26–27 SY: Elementary School Attendance Specialist

Start Date: August 17, 2026

Location: Philadelphia, PA

Position Type: Full-Time | 2026–2027 School Year

ABOUT ESPERANZA ACADEMY

Esperanza means hope. Esperanza Academy Charter School (EACS), located in the Hunting Park section of North Philadelphia, is dedicated to serving the students within its community. We believe education can be a vehicle for social and economic advancement, especially in underserved communities. This core belief drives our relentless pursuit to become the best educational option for all students in the Philadelphia area.

Our strong track record of academic excellence and community impact sets us apart. With a growing K–12 program serving over 2,200 students, Esperanza Academy continues to expand opportunities for students and families across Philadelphia.

In the fall of 2025, we opened a brand-new elementary school building, marking the completion of our expansion to a full K–12 program serving over 2,200 students. This growth will make Esperanza Academy the second-largest single charter school in Philadelphia, reinforcing our commitment to delivering high-quality education to even more students in our city.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Esperanza Academy Charter School is seeking a detail-oriented and student-centered Attendance Specialist to support student success by ensuring accurate attendance tracking and improving daily attendance rates within our elementary school building. This role plays a critical part in promoting a culture of accountability, family engagement, and compliance with state attendance regulations. The Attendance Specialist will serve as a key driver in fostering a school-wide belief that consistent attendance is essential to early literacy, foundational skill development, and long-term student achievement.

The Attendance Specialist will work closely with school leadership, teachers, families, and external agencies to monitor attendance, intervene early, and remove barriers to consistent student attendance. In the elementary setting, this includes partnering closely with families and caregivers to support strong attendance habits from an early age and addressing barriers that may impact younger students’ ability to attend school consistently.

This individual will proactively identify patterns of absenteeism, implement targeted intervention strategies, and support students and families in addressing challenges such as transportation, health concerns, or family-related needs. The Attendance Specialist will serve as a liaison between the school and families, building strong, trust-based relationships to encourage regular attendance and engagement.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Attendance Monitoring & Data Analysis

• Monitor and track daily student attendance data to identify patterns of absenteeism and tardiness.
• Identify students at risk for truancy or chronic absenteeism and prioritize intervention efforts.
• Analyze attendance trends across grade levels and student populations to support school-wide improvement efforts.
• Maintain accurate documentation and ensure compliance with Pennsylvania truancy regulations.
• Prepare truancy referrals and maintain detailed legal and intervention records as required.

Student & Family Support

• Meet with students and families to identify root causes of attendance concerns.
• Develop and monitor individualized Student Attendance Improvement Plans (SAIPs).
• Conduct outreach through phone calls, emails, meetings, and home visits when necessary.
• Connect families with community-based resources including transportation, housing, healthcare, and social services.
• Build trusting relationships with students and families to encourage consistent school attendance.

Collaboration & School Support

• Collaborate closely with teachers, counselors, administrators, and student support staff.
• Assist in developing school-wide attendance initiatives, incentive programs, and intervention strategies.
• Monitor the effectiveness of interventions and adjust support plans accordingly.
• Share attendance data and intervention outcomes with school leadership and stakeholders.

WHAT YOU WILL BRING

• Bachelor’s degree in Education, Social Work, Psychology, or a related field preferred.
• Experience working with students and families in an urban school setting is preferred.
• Knowledge of Pennsylvania truancy laws and attendance procedures strongly preferred.
• Strong communication, organization, and data analysis skills.
• Ability to build positive relationships with students, families, and staff.
• Spanish fluency is preferred but not required.
• Current FBI, PA Criminal, and Child Abuse clearances required.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT

Esperanza Academy provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at Esperanza Academy are based on doing what is best for kids, job requirements, and individual qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.