Attendance-Truancy Coordinator

Waterbury Public Schools

JOB CLASSIFICATION DESCRIPTION

JOB CLASSIFICATION TITLE:
Truancy Specialist (TAOEP)
DEPARTMENT:
Teaching and Learning
INCUMBENT NAME:
Grants

BARGAINING UNIT CLASSIFICATION:
Non-Union
REPORTS TO:
Building Principal or District Level Administrator
FLSA DESIGNATION:
Exempt; 10 months, 35 hours per week; $18.14 hourly rate. Note: This is a grant funded, Union position with benefits that exists as long as grant funds are available.

1. Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
2. Three (3) years of experience in counseling students and/or families.

• Knowledge of current best practices, laws, including due process and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and interventions regarding the education of special needs students;
• Knowledge of specific disabilities and familiarity with common children’s mental health disorders, as well as specific strategies/interventions to use in the classroom or other school setting;
• Knowledge of applicable local, state, and federal rules, regulations and laws;
• Knowledge of child development;
• Knowledge of District and state attendance/truancy policies and laws;
• Knowledge of District and state reporting procedures and requirements specific to truancy;
• Knowledge of educational philosophy, teaching methods and approaches, and currently researched best practices and strategies;
• Knowledge of educational testing;
• Knowledge of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and Scientific Research Based Interventions (SRBI);
• Knowledge of relevant Board of Education policies and District administrative procedures;
• Critical thinking and problem solving skills;
• Excellent organizational skills;
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including public speaking;
• Skill in interpersonal relations, especially regarding working as a member of a team;
• Ability to apply the principles of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and Scientific Research Based Intervention (SRBI);
• Ability to develop and update and manage Individual Optional Education Plan (IOEP);
• Ability to utilize relevant assessment tools, and integrate the results of the assessments into the District truancy plan;
• Ability to facilitate problem solving sessions between schools, families, courts and service agencies;
• Ability to mediate and resolve conflict;
• Ability to represent the District professionally in formal juvenile court matters;
• Ability to work with individuals from diverse backgrounds.

1. May provide work direction to paraprofessionals.

• Adheres to Board of Education policies and regulations, school regulations and procedures, and contractual obligations;
• Assists Truancy Diversion/Court case managers and District administrators in developing service plans and ongoing follow-up;
• Attends municipal and other court hearings to represent the District in issues dealing with student attendance and to acts as a witness in such matters when required;
• Attends staff meetings as required;
• Confers regularly with the District level administrators, and Principals regarding student attendance matters;
• Coordinates and facilitates District attendance conferences with administrators, teachers, parents and students;
• Coordinates and facilitates individual conferences with parents to discuss the truancy diversion and/or truancy court process;
• Coordinates with court clerks on scheduling hearings and obtaining court case numbers;
• Coordinates with various school districts to obtain or deliver truancy court information on students entering or exiting the District;
• Develops programs which help to support the return of the dropout to an educational program providing support/leadership in working with the student, family, school staff and community social service agencies;
• Identifies District students who are within the state compulsory attendance law ages, who are not currently enrolled or who have dropped out of school in order to re-engage them into an academic setting;
• Identifies dropouts through self-referrals, third-party, and social services recommendations;
• Implements an academic plan with school administrators and staff based on court’s orders and recommendations which may involve coordination with Social Services, guardian ad litem (GAL) or other service providers;
• Keeps current on state/federal mandates regarding student attendance;
• Maintains positive, cooperative, and mutually supportive relationships with the principals, the instructional staff, students, parents, and representatives of community resource agencies;
• Maintains records of telephone conversations, results of home visits and other activities engaged in during the course of this work;
• Meets with court attorney to discuss upcoming cases and develop proposed actions to be ordered;
• Meets with individual school to discuss Attendance Intervention Guidelines, Truancy Diversion referrals, and the Truancy Court process;
• Meets with School Administrators, Social Workers, Parent Liaisons, Guidance Counselors, School Psychologists, School Nurses and Attendance Counselors to maintain an acceptable level of student attendance;
• Meets with truant students who are returned to school by juvenile authorities;
• Performs home and community visits;
• Prepares documents for Truancy Court;
• Prepares dropout related statistics for building analysis;
• Processes and follows through on Juvenile Court referrals;
• Protects confidentiality of records and information gained as part of exercising professional duties and use discretion in sharing such information within legal confines;
• Provides ongoing technical assistance upon referral to truancy program and Court;
• Reports to the Director of Special Services, all school-age children who are unable to participate in the regular school program due to attendance issues;
• Represents District in truancy court on District truancy cases which includes updating the court on student’s attendance, academic and behavioral status;
• Reviews District Truancy referrals;
• Selects and refers appropriate cases to the Court or other appropriate authority;
• Serves as a liaison among schools, parents, courts, and agencies as well as with the District administrative staff;
• Submits or obtains formal legal documentation for Change of Venue (a truancy court student changing school districts);
• Works with District IT Department on school attendance data systems identifying the attendance data needs of the schools and District, then communicating and establishing implementation of these needs;
• Performs related duties as required.