Pupil Accounting Specialist

Description

The Pupil Accounting Specialist ensures accurate student enrollment data, timely state and federal reporting, and consistent compliance with Michigan Department of Education (MDE) requirements across all schools. This role serves as the primary liaison between school office staff and state agencies, providing training, audit support, and data quality oversight to maintain clean and reliable reporting.

Essential Functions

Pupil Accounting & State Reporting

• Ensure accurate and timely submission of all pupil accounting reports to MDE, including count day preparation, enrollment verification, and data scrubbing before upload.
• Serve as the liaison between schools and the state for troubleshooting reporting errors and resolving discrepancies.
• Develop and maintain common systems across schools for scheduling, course codes, enrollment packets, and transcripts; train school office staff on proper use.
• Conduct regular audits of student files to ensure compliance with state and federal requirements.
• Attend MDE and state-sponsored trainings and disseminate updates and procedural changes to school personnel promptly.
• Ensure the student information system (SIS) is configured correctly for state reporting downloads and uploads.
• Hold ongoing training sessions with school office staff to build capacity around data entry accuracy, records retention, and reporting compliance (CA-60s and related documentation).
• Serve as backup support for school office managers on pupil accounting functions as needed.

Federal Reporting & Compliance

• Support accurate reporting for federal programs, including Title I, IDEA, and other grant-related student data requirements.
• Ensure student records and data systems align with federal and state compliance standards, including FERPA.
• Generate and distribute customized reports from the SIS to support internal departments, school leaders, and external reporting obligations.

Data Systems & Training

• Maintain and continuously improve data entry procedures and SIS configuration to support clean, auditable student records.
• Upload benchmark and assessment data and generate meaningful reports to support school-level decision-making.
• Build strong collaborative relationships with school office managers and school leaders to ensure shared understanding of compliance expectations.

Requirements

 Preferred Knowledge, Skills and Abilities 

• Knowledge of Michigan pupil accounting requirements, MDE reporting systems, and CEPI student data platforms.
• Familiarity with state and federal education compliance requirements, including FERPA, Title I, and IDEA.
• Strong attention to detail with the ability to manage and audit large data sets accurately.
• Ability to communicate complex compliance information clearly to school office staff and school leaders.
• Proficiency in student information systems and common office technology, including word processing, spreadsheets, and database tools.
• Strong organizational and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple school timelines simultaneously.
• Ability to build trust and cooperative working relationships with school personnel and internal departments.
• Regular travel required: approximately 25% of work performed at school locations (MI: Detroit, Saginaw, Flint, Benton Harbor, Toledo and East Chicago)