Student Support Services

Student Support Services

What Are Student Support Services?

Student support services are a range of programs and resources offered by schools and districts to help students succeed academically, socially, emotionally — and in many cases, attend school consistently. These services go beyond the classroom and often include counseling, mental health care, special education, health services, family engagement, and community partnerships.

They are often delivered as part of MTSS, Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions, or wraparound service models.

Why It Matters

Many attendance issues are tied to challenges that exist outside the classroom — stress, trauma, unmet health needs, or lack of family stability. Student support services play a critical role in:

• Reducing absenteeism linked to mental health, behavioral, or environmental factors
• Improving student engagement and school connectedness
• Ensuring students have access to the help they need to attend and thrive
• Supporting equity by meeting students where they are

When these services are connected to attendance efforts, schools can move beyond notification to true intervention.

How Schools Use This Term in Practice

Student support services are typically coordinated by:

• School counselors or social workers
• District-level support teams
• Special education or 504 plan teams
• Community-based partner organizations

Common types of services that support attendance include:

• Mental health counseling or check-ins
• Individual or group social-emotional support
• Case management for students experiencing homelessness
• Health screenings or medical care
• Conflict mediation or behavioral support plans
• Academic tutoring or intervention programs
• Family outreach and engagement staff

These services may be offered on-site, via referral, or through collaborative agency partnerships — especially at the Tier 3 level.

What’s the Difference Between Student Support Services and Academic Intervention?

• Academic interventions address skills or curriculum gaps in class performance.
• Student support services address barriers to learning, including attendance, wellness, and behavioral needs.

Together, they form a complete support system — but it’s student support services that often remove the obstacles to even showing up.

Related Terms and Concepts

• Wraparound Services – A form of student support focused on external needs
• Tier 2 and Tier 3 Interventions – Where most student support services are delivered
• MTSS – The framework used to coordinate and deliver support services
• Chronic Absenteeism – Often addressed through targeted student support
• Family Engagement – Many support services rely on family partnership to succeed

Example Scenario

A student in Dallas ISD has missed 12 days of school and is referred for support. A social worker meets with the student and family and learns the student is dealing with anxiety and housing instability. The district coordinates mental health counseling and temporary transportation through a local partner agency. With consistent support, the student’s attendance improves over the next two months.

How Student Support Services Impact Districts

When well-coordinated, student support services help districts:

• Prevent chronic absenteeism through preventive and responsive care
• Improve equity across vulnerable student populations
• Reduce pressure on teachers and administrators by distributing support
• Build a system of whole-child intervention
• Satisfy compliance and funding requirements tied to special education, McKinney-Vento, and MTSS

They also serve as powerful tools in restorative practices, reducing disciplinary actions that further disrupt attendance.

How Are Schools Across the U.S. Strengthening Student Support Services?

Districts are investing in more robust support systems with these strategies:

1. Integrated Support Teams
Schools are creating cross-functional teams that bring together counselors, behavior specialists, nurses, and academic leads.

2. Centralized Case Management
Districts are using tools to log interventions, monitor caseloads, and ensure follow-up.

3. Partner Networks
Schools are formalizing partnerships with nonprofits, clinics, and family service organizations to expand what they can offer.

4. Tiered Delivery Models
Services are delivered based on severity of need, using MTSS logic to align the right support at the right time.

5. Attendance as an Access Point
Many districts now use attendance data to trigger referrals to support services earlier — before students fall too far behind.

How Nudge Helps

Nudge doesn’t deliver student support services — but it helps teams identify who needs help and document what’s being done.

With Nudge, districts can:

• Flag students for Tier 2 or Tier 3 support
• Track referrals to counselors, social workers, and support teams
• Assign and log attendance-related interventions
• Create visibility across school and district teams
• Strengthen coordination between attendance, academic, and wellness systems

When student support is tracked and integrated, it becomes part of the solution — not just a silo.

Want to Connect Student Support Services With Attendance Strategy?

See how Nudge helps districts coordinate student interventions and close the loop on every case.