the providence school department the office of human resources an update donnie w. evans, ed. d....
TRANSCRIPT
The Providence School Department
The Office of Human ResourcesAn Update
Donnie W. Evans, Ed. D.Superintendent of Schools
Tomás HannaDeputy Superintendent of Operations
March 18, 2008
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Agenda
Introduction – The Context
The Council of Great City Schools Peer Review of Human Resources
FindingsPriorities/Recommendation/Timelines
Discussion
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Local Context
Council of the Great City Schools Peer Review on HR Operations in 2001
Follow up on the CGCS 2001 recommendations
Advent of the NCLB legislation – Highly Qualified teaching and support staff have added increased scrutiny and levels of accountability
The Board and the Superintendent continue to articulate the need to improve efficiencies in Human Resources
In April 2007 a Peer Review was requested of the Council of Great City Schools
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National Context
Nationally, there has been a concerted effort in the area of school operations to support improved academic outcomes. In the area of Human Resources the mandate is as follows:
Find, select and retain staff to effectively support student achievement
Districts that have transformed HR operations to support student outcomes include NYC, Long Beach, CA, Boston, MA, Norfolk, VA, Bridgeport, CN, Miami-Dade, and FL, Aldine, TX – all Broad Prize winners and/or finalists.
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Providence School Board’s Core Beliefs
We commit to organizing the Providence School Department around its core business—teaching and learning.
We will— Hold the entire district and everyone in it accountable for student
success. Target resources strictly to district priorities. Recruit, develop, support, and retain the highest-quality
personnel. Operate effective instructional and business systems. Use public resources efficiently.
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HR Fact Sheet
Total Budget: $1,952,166$1,829,919 (94%)salaries and benefits. Non-Union Personnel Budget: $417,859 (4 Staff)
HR Staffing:5 non-union administrators
1 Assistant Superintendent4 HR Administrators (EEO not included in HR budget) .5 Legal Counsel for Workers’ Compensation
1 Executive Assistant (non-union)1 HR Specialist (union)1 HR Generalist (union)15 union clerical staff
Total Employees: 23.5
Average length of service of current HR Staff: 6.6 years
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Snapshot of Teacher Compensation
There is a 10 step salary scale for teachers. Longevity is represented in three (3) steps 11, 12 and 13
for teachers more than fifteen years experience in the PSD.
For the 2006/2007 school year:Step 1 $35,563Step 5 $47,543 (mid-point)Step 10 $67,033
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Snapshot of Teacher Compensation
Of 2,103 teachers:
231 teachers (11%) are at steps 1 – 5
1,169 teachers (56%) are at steps 6-10
703 teachers (33%) are at longevity steps 11-13
1,872 teachers (89%) of PSD teachers are beyond step 5.
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Snapshot of Teacher Compensation
Beyond the Base
When we take into added compensation:Step 1 $36,289 Step 5 $48,719Step 10 $68,992Step 11 $70,038Step 12 $71,095Step 13 $71,167
The average salary for a teacher in Providence: $64,700
State-wide Comparison
The average salary for a teacher in Rhode Island is: $58,525 (Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2005)
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Snapshot of Administrator Compensation
The average salary for school-based and school support administrators (99) represented by the administrators’ association:
$96,674
The average salary for non-union administrators (37):
$79,130
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Current Functional HR Organization Chart
Asst. Supt Human Resources & Labor Relations
Employee Relations Administrator HR Staffing Administrator Employee Services Administrator
HR Clerk 5 – AESOP Elem School HR Specialist –Tchr Recruit/Job Fair/Consol. HR Clerk 1
HR Clerk 5 – AESOP Teachers
HR Clerk 5Secty
HR Clerk 3
Executive Assistant
HR Clerk 5 AESOP/Lawson 1033
HR Clerk 5 FMLA/Sec. Board50%
HR Clerk 5 Worker’s Comp
HR Generalist (BEST) 1033
HR Clerk 5 – AESOP Second. Schools HR Clerk 5 SWACS HR Clerk 5 Postings
EEO Coordinator
HR Clerk 3 – 50%
Chief Clerk 6
HR Clerk 5
HR Clerk 5
HR Clerk 5 Advertising – 50% HR Clerk 3 Tch/.Admin Evals – 50%/
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Staffing Functions
Recruitment and Job Fairs
Hiring
Credentialing - teacher certifications; teacher assistant certifications; professional certifications; transcripts; background checks; references
Placement Meetings – Teachers
Transfers per collective bargaining agreements
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Staffing Functions
Support Level Directors with staff projections for reorganizational purposes
Job posting coordination
Liaison with Rhode Island Department of Education
Training and Record Keeping (e.g., site-based hiring and teacher evaluation cycle)
Liaison to Board -(Electronic School Board)
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Employee Services
Front Desk
Employee Records
Personnel/Compensation Input (address changes, salary, step increases, etc.)
Liaison with Comptroller (CFO)
Data gathering for reporting purposes
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Employee Relations
Day to day contract implementation Labor Relations - employee discipline and grievances
Clerical and Teacher Assistant Interviewing, Hiring and Placement
Substitute service and placement (AESOP) Retirement/Resignations, Leaves and FMLA
Training (fair discipline processes, customer service, best management practices, teacher assistants)
Liaison with legal department Unemployment Processing
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Equal Employment Officer
Data gathering for Federal and State EEO Report Coordinates school department responses to EEO/AA
complaints with other agencies as appropriate Investigates workplace complaints such as harassment,
discrimination, etc. Serves on interview panels
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The Council of the Great City Schools
Review of the Human Resources Operations of the Providence Public Schools
by the Council of Great City Schools
MANAGEMENT LETTER
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The Council of the Great City Schools
A Peer Review by request of the Superintendent of Schools and the Deputy Superintendent of Operations in April of 2007
Peer reviewers represented Chicago Public Schools, Broward County (FL) Public Schools, Los Angeles Unified School District, Atlanta Public Schools, and Wichita Public Schools
Site Visit: October 23-26, 2007Report Date: January 23, 2008
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The Council of the Great City Schools
The Council was founded in 1956 and incorporated in 1961, and has its headquarters in Washington, D.C.
The Council of the Great City Schools is a coalition of 66 of the nation’s largest urban public school systems. Its Board of Directors is composed of the Superintendent of Schools and one School Board member from each member city.
The Council provides services to its members in the areasof legislation, research, communications, curriculum and instruction, and management.
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Goals of the Peer Review
Review & evaluate all aspects of Human Resources
Provide a status report on the 2001 review
Make recommendations for improvement
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Rationale
External review of HR aligns with current PSD strategy to review all departments (Curriculum (PDK), Special Education, English Language Learners, and the Student Assignment Policy)
CGCS is a valuable knowledge center and best practices resource
CGCS can provide leverage to bring about sincere and lasting improvements
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Findings
“The Strategic Support Team saw little evidence that the Human Resources
Department of the school district has changed appreciably since the council did
its review in 2001.”
- Council of the Great City Schools, p. 2
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Steps taken after the 2001 Peer Review
Human Capital:
Positions created as a result of the Council's visit in 2001:
Chief Operating OfficerHR Employee Relations AdministratorHR Employee Services Administrator
These hires aligned to the 2001 recommendations to employ HR professionals
A non-educator was hired as the Executive Director for Human Resources
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Steps taken after the 2001 Peer Review
Systems: AESOP substitute employee software system was
implemented Lawson ERP - implemented in 2002-2003 - was a City
initiative and was not connected to the 2001 report
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Peer Review Areas of Focus
Leadership and Management Capacity
Organization
Operations
Culture
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Leadership & Management CapacityFindings
Frequent leadership and staff turnover. For example, turnover has included 13 positions filled by 43 different staff members over the past six years.
There have been four (4) Executive Directors and four senior managers in two of three management positions prior to the current staff.
Such turnover has been a barrier to:
Establishing the department as a resource for Services
Strengthening relations with union partners Pursuing critical contract changes
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Cross training to reduce work flow interruption
Surveying internal customers for feedback
Assessing compliance with laws regarding confidential health information
Leading improvement efforts for timely application processing
Creating a guide/directory to the HR department
Leadership & Management CapacityFindings
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HR functions are largely transactional and paper driven
Unwelcoming environment, no appropriate waiting area, physical internal layout isolates staff
Workers compensation claims are made by part-time legal counsel supported by a full-time member of the clerical staff
One person managing staffing consolidations with clerical support
Organization - Findings
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Antiquated, unsecured filing system leads to risk exposure (FMLA, ADA, HIPPA, EEO)
No department-wide staff meetings to facilitate cross training, cooperation, and teamwork
Ambiguous workflow leads to confusion and reporting errors
Weak data integrity leads to excessive payroll errors
No comprehensive on-boarding process for new employees
Operational Issues - Findings
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Time consuming conflict and grievance issues handled by building/district administrators
Not maximizing Lawson ERP for applications, overall reporting, vacancies, and number of teachers, etc.
No clear liaison with budget department (there is a current staffing vacancy)
HR staff refer principals to union reps for info on contract language (a 2001 finding)
Operational Issues - Findings
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Not customer friendly
Low morale, no pride or sense of urgency to fix problems
External perception that services are based on individual relationships
Fear of making mistakes
Perception that HR adds little value to PSD
Inconsistent personnel evaluation process – lack of regular and useful feedback on performance
Culture - Findings
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Human Capital
Systems
Facilities
Priorities/Recommendations/Timelines
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Priorities
Human Capital:Staff reorganization/redeploymentProfessional development
Systems:Lawson/AESOP
Records Management Solution
Facilities:Physical space upgrades
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Recommendations: Human Capital
Currently Underway:
Engaged with external partners such as the Mayor’s Efficiency Task Force to explore functions that will increase expertise, reduce district liability risks, and lower costs
Timeline: Winter 2007
Finalize a work plan that implements the goals and objectives of the CGCS Report with measureable outcomes that are aligned to Realizing the Dream
Timeline: No later than May 1, 2008
The redesign/redeployment of essential positions to be filled by current or new personnel to include a Labor/Employee Relations unit and an Informational/Operational unit
Timeline: No later than June 1, 2008
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Recommendations: Human Capital
Completed:
Create and engage a “kitchen-cabinet” of HR experts inside and outside of education to advise on-going process re-engineering and support in the creation of metrics
Timeline: Completed
Establish monthly staff meetings within the entire department that will serve to provide clear direction and communicate a sense of urgency to the HR staff
Timeline: Completed
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Recommendations: Operational Systems
Enhancement of technical capacity (tools) through the existing Lawson ERP HR functionalities
Timeline: TBD based on cost-out
The identification of a vendor to enhance efficiencies in records management (Lawson ERP may provide a solution)
Timeline: TBD
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Recommendations: Facilities
Redesign the physical space of the HR department to support customer service in an employee friendly environment
Timeline: August 2008
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Recommendations: Human Capital
Use a phased-in process to re-engineer the department as follows:
- Labor & Employee Relations- Pre-Employment Support Services- Employment Support Services
Revisit leadership structure and identify talent to meet system needs (internal and external)
Timeline: Fall 2008
Conduct a Classification & Compensation StudyTimeline: Spring 2009
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Proposed Functional HR Organization ChartPhase I
May 2008
Executive/ “Head of HR”
Labor and Employee Relations Employee Support Services
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Proposed Functional HR Organization Chart Phase II
September 2008
Executive/ “Head of HR”
Labor and Employee Relations Pre-Employment Support Services Employee Support Services
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Anticipated Outcomes
Core functional alignment – improved workflow, data analysis that drives decision-making supporting improved student achievement
Operational efficiencies – better communication throughout the organization and with prospective employees to drive an improved customer service culture
Improved capacity - meaningful professional/employee development connected to staff evaluations and on-going feedback
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Leadership Commitment
Leadership must commit to:
Timely and thoughtful planning
Clear and consistent communications
Technology enhancements
Professional development
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Conclusions
There is a renewed sense of urgency
Transformation will be aligned to positively impact student outcomes
No quick-fixes
The time is now!
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“There is a large number of dedicated and often passionate employees in the HR department who
recognize the need for change and who are interested in supporting such change”
- Council of the Great City Schools, p. 11