month eligibility period and change reporting expectations).

Data entry, case records, and documentation quality control

• Create and maintain complete, chronological case records for each Friendship family, including required forms, checklists, document copies, income/co-pay calculations, and case action notes, and enter required information into the applicable OSSE/DHS subsidy systems and provider tools.
• Securely store and retain records to meet OSSE requirements (including retention of closed case records for at least five years) so files can be produced quickly and cleanly during monitoring or audits.

Communication with families, DHS, and OSSE

• Provide ti