Attendance Specialist

About the Role

The Attendance Specialist supports Springfield Public Schools in addressing attendance at all levels, focusing on prevention and intervention for chronically absent students. The role involves communication with parents/guardians via telephone, mail, or in-person visits to address student attendance issues and facilitate the student’s return to school.

Responsibilities

• Conduct daily follow-up on student attendance, absenteeism, and tardiness.
• Generate and distribute attendance reports to staff, ensuring accuracy of daily attendance records, including suspensions and outside placements.
• Compile aggregate attendance data to identify chronically absent students and assist with attendance processes and case prioritization.
• Utilize Data Warehouse and PowerSchool reports to track and analyze attendance data.
• Work with schools on attendance improvement initiatives, including Attendance Improvement Plans and attendance buy-backs.
• Participate in home visits as assigned and assist with the Home Visit Project Initiative.
• Identify students’ needs and connect them with necessary services, including social service providers such as City Connects and the Department of Child and Family Services.
• Assist Attendance Coordinators with petitions to Springfield Juvenile Court when assigned.
• Serve as the attendance liaison between school and home, working directly with parents to address student needs.
• Participate in school-based Attendance Team meetings and serve as a Level 3 partner with STAT (Student Teacher Assistance Team) teams to support family engagement.
• Maintain accurate logs of phone calls, letters home, and home visits, documenting all efforts in PowerSchool/Student Success Plan.
• Complete Monthly Attendance Reports for assigned school(s).
• Attend monthly District Attendance Team meetings and adhere to all Attendance Team protocols.
• Perform other duties as assigned, including school reassignment if necessary.

Requirements

• Associate’s Degree from an accredited college or university (preferred).
• Three (3) years of successful employment experience working with school-age students.
• Ability to facilitate communication between teachers, students, and parents.
• Experience collecting and entering student attendance data, including contributions to Student Success Plans for attendance-related issues.
• Proficiency in data analysis, email, report preparation, and Microsoft Office Systems.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including attendance at evening meetings.
• Ability to speak and write in Spanish is preferred.
• 95% attendance record as referenced from previous employment.
• Own reliable transportation and a cell phone (reimbursable).