ISCA - Retention Specialist in Simi Valley, California at ISCA

Application Deadline: Wednesday, September 23rd, 2026 at 4pm

ABOUT INSIGHT SCHOOLS OF CALIFORNIA AND THE RETENTION SPECIALIST POSITION:

Insight Schools of California (a network of three public charter schools) delivers online/virtual home based-instruction to students in grades 9-12 in California. Insight Schools of California serves at-risk students. We use Stride as our curriculum provider for the basis of instruction and teachers provide live instruction via the Engageli platform. While our schools do offer some scheduling flexibility, students are still required to maintain daily attendance, attend instructional sessions, and complete their coursework each day.

All staff members provide students with individualized attention, maintain ongoing communication with learning coaches, and attend professional development meetings (virtual and in-person). Insight staff members contribute to a positive school culture by engaging in meaningful team collaboration and focusing on the needs of all students. Staff members also meet with students during testing and at in-person events.

Retention Specialists (R.S.'s) manage a caseload of struggling students who need additional attendance support, create and maintain attendance reports, and perform attendance audits frequently. R.S.'s assist students with getting back on track by forging positive relationships that foster the desire to attend school daily. R.S.'s belong to a community of support specialists called the RAISE (Retention and Academic Intuitive Support Experts) team, which facilitates onboarding for students, assists students and Learning Coaches through a tiered support system, maintains regular and frequent communication with families, and collaborates with other staff members to ascertain and address student needs.

In addition to being an integral part of the team that onboards students and introduces them to Insight’s program, Retention Specialists manage and support an assigned caseload of students who need additional guidance or assistance to become compliant with attendance or other non-compliance concerns, by forging a relationship with positive reinforcement that fosters the desire to return to the school community and get back on track.

HOURS AND SALARY INFORMATION:

Full Time: Monday-Friday 8:00am-5:00pm
You are not allowed to have another job during these contracted hours.

Full time Retention Specialists:
Hourly Rate: $23.25

We do participate in CalPERS. Please contact your CalPERS counselor about how employment with any of the Insight Schools of California may affect your personal PERS account.
Only full time employees are offered health, dental, and vision benefits.
Benefits information is only given out upon offer.
We do provide training for all programs and we have a great staff to serve as your support system.
REQUIREMENTS/EXPERIENCE:

• Reside in the state of California- 1 of the 21 counties Insight Services and Hires in
• High School Diploma
• Strong organizational skills
• Detail-oriented
• Able to balance and complete multiple projects
• Proficient with Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Self-directed but comfortable working as part of a team
• Attend regularly scheduled meetings
• Attend in-person training as scheduled
• Ability to pass required background check
• Ability to obtain fingerprint clearance

Certificates and Licenses:
Bachelor’s Degree (desired)

Job Title: Retention Specialist

Reports To: Director of Engagement

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Department: High school

Virtual schools are new models in public education. They look both backward to what we know works well in educating children, and forward to see how technology can help us implement these strategies with children. Virtual school staff are part of a pioneering effort and need to share the School’s pioneering mission and approach.

• Managing and assisting assigned student caseload who need additional guidance or assistance to become compliant with attendance or other non-compliance concerns, by forging a relationship with positive reinforcement that fosters the desire to return to the school community and get back on track.
• Facilitating Strong Start to Strong Finish Program and delivering strong start sessions, which includes orienting new students to Insight, creating videos, hosting Strong Start Family meetings, monitoring student participation, onboarding, coordinating with the team for the delivery of these sessions, and handling other items designated as part of the program.
• Maintaining detailed documentation on each student.
• Sending out compliancy documentation such as compliance letters/emails, Back to School Packets (BTSPs), letters, and other notifications.
• Developing systems to track and manage accountability and compliance information, including but not limited to attendance, compliance paperwork and reports, families who are out of contact, testing, attendance, and participation.
• Supporting students and learning coaches throughout Tiers II – IV in the RAISE Program
• Collaborating with the RAISE Team, counselors, teachers, parents, administrators, and other school staff to ascertain students’ academic needs and ensure students are supported.
• Holding office hours to support students and families with questions.
• Developing and presenting training to help students and parents understand compliancy and requirements of the school.
• Communicating with and educating students and parents to recognize the need for healthy home/school relationships.
• Communicating with parents as needed, which includes but is not limited to:
  1. Calling students and parents
  2. Emailing and texting students and parents
  3. Meeting students and parents via online platforms
  4. Returning all communication ASAP but no longer than 24 hours later
• Communicating with teachers and administration as needed, which includes but is not limited to:
  1. Calling and/or emailing teachers as needed
  2. Returning phone calls/emails ASAP but no longer than 24 hours later
• Attending all in-person meetings as scheduled
• Attending staff meetings and attending and participating in school and k12 sponsored trainings and meetings
• Fulfilling other duties as assigned

• High School Diploma
• Strong organizational skills
• Detail-oriented
• Able to balance and complete multiple projects
• Proficient with Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Self-directed but comfortable working as part of a team
• Attend regularly scheduled meetings
• Attend in-person training as scheduled
• Ability to pass required background check
• Ability to obtain fingerprint clearance

• Associates Degree
• Experience working with at-risk students
• Experience supporting adults and children in the use of technology
• Ability to learn new technology tools quickly (e.g., database and web-based tools)
• Ability to support and guide adults as well as students
• Experience coordinating academically oriented clubs and extracurricular activities
• Experience working in an educational setting

Business Ethics:

Inspires the trust of others; Keeps commitments; Treats people with respect; Upholds organizational values; Works with integrity and ethically

Exhibits good listening and comprehension; Expresses ideas and thoughts in written form; Expresses ideas and thoughts verbally; Keeps others adequately informed; Selects and uses appropriate communication methods

Integrates changes smoothly; Plans for additional resources; Prioritizes and plans work activities; Sets goals and objectives; Uses time efficiently; Works in an organized manner

Fosters quality focus in others; Improves processes, products and services; Measures key outcomes; Sets clear quality requirements; Solicits and applies customer feedback

Adapts to new technologies; Demonstrates required skills; Keeps technical skills up to date; Troubleshoots technological problems; Uses technology to increase productivity

To perform this job successfully, an individual should have knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite; and experience using a student information system and/or other type of database software. Experience moderating web meetings (Zoom, Engageli, etc.) for small and large groups

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. A flexible schedule is required.

This position is a virtual position working from a home office. Must have ability to travel throughout the school year within and between assigned geographic areas to support students, attend regularly scheduled meetings, proctor state exams and participate in school activities and orientations.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to outdoor weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 15 pounds. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms and talk or hear.

Professional Development: No days off August 5th- 16th (Employees may take time off this week on dates not assigned to attend professional development/training)

Launch: No more than 2 consecutive days off August 5th – September 20th

Testing: No days off weeks of testing when staff member is assigned (April 28 – May 30th)

End of Year: Dates between June 9th and June 12th approved based upon completion of end of year tasks.

* Use of sick time under the California Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act of 2014 may be approved during the above restricted dates

The above job description is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of duties and standards of the position. Incumbents will follow any other instructions, and perform any other related duties, as assigned by their supervisor.