2024-2025 Attendance Advocate

Reports To: Coordinator Title IV

FSLA Status: Non-Exempt

Compensation: 913 (Salary determined by experience.)

Work Days: 181

FTE: 1.00

Attendance Advocate

Position Summary

Position is responsible for providing services to assigned schools in the investigation and counseling of students with excessive attendance problems. Position assesses students and families; interprets attendance policies; works as a team member to develop prevention/intervention strategies; provides case management; monitors student progress; and makes referrals as appropriate.

Essential Duties

• Conducts designated campus visits to assist students and families in increasing school attendance.
• Conducts student and parent conferences and provide interventions that improve student attendance academic achievement and parent engagement.
• Assists site based attendance advocates in the investigation of continued absences of students to determine if such absences are lawful and known to parents.
• Refers appropriate families in need of information/assistance to community and school district resources.
• Provides training to campus staff on attendance and truancy policies/laws, early prevention and intervention strategies.
• Serves as the District’s representative in truancy court including case preparation and presentation of truancy cases in court. Serve as the communication resource between truancy court and the individual campus, staff, parents and students. Utilize State and District data bases to assist with court preparation or the resolution of student, parent or District staff issues regarding attendance.
• Collaborates with site based attendance advocates regarding drop out reports to find locations of students and provide information to site personnel as needed.
• Assists in data collection, management, analysis and preparation for departmental reports.
• Collaborates with Oklahoma City Police Department (OCPD) and City of Oklahoma City Probation Office with regard to Municipal Truancy Ordinance.
• Facilitates DA truancy letters to parents of students who have reached designated days absent.
• Assists in all aspects of the attendance improvement and truancy operations as assigned.
• Utilizes District data to monitor, evaluate, assess effectiveness and implement differentiated plans. Monitor and maintain records to verify and track attendance/truancy activities.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
  
  

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills And/or Abilities Required)

• High School Diploma or equivalent.
• Bachelor’s degree in relevant field preferred (ex. education, social services, business or law).
• Minimum of 1 year of relevant experience working with adolescents in a public school setting or with educational support programs or in a law enforcement setting.
• Experience working successfully with diverse populations.
• Experience in working with Social Agencies relating to community service, housing, family relations, wellness, child development, nutrition and schools.
• Must have valid Driver’s License and reliable transportation to conduct school and home visits.
• Superior verbal communication and relationship skills with strong customer-service orientation.
• Excellent written/communication and interpersonal skills including the ability to work collaboratively with peers; able to write plans and reports.
• Working knowledge of State attendance laws and District policies.
• Demonstrated problem solving and investigative skills as required to research inquiries.
• Ability to work effectively with administrators, school staff, students, parents and judicial staff.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills And/or Abilities)

• Bilingual (English/Spanish)
• Relevant experience may be substituted for formal education at a 2:1 ratio. Therefore, for every 1 year of college lacking, 2 years of directly relevant experience may be substituted.
  
  

Physical/Mental Requirements

• Must have adequate manual dexterity to write legibly and perform required duties on the computer.
• Must have adequate visual acuity to read, interpret and transcribe written material and other required duties.
• Requires normal range of hearing and clear speaking abilities to interact appropriately with others in person and on the telephone.
• Requires some stooping, bending, stretching and occasional lifting not to exceed 50 pounds.
• Sitting for prolonged periods of time.
• May periodically require work outside of normal business hours, including weekends, under sometimes stressful conditions in order to meet business needs and strict deadlines.
  
  

Work Environment

• Office duties will be performed in a well-lighted, climate controlled environment.
• Driving personal vehicle within and outside the district.
  
  

This job description is not intended to be all inclusive. The employee will also perform other reasonably related business duties as assigned by the supervisor or appropriate administrator. Oklahoma City Public Schools reserves the right to, update, revise or change job duties as the need prevails. This document is for communication only and not intended to imply a written or implied contract of employment. The Board of Education and Superintendent may approve alternatives to the listed qualifications.