A day late, here is one tiny tip that worked for me in the classroom.
About a week into each course, I had the students start counting off in alphabetical order. The basic rule was that no student should ever call out another student's number, but they were permitted to call out relevant information, such as "She left sick" or "You told him he could go to the restroom."
The simple act of counting off requires students to remove at least one earbud and actually listen. If there was a long pause in the counting, or if we had to stop it entirely to get a student's attention, I would make the class start again . . . and again . . . and again. Painful, yes. A waste of time? Not at all. Counting off forced each student to focus and engage, and the penalty for not focusing was the displeasure and frustration of peers. (I feigned stoicism. "Again.")
Once a class learns how to count off, the responsibility of checking attendance has been handed off to them, and the business of the day can begin almost immediately after the bell.
Counting off is also great for those bus trips. But you already know that, right?
"Count off!"