Denver Public Schools logo
Denver Public Schools
Denver, Colorado

SOCIAL WORKER, HOURLY (Central Pool 2026 - 2027 School Year)

Social WorkerPart-Time

Compensation

Pay not listed

The week · per this posting

Schedule not stated in this posting — no days, weekends, call or nights given.

Ask the employer about the pay range, the work setting, call expectations and time off.

Posted 1mo ago

Job Description

Applications will be received until September 20, 2026. If the position is not filled by then, we may consider applications submitted after the deadline.

Interested applicants must apply online by visiting the Denver Public Schools job board at careers.dpsk12.org.

About This Job

School Social Workers will provide direct and indirect social, emotional, behavioral, and mental health services for children and youth, as well as work with families, school administrators, educators, and other professionals to create supportive learning and social environments for all students. The Social Worker provides assistance to improve the social and psychological functioning of students.

What DPS Offers You

  • A Culture that values Equity, Accountability, Integrity, Collaboration and Fun with a shared vision that Every Learner Thrives.
  • Competitive Teacher/SSP Compensation and Procomp Incentive plan, click here for the DCTA Teacher and SSP Salary Schedule. Click here for more information on compensation for these roles. Please note: You must submit all relevant documentation via onboarding before the deadline (15 days after receiving your offer letter) for salary setting purposes.
  • In addition to competitive compensation, DPS has other Total Reward offerings such as; time off, health and wellness benefits, and PERA Retirement.

What You'll Do

  • Consult with staff and parents, make recommendations for developmentally appropriate services and strategies to assist in improving student achievement.
  • Participate in crisis management by assessing risk, providing interventions, and making community referrals. counseling and or making referrals.
  • Provide social and emotional intervention for students (in groups and individually).
  • Consult with parents and school staff in the development of appropriate behavior goals/interventions.
  • Evaluate the need for social and emotional support under Section 504 and IDEA. Interpret assessment test data and develop goals to meet individual student needs.
  • Support district initiatives on social and emotional learning.
  • Serve as a liaison between students, homes, schools, family services, child guidance clinics, courts, protective services, doctors, and other contacts, to help children who face problems such as disabilities, abuse, or poverty.
  • May participate in extra-duty activities as outlined in the teachers' collective bargaining agreement (this is for coaching, tutoring, or summer programs, etc. for Dept. of Labor laws).

What You’ll Need

  • Have a Master’s Degree in Social Work.
  • Current Colorado Department of Education
  • Special
  • Service Provider License - School Social Work.
  • Be a LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker) preferred.
  • Have previous social work experience, preferred.
  • Lead for racial and educational excellence and work to dismantle systems of oppression and inequity in our community, along with believing in and supporting all students so they feel seen and heard with access to high quality education.
  • Live and work with a permanent home address in Colorado while working with us.
  • Have the ability with or without accommodations to meet the physical demands of the position.

Denver Public Schools is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender expression, and sexual orientation), parental status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information (including family medical history), political affiliation, military service, or any other status protected by law or regulations. It is our intention that all qualified applicants be given equal opportunity and that selection decisions be based on job-related factors.

> > > > Students First. Integrity. Equity. Collaboration. Accountability. Fun

Denver Public Schools is committed to meeting the educational needs of every student with great schools in every neighborhood. Our goal is to provide every child in Denver with rigorous, enriching educational opportunities from preschool through high school graduation. DPS is comprised of nearly 200 schools including traditional, magnet, charter and alternative pathways schools, with an enrollment of more than 90,000 students.

DPS has become the fastest-growing school district in the country in terms of enrollment and the fastest-growing large school district in the state in terms of student academic growth. Learn more at dpsk12.org.

Key Responsibilities

The Social Worker provides direct and indirect mental health, behavioral, and emotional support services to students to improve their psychological functioning. They also collaborate with families, educators, and community professionals to foster a supportive learning environment and manage crisis interventions.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a Master’s Degree in Social Work and a current Colorado Department of Education Special Service Provider License for School Social Work. A Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) credential and previous social work experience are preferred.

Qualifications

Education
Professional certificate or licensure

Key Skills

Risk assessmentIntervention strategiesStudent counselingBehavioral goal developmentSection 504 evaluationIDEA complianceAssessment data interpretationCase managementAdvocacy

Social Worker Career Context

Of the 50 active Social Work listings this role was benchmarked against, 48% are remote, 26% have no call, 70% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Colorado is 103.1 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 60.9% of Colorado clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Social Work by the numbers
MeasureThis jobMarket
Listed paynot listedSocial Work median $72k (middle half $69k–$75k)20 comparable listings, Nov 2026
Cost of livingColorado index 103.1US average = 100BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Social Work listings in Colorado121 active6,352 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 48% remote · 26% no call · 70% no weekends50 benchmarked listings
Sign-on & loan repaymentnot statedColorado social worker listings (all specialties): 13% state a sign-on bonus · 16% offer loan repayment128 active listings, Nov 2026
New Social Work listings2,592 in the last 30 days1,395 the 30 days before (+86%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index, BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Nov 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Top Social Worker Jobs

44 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

34 jobs · 33 employers
8
<$90k
6
$90k-110k
12
$110k-130k
8
$130k-150k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

31 jobs
401k / retirement match
94% this job
CME allowance
39%
Sign-on bonus
32%
Loan repayment
13%
Relocation assistance
3%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

FFS Clinical Supervisor - LCSW

Northeast Family Services · New York, New York

$62-$70/hr
#2

Medical Social Worker - Population Health (Full Time, Day)

NorthBay Health · Fairfield, California

$55.87-$67.96/hr
#3

Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)

$123k-$141k
#4

Mental Health Clinician (LCSW or LMFT), Suicide Risk and Assessment (ASSIST Program)

$59.42-$66.62/hr
+ 42 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 5.1this job 3.0
Better work-life than 20% of Social Work listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 6,344 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Denver Public Schools logo

About Denver Public Schools

Primary and Secondary Education
Denver, CO
5,001-10,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

Time off
Health and wellness benefits
PERA Retirement

Living in Denver

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$556k
Typical market rent
$1,855/mo
Residents’ average commute
25 min
State income tax
Up to 4.4%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Sep 2026), Zillow market rents (Sep 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.