Armona Union Elementary School District Report

Maintenance, Operations and Transportation Review February 15, 2023 Armona Union Elementary School District Michael H. Fine Chief Executive Officer February 15, 2023 Xavier Piña, Superintendent Armona Union Elementary School District 11115 C St. Armona, CA 93202 Dear Superintendent Piña: In July 2022, the Armona Union Elementary School District and the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team (FCMAT) entered into an agreement for FCMAT to conduct a review of the district’s Maintenance, Operations and Transportation (MOT) Department. The agreement stated that FCMAT would perform the following: 1. Conduct an organizational and staffing review of the MOT department (including maintenance, grounds, custodial and transportation) and make recommendations for staffing improvements or reductions, if any. 2. Evaluate the current workflow and distribution of functions within the MOT department and make recommendations for improved efficiency, if any. 3. Review the operational processes and procedures for the MOT department and make recommendations for improved efficiency, if any. This final report contains the study team’s findings and recommendations. FCMAT appreciates the opportunity to serve the Armona Union Elementary School District and extends thanks to all the staff for their assistance during fieldwork. Sincerely, Michael H. Fine Chief Executive Officer Michael H. Fine • Chief Executive Officer 1300 17th Street – City Centre, Bakersfield, CA 93301-4533 • Tel. 661-636-4611 • Fax 661-636-4647 www.fcmat.org Table of Contents Table of Contents About FCMAT ..................................................................................................iii Introduction .......................................................................................................v Background ............................................................................................................................v Study and Report Guidelines .............................................................................................v Study Team .............................................................................................................................v Executive Summary ........................................................................................1 Findings and Recommendations................................................................2 Organizational Structure and Staffing .................................................................2 Span of Control ......................................................................................................................2 Chain of Command ...............................................................................................................2 Line and Staff Authority .......................................................................................................2 Department Staffing .............................................................................................................3 Job Descriptions ....................................................................................................................4 Maintenance ..............................................................................................................5 Maintenance Staffing ..........................................................................................................5 Work Order System ..............................................................................................................6 Preventive Maintenance Planning ....................................................................................7 Deferred Maintenance Plan ................................................................................................8 Purchasing and Parts Inventory ........................................................................................8 Grounds .....................................................................................................................10 Grounds Staffing ..................................................................................................................10 Turf and Tree Care Plans ....................................................................................................11 Custodial ....................................................................................................................12 Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Armona Union Elementary School District i Table of Contents Custodial Staffing ...............................................................................................................12 Organization and Leadership ...........................................................................................13 Cleaning Standards ...........................................................................................................13 Facility Rentals .....................................................................................................................15 Maintenance and Operations Safety and Training .........................................17 Transportation ..........................................................................................................19 Transportation Staffing ......................................................................................................19 Routing Method and Efficiency .......................................................................................19 Bus Driver Training and Safety .......................................................................................20 Vehicle Maintenance ..........................................................................................................21 Fleet Cleanliness .................................................................................................................21 Clean School Bus Grants .................................................................................................22 Home-to-School Transportation Reimbursement Funding (Effective 2022-23) ............................................................................................................22 Appendices ....................................................................................................25 Appendix A ..........................................................................................................................26 Appendix B ..........................................................................................................................32 Appendix C ..........................................................................................................................33 Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Armona Union Elementary School District ii About FCMAT FCMAT’s primary mission is to assist California’s local TK-14 educational agencies to identify, prevent, and resolve financial, human resources and data management challenges. FCMAT provides fiscal and data management assistance, professional development training, product development and other related school business and data services. FCMAT’s fiscal and management assistance services are used not just to help avert fiscal crisis, but to promote sound financial practices, support the training and development of chief business officials and help to create efficient organizational operations. FCMAT’s data management ser- vices are used to help local educational agencies (LEAs) meet state reporting responsibilities, improve data quality, and inform instructional program decisions. FCMAT may be requested to provide fiscal crisis or management assistance by a school district, charter school, community college, county office of education, the state superintendent of public instruction, or the Legislature. When a request or assignment is received, FCMAT assembles a study team that works closely with the LEA to define the scope of work, conduct on-site fieldwork and provide a written report with findings and recommendations to help resolve issues, overcome challenges and plan for the future. 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 FCMAT has continued to make adjustments in the types of support provided based on the changing dynamics of TK-14 LEAs and the implementation of major educational reforms. FCMAT also develops and provides numerous publications, software tools, workshops and professional learning opportunities to help LEAs operate more effectively and fulfill their fiscal oversight and data management responsibilities. The California School Information Services (CSIS) division of FCMAT assists the California Department of Education with the implementation of the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS). CSIS also hosts and maintains the Ed-Data website (www.ed-data.org) and provides technical expertise to the Ed-Data partnership: the California Department of Education, EdSource and FCMAT. FCMAT was created by Assembly Bill (AB) 1200 in 1992 to assist LEAs to meet and sustain their financial obligations. AB 107 in 1997 charged FCMAT with responsibility for CSIS and its statewide data management work. AB 1115 in 1999 codified CSIS’ mission. seidutS fo rebmuN About FCMAT Studies by Fiscal Year 98/99 99/00 00/01 01/02 02/03 03/04 04/05 05/06 06/07 07/08 08/09 09/10 10/11 11/12 12/13 13/14 14/15 15/16 16/17 17/18 18/19 19/20 20/21 21/22 Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Armona Union Elementary School District iii About FCMAT AB 1200 is also a statewide plan for county offices of education and school districts to work together locally to improve fiscal procedures and accountability standards. AB 2756 (2004) provides specific responsibili- ties to FCMAT with regard to districts that have received emergency state loans. In January 2006, Senate Bill 430 (charter schools) and AB 1366 (community colleges) became law and expanded FCMAT’s services to those types of LEAs. On September 17, 2018 AB 1840 was signed into law. This legislation changed how fiscally insolvent dis- tricts are administered once an emergency appropriation has been made, shifting the former state-centric system to be more consistent with the principles of local control, and providing new responsibilities to FCMAT associated with the process. Since 1992, FCMAT has been engaged to perform more than 1,400 reviews for LEAs, including school districts, county offices of education, charter schools and community colleges. The Kern County Superintendent of Schools is the administrative agent for FCMAT. The team is led by Michael H. Fine, Chief Executive Officer, with funding derived through appropriations in the state budget and a modest fee sched- ule for charges to requesting agencies. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Armona Union Elementary School District iv Introduction Introduction Background Located in Kings County, the Armona Union Elementary School District serves the unincorporated area sur- rounding Armona to the north and south of state highway 198 between the cities of Hanford and Lemoore. The district has a five-member governing board and, as of 2021-22, an enrollment of 1,107 students at three schools: Armona Elementary School (grades TK-4), Parkview Middle School (grades 5-8), and Crossroads Charter Academy (grades TK-12). The district also sponsors one independent charter school, California Virtual Academy at Kings (grades TK-12), which serves approximately 600 students. In 2021-22 (the latest data available), the district’s unduplicated count of English learner, socioeconomically disadvantaged and foster youth students was 90.8% of the total enrollment at the district’s two traditional (noncharter) schools. The district provides transportation for approximately 300 general education students on four bus routes every day except Wednesdays and other minimum days, when it runs five routes to accommodate shorter schedules. The district contracts with the Kings County Office of Education for certain special education transportation services. The district covers approximately 40 square miles of flat and mostly rural terrain. Study and Report Guidelines In July 2022, the Armona Union Elementary School District and the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team (FCMAT) entered into an agreement for FCMAT to conduct an organizational and staffing study of the district’s Maintenance, Operations, and Transportation Department, including an evaluation of its workflow and distribution of functions and a review of operational processes and procedures. FCMAT visited the district on October 10 and 11, 2022 to conduct interviews with district and school site staff, collect data and review documents. Following fieldwork, FCMAT continued to review and analyze the information collected. This report is the result of those activities. FCMAT’s reports focus on systems and processes that may need improvement. Those that may be func- tioning well are generally not commented on in FCMAT’s reports. In writing its reports, FCMAT uses the Associated Press Stylebook, a comprehensive guide to usage and accepted style that emphasizes con- ciseness and clarity. In addition, this guide emphasizes plain language, discourages the use of jargon and capitalizes relatively few terms. Study Team The study team was composed of the following members: Erin Lillibridge, CFE Brad Pawlowski* FCMAT Intervention Specialist Assistant Superintendent, Business Services Paso Robles Unified School District John Lotze Timothy Purvis* FCMAT Technical Writer Pupil Transportation Information, LLC Retired, Director of Transportation Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Armona Union Elementary School District v Introduction *As members of this study team, these consultants were not representing their respective employers but were working solely as independent contractors for FCMAT. Each team member reviewed the draft report to confirm accuracy and achieve consensus on the final recommendations. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Armona Union Elementary School District vi Executive Summary Executive Summary To serve its students’ needs, the Armona Union Elementary School District has a unique model of mainte- nance, operations and transportation (MOT) service delivery that requires nearly all MOT staff members to possess and maintain a bus driver license. Rather than look outside for substitute bus drivers, the district can quickly cover driving needs internally, though sometimes to the detriment of other operational areas such as maintenance, grounds or custodial functions. The district has several modernization and new construction projects underway or being planned, including the recent addition of a multipurpose room and four new kindergarten classrooms under construction on its elementary school campus. As the district adds square footage, it should analyze the impact this has on its MOT program staffing. Based on the data available, MOT staffing should be increased to properly maintain district facilities, espe- cially in the maintenance and custodial departments. However, to better understand MOT staffing needs, the district needs to implement a work order system or other formal procedure to track and monitor work order requests, response times, and other nondepartmental activities. Operational inefficiencies and a lack of planning further limit the department’s ability to operate effectively. Comprehensive preventive mainte- nance, deferred maintenance, and tree and turf care plans need to be developed and implemented to main- tain school facilities at the high level the district and community expect. For general education and certain special education transportation, the district operates four bus routes daily except Wednesdays and other minimum days, when it operates five. As of the current year, the district depends on MOT staff whose primary duties do not include daily bus driving, including the supervisor, to cover regular routes and work as substitute school bus drivers when needed. The district should consider adding at least one full-time custodian/bus driver position to relieve the MOT supervisor of daily driving, return one afternoon custodian to operational duties only, and provide an additional substitute to fill vacan- cies caused by employee leaves and absences. The district’s MOT Department model is appropriate for its size; however, it would benefit from the addition of a lead custodian position to improve the level of cleanliness by providing additional oversight and stan- dardization in areas such as cleaning standards, scheduling and training. The department lacks written policies and procedures manuals, which are needed to clearly define expec- tations and serve as a resource for staff and administrators. Standard and routine training is also lacking and needs to be developed in conjunction with policies and procedures. This training should be relevant to accomplishing the tasks associated with employees’ positions. Mandated safety training is also needed to help reduce risk. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Armona Union Elementary School District 1 Findings and Recommendations Organizational Structure and Staffing Findings and Recommendations Organizational Structure and Staffing Organizational structure establishes the framework an institution, such as a school district, uses to define leadership roles and delegate specific duties and responsibilities to all staff members. It is normal and best practice for district leaders to manage this structure to maximize resources and achieve identified goals, and to adapt it as needed as a district’s enrollment increases or declines. A district should be staffed and structured according to generally accepted theories of organizational structure and the standards used in public school agencies of comparable size and type. As discussed in Principles of School Business Management by Craig R. Wood, David C. Thompson, and Lawrence O. Picus, the most common of these theories are span of control, chain of command, and line and staff authority. Span of Control Span of control refers to the number of subordinates who report directly to a supervisor. Although there is no agreed upon ideal number of subordinates for span of control, the span can be larger at lower levels of an organization than at higher levels because subordinates at lower levels typically perform routine duties that are easier to supervise. Chain of Command Chain of command refers to the flow of authority in an organization. Chain of command is characterized by two significant principles: unity of command, in which a subordinate is accountable to only one supervisor, thus eliminating the potential for conflicting direction from multiple supervisors; and the scalar principle, in which authority and responsibility should flow in a direct vertical line from top management to the lower levels. The result is a hierarchical division of labor. Line and Staff Authority School district organizational structure has both line and staff authority. Line authority is the relationship between supervisors and subordinates and refers to the direct line in the chain of command. For example, in the Armona Union Elementary School District, the superintendent has direct line authority over the main- tenance, operations and transportation (MOT) supervisor, and the MOT supervisor has direct line authority over the bus drivers and maintenance, grounds and custodial staff. In contrast, staff authority is advisory in nature. Staff personnel do not have the authority to make and implement decisions, but act in support of supervisors who have line authority. The purpose of organizational structure is to help district management make key decisions to facilitate student learning while balancing staffing and financial resources. An effective organizational design will outline the management process and its specific links to the formal system of communication, authority and responsibility needed to achieve a district’s goals and objectives. Authority in a public school district origi- nates with the elected governing board, which hires a superintendent to oversee the organization. Through the superintendent, authority and responsibility are delegated to the district’s administration and staff. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Armona Union Elementary School District 2 Findings and Recommendations Organizational Structure and Staffing Management positions are responsible for supervising employees and the work of their respective depart- ments. They must ensure staff members understand all district policies and procedures and perform duties in a timely and accurate manner. A manager also serves as the liaison between their department and others to identify and resolve problems and design and modify processes and procedures as needed. Management positions are typically not responsible for routine daily functions; these activities are best assigned to department staff. Department Staffing The MOT Department is managed by the district’s MOT supervisor, who has worked in the position for more than 20 years. The supervisor provides line supervision for 8.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions includ- ing bus drivers and maintenance, grounds and custodial staff. The MOT Department is staffed with experi- enced workers, almost half of whom have more than 20 years of service; staff have an average employment tenure of more than 17 years in the district, the shortest being five years and the longest 28 years. The MOT supervisor is not responsible for school facilities planning and construction. As shown in the table below, the district employs three custodians and five combination MOT positions: one maintenance/bus driver, two grounds/bus drivers, and two custodian/bus drivers. At the time of FCMAT’s review, the MOT supervisor shared driving responsibility for one bus route with a custodian/bus driver. The other custodian/bus driver serves primarily as a substitute driver to cover employee absences. Of the total 8.0 nonsupervisory FTE in the MOT Department, approximately 1.6 FTE support transportation and 6.4 FTE support maintenance and operations. Maintenance and Operations (M&O) MOT Position Title Total FTE* Bus Driver FTE FTE Supervisory FTE Maintenance/Bus Driver 1.00 0.46 0.54 0.00 Grounds/Bus Driver 2.00 0.93 1.07 0.00 Custodian/Bus Driver** 2.00 0.10 1.90 0.00 Custodian*** 2.92 0.00 2.92 0.00 MOT Supervisor**** 1.00 0.11 0.00 0.89 Total 8.92 1.60 6.43 0.89 * Total FTE includes both full-time and part-time employees. ** M&O FTE is overstated for custodian/bus driver positions; FCMAT could not accurately quantify hours for custodian/bus driver positions serv- ing when needed as backup drivers. *** One custodian is an 11-month position; all others are 12-month positions. **** MOT supervisor spends 55 minutes daily driving one morning bus route; afternoon route is covered by one custodian/bus driver position. The traditional school day schedule has led to the prevalence of part-time and/or split-shift bus driver positions in district transportation programs. To attract applicants with full-time employment opportunities, districts often supplement bus driver hours with maintenance, grounds or custodial work. In these circum- stances, it is best if the supplemental work augments that of full-time maintenance, grounds or custodial staff. Because the district has mostly full-time combination positions in its MOT department, bus driving work takes precedence over maintenance and operations duties; consequently, the maintenance and oper- ations program’s effectiveness has suffered. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Armona Union Elementary School District 3 Findings and Recommendations Organizational Structure and Staffing Job Descriptions The governing board last approved the MOT supervisor position job description in November 2000. The MOT supervisor position title on the district’s organizational chart does not match that on the most recent board-approved job description. In addition, the position’s essential duties are not clearly delineated or organized into key areas of authority, function and responsibility (e.g., maintenance, custodial, grounds and transportation). The district’s job descriptions for combined MOT positions, including maintenance/bus driver, grounds/ bus driver, and custodian/bus driver, do not clearly delineate the different knowledge, skills, and abili- ties required for each functional area. It would benefit the district to separate the bus driver position job description from the maintenance and operations position job descriptions. The district only reviews its job descriptions when filling vacant positions. To ensure consistent and effec- tive performance by the department and its employees, the district needs to review its job descriptions regularly to ensure essential duties are clearly defined for each position. The best practice is to review job descriptions annually and present them to the governing board for approval if changes are needed. Recommendation The district should: 1. Review, revise, and update the job descriptions for MOT department positions to ensure the district’s current needs and expectations are clearly defined in each functional area — maintenance, operations and transportation. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Armona Union Elementary School District 4 Findings and Recommendations Maintenance Maintenance Maintenance’s function is to provide for the optimal performance and reliability of district buildings and building systems through inspection, repair and replacement of parts and components. The primary goal is to reduce and limit failures of building components that affect the district’s operations. Maintenance best serves the educational program when the facilities needed to support teaching and learning are safe and functional. The district’s one maintenance worker also drives a bus route daily. This dual responsibility has resulted in a lack of practical experience and journeyman-level training in any one specific trade. In addition, because of its limited focus on in-house maintenance, the department lacks the equipment and tools to perform routine work and repairs throughout the district. A maintenance department needs to be staffed adequately, and employees need to be trained to quickly repair or replace components or systems including, but not limited to, the following: • Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) • Electrical • Fire Alarm • Roofing • Locksmithing • Painting Maintenance Staffing The Association of Physical Plant Administrators (APPA) has a formula for determining appropriate mainte- nance staffing based on the desired level of service. The levels of service are as follows: • Level 1 — Showpiece Facility (the highest standard) • Level 2 — Comprehensive Stewardship (the recommended staffing level for public schools) • Level 3 — Managed Care (work order response time can be lengthy, and facilities’ condi- tions remain stagnant) • Level 4 — Reactive Management (facilities’ conditions deteriorate at an accelerated rate) • Level 5 — Crisis Response (maintenance staff can only respond to emergencies) Using the APPA formula and district-provided data for total facility square footage (sf), the following table shows the number of FTE maintenance positions the district would need for each level of service if all rou- tine maintenance tasks were performed in-house: Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Armona Union Elementary School District 5 Findings and Recommendations Maintenance Level of Service (based on 76,156 sf)* No. of FTE Level 1 — Showpiece Facility 1.6 Level 2 — Comprehensive Stewardship 1.1 Level 3 — Managed Care 0.8 Level 4 — Reactive Management 0.6 Level 5 — Crisis Response 0.3 *Does not include square footage for new construction of four kindergarten classrooms (estimated total of 6,255 sf) on the elementary school campus; added square footage would increase the APPA formula FTEs by approximately 0.1 for each level. The department has approximately 0.54 FTE maintenance positions. Therefore, based on the APPA calcu- lation, the district’s in-house level of service is between crisis response and reactive management. Staff interviews and FCMAT’s site visits confirmed a current level of service between levels 4 and 5. A facility with this level of service has maintenance activities that appear chaotic and without direction. Equipment and building components are routinely broken and inoperative. Service and maintenance calls are never responded to in a timely manner. Normal use and deterioration continue unabated, making buildings and equipment inadequate. District staff reported that the maintenance worker spends time on nonmaintenance activities other than bus driving. FCMAT could not quantify time spent on nonmaintenance activities because the district does not maintain a work order system to track maintenance requests. Accurate information on the time spent on nonmaintenance activities may indicate a need to further increase maintenance staffing or redistribute duties to other operational functions. The district also reports that it does not outsource for preventive or ongoing maintenance work, except for HVAC maintenance. When considering how to increase maintenance staffing, the district will need to study the financial efficiency of insourcing versus outsourcing work that requires licensed staff, and consider the effect outsourcing will have on in-house staffing. Unless the district invests more in maintenance, the condition of facilities will decline. In the long term, the practical consequence of understaffing maintenance is the neglect of critical preventive maintenance work because of the prioritization of immediate repair work. When buildings and building systems do not perform as anticipated, it can lead to failure of building components and systems or loss of intended use. These problems may reduce the functional performance of the building, cause damage to its features, or create hazardous conditions that could lead to structural failures, unhealthy environments, and increased costs. Increased maintenance staffing levels will ensure the district achieves a comprehensive stewardship level of maintenance. The district’s small size restricts its ability to hire for all trades listed above; however, an additional 1.0 FTE position in one specific trade could allow the district to focus on building diagnostics. In addition to trade work, a dedicated in-house position could diagnose building and system problems and determine when to outsource based on the work’s complexity and specialization. This position could serve as the district’s point person to coordinate outside vendor work and be accountable for planning, coordina- tion and execution of its overall maintenance program. Work Order System The MOT Department does not have a work order system; rather, the MOT supervisor and maintenance worker receive work requests from district staff via email, phone calls, text messages or in person. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Armona Union Elementary School District 6 Findings and Recommendations Maintenance During interviews, district staff indicated that the current process does not meet the district’s needs. Specifically, the district is unable to determine the total number of work requests in a given year, track the cost of repairs by request and trade, or monitor outstanding requests and the amount of time needed to complete maintenance activities. Without this information, the district cannot accurately determine the staff- ing needed to reach the APPA recommended level. When appropriately used, a work order system can provide accountability for staff, track requests for users, and supply important data for budget and maintenance planning. Online work order systems are available at reasonable cost for small school districts. At a minimum, the district needs to establish a dedicated email address and procedure (such as a Google work order request form) to provide improved information tracking and sharing, along with written policies and procedures to ensure the following information is readily available to communicate to requestors and district leadership: number of work order requests, work progress, timelines, costs, and completion dates. The information maintained in a work order system is essential to support the department’s overall credi- bility within the district. The MOT supervisor needs to develop a method to routinely audit the turnaround time and completion rates of work orders, ensure outstanding requests are tracked and addressed in a timely manner, and create a written procedure documenting the level of detail recorded in the district's system. Preventive Maintenance Planning The district does not have a formal preventive maintenance plan. A preventive maintenance plan starts with a list of all facilities, the structures at each facility, and the building components and systems for each struc- ture. Examples of building components and systems include roofs, gutters, floors, doors, plumbing valves, HVAC units and bleachers. For each building system or building component listed, the plan should include the monthly, quarterly, semiannual, seasonal, and yearly tasks needed to proactively maintain it. The plan should also note whether the work will be completed by district staff or contractors, and the costs associ- ated with each task. During interviews, staff indicated that outside contractors are used for routine repairs, which is not uncom- mon in a small district. As noted previously, the department is insufficiently staffed and operates in a reac- tionary mode. Although this hands-off approach keeps maintenance costs low in the short term, it will prove more costly in the long run. Equipment that fails without warning creates a need for immediate repair at higher cost. In addition, equipment failures during critical times often result in unnecessary costs for miti- gation or workaround solutions, and could create an uncomfortable, inoperable, or unsafe environment for students and staff. A comprehensive preventive maintenance plan can prevent emergency response situations, increase facility function, lower operating costs, improve safety and customer satisfaction, and aid in budget plan- ning. The district needs to develop and implement a preventive maintenance plan. At a minimum, the MOT supervisor needs to develop an annual calendar and written procedures to manage the district’s preventive maintenance priorities throughout the year, in accordance with available funding sources. As noted in the previous section, the district does not use a work order system. If such as system was in place, it could also track and automate preventive maintenance work orders based on the schedule in the district’s plan. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Armona Union Elementary School District 7 Findings and Recommendations Maintenance Deferred Maintenance Plan The district has set aside funds for deferred maintenance but still needs to develop, or solicit the devel- opment of, a comprehensive deferred maintenance plan. Effective deferred maintenance plans contain at least the following components: • List of all facilities • List of all building systems for each facility (this list will mirror the building systems list noted above and be used in the preventive maintenance plan) • Original construction or reconstruction date of the building system • Typical life expectancy of the building system • Current condition of the building system • Restoration or replacement tasks needed to ensure the facility functions as designed, and a timeline of when they need to be performed. Because the district is small, it should expect to contract all or most deferred maintenance work. Many small districts have implemented the California Uniform Public Construction Cost Accounting Act’s infor- mal and formal bidding requirements to complete deferred maintenance projects, which typically involve a long-term planning perspective. Responsibility for these projects often resides with the district admin- istrator who oversees the management of facilities, construction and planning, and who has experience navigating bidding laws and overseeing large construction-related contracts. In contrast, the MOT depart- ment focuses on day-to-day and annual operational functions, such as routine maintenance, repairs, and cleaning. The district’s superintendent and chief business official (CBO) oversee the district’s construction projects and public works bidding process. The superintendent, CBO and MOT supervisor will need to work col- laboratively to develop a deferred maintenance plan; such a plan should include the district’s new con- struction and modernization projects. Recently, the district completed construction of a multipurpose room and has nearly completed the addition of four kindergarten classrooms on the elementary school campus. Developing, implementing, and maintaining an up-to-date deferred maintenance plan will help the district maximize the life of these capital assets. As it completes additional modernization projects, the district will need to update its deferred maintenance plan accordingly. Purchasing and Parts Inventory The use of standing purchase orders (POs) is a widespread practice in districts to help procure specific items from a vendor for a predetermined period (typically a fiscal year). To eliminate the processing of numerous small purchase orders, the district’s Board Policy 3300 authorizes the superintendent or super- intendent’s designee to create standing POs as needed, provided the PO details a maximum purchase amount, the types of items that can be purchased, the individuals authorized to approve purchases, and the PO expiration date. In interviews, district staff reported that the district had eliminated the use of standing maintenance POs except for Home Depot purchases and replaced it with a process that requires preapproval and two to three quotes for all purchases, regardless of cost. In light of the department’s staffing shortage and result- ing reactive maintenance environment, this procurement process appears overly cumbersome and likely to slow the department’s activities further. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Armona Union Elementary School District 8 Findings and Recommendations Maintenance Raising the threshold for maintenance-related quote requirements to a more workable amount, such as $5,000, and reinstating standing POs in reasonable increments, would improve the department’s overall efficiency. Reviewing standing POs and monitoring purchasing patterns regularly can eliminate favoritism to vendors without delaying or hindering needed repairs. FCMAT observed an extremely limited inventory of parts during a visit to the MOT Department. In inter- views, MOT Department staff reported traveling to and from local stores often to acquire the materials and parts needed for repairs. Because the district does not track the time workers spend on maintenance activ- ities by work order request or function, FCMAT could not accurately determine the effect this travel has on the department’s overall productivity. Maintaining an inventory of maintenance-related repair parts may seem to be an effective way to save money, but the potential for theft and risk of obsolescence of or damage to supplies often outweigh the savings from bulk purchases. The district would benefit from identifying and purchasing in bulk those materials and parts that offer the greatest savings and impact when serving its sites. For other supplies, the district could use drop ship- ments, in which vendors deliver materials directly to the location in need. These shipments can be more expensive than individual items, but the convenience and availability of goods is greater. A standing PO at a local hardware store would also allow maintenance staff to purchase parts directly when needed. All these purchasing options ensure the maintenance program has sufficient materials and supplies to perform as efficiently as possible in support of the district’s operations. Recommendations The district should: 1. Consider increasing maintenance staffing by 1.0 FTE to achieve a comprehensive stewardship level of service. 2. Ensure in-house maintenance staff have the equipment and tools needed to perform day- to-day work. 3. Study the financial efficiency of insourcing versus outsourcing maintenance work that requires licensed staff, and develop policies and procedures to guide outsourcing. 4. Investigate options for and implement a cost-effective method, such as an online work order system or formal internal procedure, to organize, monitor and measure all maintenance staff work, including nonmaintenance activities. 5. Create and implement a comprehensive preventive maintenance plan; once it is implemented, use the work order system to manage preventive maintenance work. 6. Develop a comprehensive deferred maintenance plan, and update it as often as needed. 7. Develop a department procedure for procuring materials and supplies, including a reasonable quote requirement and the use of standing POs when appropriate. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Armona Union Elementary School District 9 Findings and Recommendations Grounds Grounds Success in grounds management depends on well-trained personnel with skills in a variety of areas, includ- ing maintenance of lawns, athletic and play fields, trees, and landscaping. Like other maintenance and operations functions, staffing for grounds-related services tends to vary among school districts throughout the state. The most common factors affecting staffing for a grounds department include the following: • School sizes in acreage • Number and types of outdoor spaces maintained • Type and extent of natural and hardscape features • Extent to which grounds crews perform unrelated tasks The district’s grounds staff are responsible for maintaining the three district school sites (Armona Elementary School, Parkview Middle School, and Crossroads Charter Academy) and the Armona Community Center, which includes the district office and the Armona Library as well as a neighboring park and two recreational softball/baseball fields. Grounds Staffing The grounds department consists of two full-time grounds/bus driver positions filled by experienced employees who have worked in the district for approximately 15 and 25 years, respectively. District- provided work schedules showed the employees each spend 4.25 hours per day performing grounds work, or the equivalent of approximately 1.07 FTE positions total; the remainder of the workday is scheduled for bus driver responsibilities. This FTE position count does not take into account the additional time grounds staff spend on nongrounds duties. District staff reported spending time on nongrounds activities such as helping with maintenance, assembling furniture, delivering packages, picking up trash, and cleaning the park’s restrooms. Although the district tracks hours staff spend driving regular bus routes, it does not moni- tor the time grounds workers spend on other nongrounds assignments. The district contracts with a local landscaping company for grounds services. Starting in 2013, the dis- trict entered into a month-to-month agreement with an external vendor for $3,559 per month, or $42,708 annually, for weekly services including the following at all district locations except the Crossroads Charter Academy: field mowing, shrub and bush trimming, weed whacking, and leaf blowing. FCMAT did not have enough information to calculate the FTE equivalent associated with the contracted work. The study team visited all schools during fieldwork and, based on a cursory review, the grounds contract appears sufficient to manage the district’s basic mowing and landscaping needs. The external contractor also manages the control of all irrigation timers, adjusting them seasonally; how- ever, they do not repair damaged sprinklers, valves, or main and lateral lines. District staff reported that the department’s response to irrigation repairs is slow. FCMAT observed at least one irrigation leak requiring repair while touring the middle school campus. As discussed throughout this report, the combination MOT positions prioritize bus driving responsibilities at the expense of maintenance and operations duties. The district needs to evaluate the time grounds staff spend on irrigation repairs and analyze the costs and ben- efits of expanding the external contractor’s scope of services to include such work, or adjust its grounds FTE positions accordingly. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Armona Union Elementary School District 10 Findings and Recommendations Grounds Turf and Tree Care Plans A turf care plan ensures that a district’s turf areas continue to meet its needs and the community’s expecta- tions. The district does not have a turf care plan. A well-developed turf care plan should include the fol- lowing components: turf area, grass species, intended use (e.g., light athletics, heavy athletics, ornamental only), appearance requirements, irrigation requirements (in inches of water per week, per season), seasonal mowing heights, aeration schedules, overseeding schedules, soil testing protocol, soil amendment sched- ules, fertilization schedules, and usage limitations. The MOT supervisor needs to develop and implement such a plan, with the help of the external vendor, to ensure the district’s properties best support its opera- tional needs. The contracted summary of services with the external vendor does not include tree trimming and gopher abatement but does include herbicidal spraying. District staff reported having responsibility for tree trim- ming, particularly at the neighboring park, and for gopher abatement; however, the district does not have a tree care plan. A comprehensive tree care plan catalogs and maps the locations of all trees taller than six feet or greater than 1.5 inches in trunk diameter at chest height. The plan will also document and make rec- ommendations (if any) on the following needs for each tree species: irrigation, pest control, fertilization, fre- quency of inspection, frequency and types of trimming work, and potential safety concerns. For any trees with size, age, or other conditions that indicate a safety risk, a certificated arborist is needed to complete a tree risk assessment. The district would benefit from making its MOT supervisor responsible for developing and maintaining such a plan. Having a tree care plan improves safety and aesthetics, and facilitates budget planning. Recommendations The district should: 1. Track the amount of time grounds staff spend on nongrounds duties, and reassign duties or adjust its grounds staffing allocation when appropriate. 2. Consider expanding the scope of services with external vendors to reduce delays in irrigation repairs. 3. Develop and implement a comprehensive turf care plan. 4. Develop and implement a tree care plan. 5. Hire an arborist to complete a tree risk assessment for any trees for which size, age, or condition indicates a potential safety hazard. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Armona Union Elementary School District 11 Findings and Recommendations Custodial Custodial The custodial department is dedicated to ensuring facilities are clean for student and staff use. The district assigns custodians to work at specific district sites, including the three district schools (Armona Elementary School, Parkview Middle, School, and Crossroads Charter Academy), and the district office and Armona Library, which are located in the Armona Community Center. Two of the five custodian positions also drive a daily bus route, and one custodian position is also a sub- stitute bus driver. Bus driver responsibilities reduce both the time spent on and the efficiency of custodial work. The district also has one full-time custodian position that has an 11-month work year; all other custo- dians are 12-month positions. In interviews, district staff could not explain the rationale for this difference in work year. Using district-provided work hours, FCMAT estimates the district has the equivalent of approximately 4.82 FTE positions assigned to custodial duties, not adjusting for any time spent on substitute driving or other noncustodial activities. Custodial Staffing The California Association of School Business Officials (CASBO) has established a staffing formula that is generally accepted as a standard for estimating custodial staffing needs in school districts throughout California. This formula uses square footage and the number of students, teachers, classrooms, offices, and general-purpose areas. The CASBO formula is as follows: • One custodian for every 13 teachers • One custodian for every 325 students • One custodian for every 13 classrooms • One custodian for every 18,000 square feet • A factor for community use based on the type of school • A factor for schools with enrollment of less than 450 students The sum of the above is then divided by four to indicate the number of custodians needed to clean a building or buildings. FCMAT reviewed and compared a district-provided calculation to that of the CASBO standard. This data is as follows: FTE District custodians (employees with scheduled cleaning tasks) 4.81 CASBO standard recommends 5.25 This calculation indicates the district’s custodial department is understaffed compared to CASBO’s calcu- lation by at least 0.44 FTE. However, the district’s actual custodian FTE is lower than 4.81 FTE because of substitute driving hours (which could not be quantified for this analysis) and other operational inefficiencies associated with the combined MOT positions splitting daily work between the transportation and custodial departments. As with the other maintenance and operations positions previously discussed, student trans- portation takes precedence over custodial cleaning assignments, and often results in inconsistent levels of cleaning and gaps in custodial coverage. This challenge is compounded by the district’s limited pool of Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Armona Union Elementary School District 12 Findings and Recommendations Custodial substitute custodians. Consequently, the district would benefit from increasing custodial staffing levels to higher than the CASBO standard. Organization and Leadership The custodial department’s organizational structure is centralized with all custodians reporting to the MOT supervisor, who conducts their annual performance evaluations. During FCMAT’s fieldwork, school admin- istrators reported that they are not involved in custodial evaluations and that the district did not have clear expectations or documented cleaning standards by which to measure performance. School administrators expressed concerns with the level of cleanliness maintained. Although academic professionals are focused primarily on student instruction, their input should be considered when evaluating the work performance of custodians who serve their campuses. The district would benefit from implementing a hybrid supervision model, in which the MOT supervisor and the school administrator coordinate with one another to produce an evaluation. Under this model, the MOT supervisor typically evaluates an employee’s technical skills, such as cleaning methods, vacuuming, dust- ing, mopping, stain removal, glass cleaning, sink cleaning, and efficient use of time; the school administrator evaluates the employee’s soft skills, such as attendance, dependability, work attitude, and interactions with staff, students and community. Using this model would increase both the standard of care and accountabil- ity in the custodial department. Based on the department’s current staffing level and organizational structure, the district would also ben- efit from adding a lead custodian position that reports to the MOT supervisor and provides another level of program oversight. This position would be custodial only and would be responsible for overseeing the department’s cleaning standards, scheduling and training, and for ensuring staffing gaps are communicated to custodial line staff to ensure proper coverage when needed. This position would also be responsible for standardizing and coordinating materials and supply orders with vendors and for distribution and use by custodial staff. Cleaning Standards To develop meaningful standards, planners, administrators and community members need to agree on what constitutes an acceptable level of cleanliness. Although there are no nationwide standards of clean- liness, the U.S. Department of Education has established five levels of cleaning, including the number of square feet that a custodian working an eight-hour shift can reasonably expect to clean at each level: • Level 1 cleaning results in a spotless and germ-free facility as might normally be found in a hospital or corporate suite. A custodian with proper supplies and tools can clean approxi- mately 10,000 to 11,000 square feet in eight hours at this level. • Level 2 cleaning is the uppermost standard for most school cleaning and is usually reserved for restrooms, special education areas, kindergarten areas, and food service areas. This service level includes vacuuming or mopping floors daily, and sanitizing all sur- faces. A custodian can clean approximately 18,000 to 20,000 square feet in an eight-hour shift at this level. • Level 3 cleaning is the norm for most school facilities. It is acceptable to most interested parties and does not pose any health issues. Classrooms are cleaned daily, which includes dumping trash and cleaning shared area surfaces such as sinks and door handles. Carpets Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Armona Union Elementary School District 13 Findings and Recommendations Custodial are vacuumed and surfaces used by students are sanitized every other day. A custodian can clean approximately 28,000 to 31,000 square feet in eight hours at this level. • Level 4 cleaning is not normally acceptable in a school environment. Classrooms are cleaned every other day, carpets are vacuumed every third day, and dusting is done once a month. A custodian can clean 45,000 to 50,000 square feet in eight hours at this level. • Level 5 cleaning can very rapidly lead to an unhealthy situation. Trash cans may be emp- tied, and carpets may be vacuumed only weekly. One custodian can clean 85,000 to 90,000 square feet in eight hours at this level. Although the figures above are estimates, they are an excellent starting point for establishing standard schedules. The actual number of square feet per shift a custodian can clean will also depend on variables such as the types of facilities, school activity schedules, flooring, wall coverings, number of windows, restroom layouts, gym and athletic facilities, and offices. Based on FCMAT’s review of facilities and information collected in staff interviews, the district’s facility cleanliness is at a level between 4 and 5, which is below the level 2 or 3 standards expected for schools. This lack of cleanliness is mainly the result of noncustodial duties infringing on cleaning time, departmental inefficiencies, and undefined and inconsistent cleaning expectations and standards. Written operating procedures are useful for establishing expectations and standards to define a depart- ment’s work and measure its success. It is best practice to ensure cleaning standards include daily, weekly, monthly and annual activities, and that they be in place before detailed work schedules are created to ensure adequate time and staffing are available to complete all required tasks. Although some of the dis- trict’s custodial staff members have been employed in the district for more than 10 years and have a consid- erable amount of historical knowledge, this institutional experience has not translated into formal policies and procedures, which increases the department’s inefficiencies because it relies solely on employees’ knowledge. FCMAT found no documented work schedules for individual custodians during fieldwork. In interviews, department staff stated that custodians develop their own daily work schedules, with minor input from principals and the MOT supervisor. These schedules need to be developed in coordination with school and district administrators, provided to employees in writing, and used to evaluate employees’ performance. Because the department is often short-staffed due to the lack of substitutes and the transportation pro- gram’s needs, the district could better address custodial coverage gaps by developing and using an essen- tial daily task schedule for each custodial position. This task list will reflect the minimum activities required to prepare schools for the next day. School districts often document custodial standard operating procedures in a custodial handbook. Such a resource serves as a reference and guide for both permanent and substitute custodians to standardize work and provide for consistency in service across district sites. The district does not have a custodial handbook. In interviews, staff responses regarding cleaning times, procedures, priorities, and materials and supplies were varied and loosely connected to industry standards. When questioned about the amount of time allocated to cleaning classrooms, answers varied widely, revealing an overall lack of direction and standardization. Without written policies and procedures to standardize the department’s work, the district cannot maintain a uniform expectation and standard level of cleanliness. In addition, the lack of procedures creates inefficiencies, especially when new employees are hired and when substitute employees are used. These two groups of employees are frequently left to learn their responsibilities with little or no formal training. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Armona Union Elementary School District 14 Findings and Recommendations Custodial The district would benefit from making the MOT supervisor, or a lead custodian under the direction of the MOT supervisor, responsible for developing and maintaining standard operating procedures for the custo- dial department, and for documenting that written guidance into a district custodial handbook, including a product list for material and supply purchases. Once written standards, work schedules, and processes and procedures are in place, the department’s leaders will need to hold custodial staff accountable for perfor- mance through regular written feedback, including the use of a cleaning inspection checklist. Facility Rentals The district has policies and procedures to allow community use of its facilities, including the Armona Community Center, Armona Elementary School multipurpose room and fields, and Parkview Middle School field. The district charges a minimal fee based on facility type; however, its facilities rental fee schedule does not match the language regarding available facilities in its rules and regulations documents. The district’s Facilities Rental Rules and Regulations document indicates certain rentals may include the use of restrooms, and renters are responsible for all set up, take down, and cleaning after use. In interviews, district staff reported that facilities, particularly restrooms, are often not adequately cleaned and prepared for district use after community rentals. The district collects a $200 refundable fee when keys are checked out, as well as a deposit fee when a reservation is approved. These fees are refundable if there is no damage or loss to the facility. The district needs to ensure all facilities are inspected, cleaned and prepared to the district’s standard level of service before returning refundable fees. The district would benefit from assigning its own MOT staff to cover facility needs during community use. In interviews, MOT staff reported working little or no overtime. Any evening or weekend coverage by full-time district employees will result in overtime compensation. Recommendations The district should: 1. Increase its 11-month custodial position to a 12-month work year to increase custodial staffing FTE. 2. Consider implementing a hybrid supervision model by including school administrators in the annual performance evaluation for custodians who work on their campuses. 3. Consider adding a lead custodian position to further increase custodial staffing FTE and to improve the district's level of cleanliness by providing additional oversight of cleaning standards, scheduling and training. 4. Establish cleaning expectations and standards; train staff on the standards and hold staff accountable for meeting them. 5. Develop and implement custodial work schedules based on available staffing and the district’s cleaning standards; analyze, update and reallocate custodial assignments to ensure even work distribution in new schedules. 6. Develop and implement written standard operating procedures in a custodial handbook to standardize cleaning districtwide and to document the district’s standards for service and cleanliness. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Armona Union Elementary School District 15 Findings and Recommendations Custodial 7. Develop and use a cleaning inspection checklist. 8. Solicit input from custodial line staff and management to collaboratively develop, use and maintain a product list for material and supply purchases. 9. Analyze the facilities fee schedule and deposit structure to ensure it covers all district costs associated with community use. Reconcile and update rental agreement language to match the fee schedule. 10. Ensure all facilities are inspected, cleaned and prepared to the district’s standard level of service after community use. 11. Use district staff to clean facilities during and after community use; establish policies and procedures regarding the assignment and approval of necessary custodial overtime. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Armona Union Elementary School District 16 Findings and Recommendations Maintenance and Operations Safety and Training Maintenance and Operations Safety and Training The district lacks a formal training program for maintenance and operations staff. In interviews, depart- ment staff indicated having received little or no regular training, other than annual mandatory training, over the past several years. The MOT supervisor is responsible for ensuring that current, new and substitute employees receive initial and ongoing training relevant to their positions. Even with an experienced work- force, the district needs to ensure its personnel are adequately and regularly trained on safety and indus- try-specific best practices. An effective formal training program will include training on the following topics: anti-microbial safety, bloodborne pathogens, material safety data sheets, injury and illness prevention program, respiratory protection, hand and power tool safety, back injury prevention, safe work practices, hazard communication plans, ladder safety, electrical safety, driver safety, and specific safety procedures for each specialty trade performed by district staff. The district did not provide any training records for review. Based on interviews, maintenance and oper- ations staff have not completed essential trainings for asbestos management and lead paint disturbance, and the district could not provide asbestos management plans upon request. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires that school districts comply with the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA), appoint a designated person for asbestos-related activities, and implement a plan for managing asbestos-containing building materials in school buildings and complying with federal asbestos regula- tions. The district needs to provide maintenance and operations staff with this training and designate a position, such as the MOT supervisor, to be responsible for compliance with AHERA and all local air board regulations. The EPA requires employees who perform renovation, repair or painting in pre-1978 child-occupied facilities to be lead-safe certified. This rule also applies to any firms the district hires to perform this type of work. The district needs to ensure it complies with the EPA’s lead renovation, repair and painting rule. The MOT supervisor is responsible for developing a thorough, standardized and routine training program to ensure the department complies with federal, state and local safety regulations. The supervisor is also responsible for scheduling such training to ensure it occurs at convenient times to support the depart- ment’s work. The district needs to designate one employee to maintain all employee records related to mandated safety and health training to ensure coordination and compliance. In addition, regular safety meetings for all maintenance and operations staff would help improve communication, promote education, and resolve issues as they arise. A meaningful professional development program is beneficial not only for improving staff technical knowl- edge and skills but also for maintaining and boosting staff morale, because it demonstrates the district’s interest in investing in its employees and their welfare. The MOT supervisor will need to tailor annual spe- cial training on topics in each of the department’s functional areas (i.e., maintenance, grounds, and custo- dial), as well as provide for routine meetings that include discussions pertaining to industry standards and best practices to increase the department’s overall efficiency. Recommendations The district should: 1. Develop a regular training program to provide mandatory safety and specialty training for current, new and substitute employees. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Armona Union Elementary School District 17 Findings and Recommendations Maintenance and Operations Safety and Training 2. Evaluate its needs and staff members’ skills and knowledge regularly to identify areas in which training is most needed; provide specialized training in these areas. 3. Designate a position, such as the MOT supervisor, to be responsible for compliance with AHERA, EPA, and all local air board rules and regulations. 4. Maintain complete records of training to ensure that all employees are trained and to improve employee accountability. 5. Ensure that regular safety meetings for all maintenance and operations staff are held and documented. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Armona Union Elementary School District 18 Findings and Recommendations Transportation Transportation The district’s transportation program is organized into its larger MOT Department. This is appropriate for a small district such as Armona. The district operates four bus routes most school days, five on Wednesdays and other minimum days, and serves approximately 300 students; it has few extracurricular and co-curric- ular activity trips throughout the year. The Kings County Office of Education transports all special educa- tion students who require transportation to out-of-district special education programs. The district covers approximately 40 square miles of flat and mostly rural terrain. Transportation Staffing The district employs six staff, including the MOT supervisor, who have commercial driver’s licenses and special certificates to operate a school bus. As previously noted, the department has five combination maintenance and operations/bus driver positions: one maintenance/bus driver, two grounds/bus drivers, and two custodian/bus drivers. Four of the positions serve as regular daily drivers, and one custodian/ bus driver position serves mainly as a substitute with a regular afternoon route on Wednesdays or other minimum days. In the past, the district had two additional bus drivers with custodial duties. The district downgraded these to full-time custodial positions when the employees relinquished driving certificates for medical reasons. The district’s transportation program webpage webpage shows only three daily bus routes. However, additional documents and staff interviews indicated that the district added a fourth route after the start of the 2022-23 school year to serve students living in a housing subdivision in north Armona. The additional route has required the MOT supervisor to drive in the mornings and one custodian to drive in the after- noons. FCMAT reviewed a sample of driver vehicle inspection reports and found a fifth route operating on Wednesday afternoons. District staff reported splitting one afternoon route to accommodate the early release of all students on Wednesdays and on other minimum days. Based on provided work schedules, FCMAT estimates the department has the equivalent of 1.6 FTE bus driver positions, with most drivers spending around two to three hours on transportation activities daily, including pre- and post-trip inspections, driving, interior and exterior cleaning, and communication about vehicle maintenance and service needs. When a driver is absent, the substitute driver is pulled from regular custodial duties and is therefore often unable to complete the assigned daily cleaning tasks. From a pupil transportation perspective, the combination MOT position works well because it ensures the district maintains sufficient transportation staffing during what is currently recognized as a national crisis in school bus driver recruitment and retention. However, based on current routing requirements, the district would benefit from adding at least one full-time custodian/bus driver position to relieve the MOT supervisor of daily driving, return the afternoon custodian to operational duties, and provide an additional substitute to fill vacancies caused by employee leaves and absences. Routing Method and Efficiency The district’s pupil transportation fleet is composed of five large chassis transit design school buses that carry 76, 78 or 82 passengers. The department does not use a computerized routing system, and routes are fixed, with few changes throughout the year. The four main routes are regional, serving both suburban and rural areas, and cannot be easily consolidated to increase operational efficiencies. In rural areas, routes are longer and include stops at individual ranch homes; bus stops change as students transition in and out of the program. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Armona Union Elementary School District 19 Findings and Recommendations Transportation Assigning students to bus routes and documenting this information is essential to ensure student safety and support operational planning. Education Code Section 39831.3 requires school districts providing stu- dent transportation to prepare a transportation safety plan containing procedures for school personnel to follow to ensure the safe transport of pupils; such as a plan should include the identification of all students accessing transportation. The MOT supervisor needs to be responsible for this function, and the informa- tion should be readily available to district and school administrators. The district does not formally docu- ment students by bus route, which has led to confusion at schools when students are released at the end of a school day. For example, in the current year district staff reported losing a student for a brief time when the pupil exited at an incorrect stop. Because the district is small, an electronic routing system may not be a cost-effective solution; however, at a minimum, a Google or Excel spreadsheet needs to be developed and shared with schools, or the district could use its student information system to track student transportation data and services. District staff also reported logistical challenges in managing bus loading on Wednesday afternoons and other minimum days, when all grade levels release at the same time at both the elementary and middle schools. To accommodate the condensed schedule, the district recently split one route into two in the after- noon on Wednesdays and other minimum days. The district could eliminate this additional route by revising its master bell schedule to allow for a separation between release times on minimum days. FCMAT did not validate the number of extracurricular and co-curricular activity trips the transportation department completes annually. However, district staff reported providing bus transportation for a lim- ited number of field trips during the school day, with few scheduled for evenings and weekends. Because midday trips pull bus drivers away from other regular maintenance and operations assignments, the district would benefit from tracking the hours associated with these activities to accurately determine their impact on the district’s overall MOT department responsibilities. Many school districts use two-way radio systems as a primary communications solution for school safety in general and transportation in particular. In interviews, district staff shared that cell phones are the primary communication method used for the transportation program. As cell phones cannot be used while driving, drivers must pull over and stop on the side of the road whenever needed to make and receive phone calls. Two-way radios would provide greater utility and flexibility than cell phones and could be used safetly while in motion to facilitate contact between drivers, dispatchers and district administrators. Bus Driver Training and Safety Education Code Sections 40080 through 40089 establish the requirements for school bus driver train- ing in California. Drivers must initially receive a minimum of 20 hours of classroom training and 20 hours of behind-the-wheel training on content developed by the California Department of Education’s Office of School Transportation. Drivers must then complete a minimum of 10 hours of in-service training each year. Most trainers teach for a minimum of 35 hours in the classroom and spend at least that many hours behind the wheel. All training must be performed by a state-certified school bus driver instructor. The district contracts with either the local high school district or another agency when needed, because it does not employ a state-certified trainer. Staff interviews indicated that annual in-service hours are usually com- pleted during the summer. FCMAT reviewed driver training records and confirmed the district’s compliance with this requirement. Education Code Section 39831.3 requires school districts to have a transportation safety plan and to maintain a copy of it at each school. Any California Highway Patrol (CHP) officer can request this plan for inspection. The district has such a plan, but it needs to be updated to include language regarding new child check requirements, which require drivers to check the bus after each route or run to ensure no child is Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Armona Union Elementary School District 20 Findings and Recommendations Transportation left behind unattended. When requested, the schools could not produce the district’s transportation safety plan. Education Code Section 39831.5 requires school districts to conduct school bus safety instruction and evacuation drills annually for students in certain grades who ride the bus. A district must also keep records of the drills. In addition, specific safety information must be announced before every field trip. In interviews, staff indicated that district staff are aware of these requirements; however, the district could provide evi- dence only to show it conducted evacuation drills in September 2021. Vehicle Maintenance The CHP Motor Carrier Inspector Unit annually inspects buses, vehicle maintenance records, driver records, driver timekeeping records, and federal drug and alcohol testing records. It produces a report of findings entitled the Safety Compliance Report/Terminal Record Update, more commonly known as the “terminal grade.” The report also includes the grades for the three previous annual inspections. The results for the district’s most recent inspections are “satisfactory,” which is the highest grade awarded to any motor carrier and indicates general compliance with laws and regulations governing school bus safety. In the case of an unsatisfactory grade, the CHP advises that a failure to correct the deficiencies can result in a recommenda- tion to the Public Utilities Commission to revoke a district’s motor carrier operating authority. School buses are required to be inspected every 45 days or 3,000 miles, whichever occurs first, in accor- dance with Title 13 of the California Code of Regulations, Section 1232. The district does not have an inter- nal vehicle maintenance program; it uses external vendors for all preventive bus maintenance inspections, safety checks and repairs, as well as service for its other vehicles. FCMAT inspected vehicle maintenance records, and the district complies with these regulations. In interviews, transportation staff indicated that repair or service requests are sometimes reported to the external mechanic or the MOT supervisor via phone or in person. The district has no formal system to doc- ument, track and monitor the progress of transportation-related repairs. Vehicle repair requests need to be documented on a driver’s pretrip form and in a work order system to ensure issues are addressed appro- priately and in a timely manner, and this information needs to be recorded for future reference in case of a related safety concern. Drivers also need to receive written confirmation when repairs are completed and when a vehicle can be returned to operation. The district would benefit from developing and implementing a formal standard operating procedure to document its vehicle repair process. This would improve on and supplement the program’s current safety measures. Fleet Cleanliness District drivers are responsible for cleaning both the exterior and interior of their assigned school buses. As described by district staff, drivers are expected to sweep and dust buses daily during the post-trip period and wash buses as often as necessary. The department does not have standard operating procedures for bus cleaning that address both the interior and exterior surfaces. School buses need to be cleaned thor- oughly and disinfected to prevent the spread of harmful pathogens and bacteria. At a minimum, the MOT supervisor needs to verify that all buses are swept, dusted and have trash removed daily to ensure the ride is safe and comfortable for the district’s students. Upon inspection, FCMAT noted that exterior cleanliness was acceptable by appearance, but buses had not been swept or dusted for several days or longer. FCMAT found the overall interiors in unsatisfactory condi- tion, with dirt and dust built up on various ledges and surfaces. As noted previously, the combined nature Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Armona Union Elementary School District 21 Findings and Recommendations Transportation of the MOT positions limits the time available for staff to complete transportation-related activities because they are forced to move on to maintenance and operations assignments. Clean School Bus Grants The California Air Resources Board implements the state’s policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including regulations mandating that 100 percent of in-state sales of new passenger cars and trucks be zero emission by 2035. Like the commercial vehicle industry, school bus manufacturers have long been moving to alternative fuel sources. In addition to reducing greenhouse gases and the community’s expo- sure to harmful diesel emissions, clean school buses can provide a quieter ride for students and reduced maintenance and fuel costs. To bring such technologies into public transportation fleets, regional air pollution control districts often partner with local utility companies to provide funding to support electric vehicle charging and natural gas infrastructure development. Federal, state and local clean school bus grants are readily available for vehi- cles that reduce carbon emissions by operating entirely or in part on alternative fuel. District staff reported that it has yet to analyze operating a clean school bus program or to participate in any grant opportunity to replace its school bus fleet with alternative fuel vehicles. The district’s MOT Department and bus yard are located on the elementary school campus. With the new construction and modernization projects under way on that site, the district would benefit from an analysis to evaluate the costs and benefits of implementing a clean school bus program before applying for any related funding opportunities. The regional air pollution control district has resources available to help the district deter- mine available grant opportunities or other funding sources if the district pursues such a program. Home-to-School Transportation Reimbursement Funding (Effective 2022-23) Transportation funding has remained unchanged with no provision for annual cost-of-living adjustments since the Local Control Funding Formula’s (LCFF’s) implementation in 2013-14. As an add-on to the LCFF apportionment, transportation revenue is restricted to transportation use only, and is subject to a mainte- nance of effort requirement that districts spend as much as they receive. The district receives $102,102 in home-to-school transportation add-on funding, and, as of its 2022-23 adopted budget, projects to spend more than $185,730 on the program. Assuming this expenditure level, the district may be eligible for approximately $10,000 in new reimbursement funding. The 2022-23 enacted state budget provided for more than $630 million in additional ongoing funding as reimbursement to school districts based on prior year eligible home-to-school transportation expenditures. This increased funding will increase the district’s LCFF add-on to cover up to 60% of total transportation costs, provided it complies with certain requirements. Specifically, the district must develop and the gov- erning board must adopt a transportation services plan on or before April 1, 2023 that describes how the district will offer transportation services to its students and how it will prioritize services for grades TK-6 and low-income students. Education Code Section 39800.1 outlines the plan’s required components, including the following: 1. Description of the district’s transportation services that are accessible to students with disabilities and homeless youth Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Armona Union Elementary School District 22 Findings and Recommendations Transportation 2. Description of how unduplicated pupils, or students identified as English learner, socioeconomically disadvantaged, and foster youth, will access available services at no cost For reporting and funding purposes, the district will need to ensure it tracks transportation expenditures using function 3600 in the state’s standardized account code structure. Further requirements for plan development, data reporting, and frequently asked questions are available on the California Department of Education’s website. Recommendations The district should: 1. Consider adding at least one full-time custodial/bus driver position to the MOT department to eliminate the supervisor’s regular driving duties. 2. Update the information on the district’s transportation program webpage to include the current bus route schedules, including minimum day schedules. 3. Develop and implement a written standard operating procedure to assign and track students by bus route, and ensure the information is up to date and available to district and school administrators. 4. Analyze and consider implementing a solution to address operational and safety concerns related to the early release of all students at the same time on Wednesdays and other minimum days, such as adjusting the bell schedules to provide greater separation in release times by grade levels. 5. Track and analyze the work hours bus drivers spend on extracurricular and co-curricular activity trips during and after the school day; use this information to help make department staffing adjustments as needed. 6. Consider implementing a two-way radio system to replace cell phones as the primary communication method for drivers. 7. Update its transportation safety plan annually and distribute it to all schools and/or post it on each school’s web page. 8. Develop and follow a schedule for annual school bus evacuation drills; conduct evacuation drills for the current school year as soon as possible to ensure compliance with state law. 9. Develop and implement a written standard operating procedure to formalize and document the district’s school bus and vehicle repair requests and completions. 10. Develop and implement a written standard operating procedure to direct the interior and exterior cleaning of school buses; at a minimum, ensure bus drivers sweep, dust and remove trash from all buses daily. 11. Analyze the potential costs and benefits of converting some or all the district’s school bus fleet to an alternative fuel source; contact the regional air pollution control district for local, state and federal funding opportunities. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Armona Union Elementary School District 23 Findings and Recommendations Transportation 12. Review new home-to-school transportation reimbursement requirements, and prepare and adopt a transportation services plan by April 1, 2023 so it can access additional home-to- school transportation program funds. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Armona Union Elementary School District 24 Appendices Appendices Appendix A: Study Agreement Appendix B: Sample Custodial Handbook Appendix C: Sample Training Matrix Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Armona Union Elementary School District 25 Appendices Appendix A Study Agreement Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Armona Union Elementary School District 26 Appendices Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Armona Union Elementary School District 27 Appendices Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Armona Union Elementary School District 28 Appendices Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Armona Union Elementary School District 29 Appendices Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Armona Union Elementary School District 30 Appendices 7/29/22 Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Armona Union Elementary School District 31 Appendices Appendix B Sample Custodial Handbook Click here to download a Microsoft Word version of the sample custodial handbook. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Armona Union Elementary School District 32 Appendices Appendix C Sample Training Matrix Applies to (Job Types) Subject (A-Z) Legal Reference Training Frequency Length Acetylene & Fuel Gas M&O, Industrial Arts Safety Title 8-1740 Initial Hire Discretionary Custodians, Nurses, Health Clerks, Food Service Antimicrobial Pesticides Title 8-3203, 5194 Prior to Use Discretionary Asbestos General Title 8-1529, 5208, M&O, Grounds, Custodial, Mechanics, Awareness AHERA, Technology Class IV Work Ed. Code 49410 Initial Hire & Annually 2 Hours Title 8-1529, 5208, AHERA, M&O Disturbing ACM or PACM Asbestos Class III Work Ed. Code 49410 Initial Hire & Annually 16 Hours Risk Management Back Injury Prevention / Practices, Title 8-3203, M&O, Grounds Lifting 5110 Employees who Lift Discretionary M&O, Grounds, Auto Shop, Golf Cart Operators, Mechanics Battery Charging/Handling Title 8-5185 Initial Hire Discretionary All employees or employees who are exposed to human blood or blood containing fluids Bloodborne Pathogens Title 8-5193 Initial Hire & Annually Discretionary M&O, Grounds Carcinogens as Listed Title 8-5209 Initial Hire Discretionary M&O, Custodial, Warehouse Compaction Equipment Title 8-4355 Prior to Use Discretionary M&O, Industrial Arts, ASB Compressed Air & Gas Title 8-3301 & 4650 Prior to Use Discretionary M&O or employees entering vaults, tanks, sewers, manholes, etc. Confined Spaces Title 8-5156 thru 5159 Prior to Entry / Annually Discretionary M&O, Grounds Cranes & Hoists Title 8-5006 Prior to Use Discretionary Risk Management Custodians Custodial Safety Practices, Title 8-3203 Initial Hire Discretionary M&O, Industrial Art/Technology Teachers, Aides Demolition Title 8-1734, 1735, 1736 Prior to Demo Discretionary M&O, Grounds Electrical Safety Title 8-2320.2, 2940 Initial Hire Discretionary M&O or employees working on an unguarded surface more than 7½’ off Title 8-1671, 1670, 3209, the ground Fall Protection 3210, 3212 Initial Hire Discretionary Initial Hire & Annually All employees or designated users Fire Extinguishers Title 8-6151 for Designated Users Discretionary Title 8-3664, 3657, 3664, Prior to Use & Every 3 M&O, Grounds, Warehouse Forklifts 3668 Years Discretionary Risk Management Grounds Grounds Safety Practices, Title 8-3203 Initial Hire Discretionary M&O, Custodial, Industrial Tech, Technology Hand Tools Title 8-3310, 3426, 3556 Prior to Use Discretionary Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Armona Union Elementary School District 33 Appendices Applies to (Job Types) Subject (A-Z) Legal Reference Training Frequency Length Potentially all employees, employees using or exposes to chemicals in the Hazard Communication/ workplace Right to Know Title 8-5194 Initial Hire & Annually Discretionary M&O, Custodial, Science, Hazardous Waste Ed. Code 49340, Title Photography, Health Clerks, Nurses Management 8-5164,5194 Initial Hire Discretionary M&O or employee exposed to Hearing Protection Initial Hire & Annually if excessive noise over the TWA & Conservation Title 8-5097, 5098, 5099 Program in Place Discretionary M&O or employees exposed to heat sources Heat Illness Prevention Title 8-3395 Prior to Working in Heat Discretionary Title 8-3203, 3362, 3364, M&O, Grounds Housekeeping 3321, 5551, 5552 Initial Hire Discretionary Injury & Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) Workplace Injury& Illness M&O, Grounds Prevention Title 8-3203 Initial Hire Discretionary M&O, Grounds Indoor Air Quality Title 8-5142 Initial Hire Discretionary Before Job Assignment, M&O, Grounds Job Hazard(s) Title 8-3203 New Hazards Discretionary M&O, Grounds Ladders Title 8-1675,3276 Prior to Use / As Needed Discretionary M&O, Industrial Technology Laser Equipment Title 8-1801 Initial Hire Discretionary 2 hour M&O Lead & Lead Standard Title 8-1532, 5198 Annually awareness M&O, Custodial, Industrial Tech or Lockout/Tagout employees performing maintenance Control of Hazardous on electrical circuits or machinery Energy Title 8-3314 Initial Hire / As Needed Discretionary M&O, Custodial, Industrial Tech Machine Safeguarding Title 8-3203 Initial Hire / As Needed Discretionary Material Handling & M&O, Custodial, Industrial Tech Storage Title 8-3203, 5541 Initial Hire Discretionary Medical Waste Title 8-5193 H & S Code Custodial, Nurses, Health Clerks Management 117600–118360 Annually Discretionary Metal Working (forging) M&O, Industrial Technology Machines Title 8-4243 Initial Hire Discretionary M&O, Grounds, Custodial, Industrial Technology Miter Saws Title 8-4307 Initial Hire Discretionary All employees that operate vehicles on district business Mobile Communications Vehicle Codes As Needed Discretionary M&O, Auto Shops, Mechanics, Bus Natural Gas Fuel Tanks on Drivers Vehicles Title 8-544 Initial Hire Discretionary New Employee Safety All Employees Orientation Title 8-3203 Initial Hire Discretionary M&O, Grounds, Custodial, Industrial Tech, Technology, Science, Nurses, Personal Protective Health Clerks Equipment Title 8-3380 - 3387 Prior to Use Discretionary Grounds, Custodial, Pool Title 8-5194, AB 2260, Maintenance Pesticide Safety Dept. of Ag. Annually Discretionary Risk Management M&O, Grounds, Mechanics, Industrial Practices, Title 8-3203, Tech Pneumatic Tools 3300, 3559 Prior to Use Discretionary Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Armona Union Elementary School District 34 Appendices Applies to (Job Types) Subject (A-Z) Legal Reference Training Frequency Length Poisonous Plants and M&O, Grounds Harmful Animals Title 8-3421 Initial Hire Discretionary M&O, Custodial, Industrial Tech, Technology Portable Power Tools Title 8-3310, 3425, 3556 Prior to Use Discretionary M&O, Industrial Technology Powder-Actuated Tools Title 8-1685, 1689 Initial Hire Discretionary M&O, Industrial Technology Power Presses Title 8-4203, 4208 Initial Hire/ Annually Discretionary M&O or users of any type of respiratory protection other than dusks masks Respiratory Protection Title 8-5144, 1531 Prior to Use / Annually Discretionary M&O, Industrial Technology Roofing Operations Title 8-1509, 1730 Initial Hire Discretionary Seat Belts (In vehicles with M&O, Grounds, Ag Technology ROPS) Title 8-3653, 6309 Initial Hire Discretionary M&O, Industrial Technology, Performing Arts Scaffolds Title 8-1637, 1658 Initial Hire Discretionary Slips, Trips and Fall Risk Management M&O, Grounds Prevention Practices, Title 8-3203 As Needed Discretionary Storm Water Pollution State Water Resources M&O, Transportation, Facilities Prevention Control Board As Needed Discretionary M&O, Industrial Technology Structural Wood Framing Title 8-1716 Initial Hire Discretionary Transportation Drug Transportation, M&O Testing CFR Title 49, CVC 12517 Initial Hire / As Needed Discretionary Grounds Tree Maintenance Title 8-3420 thru 3428 Initial Hire / As Needed Discretionary Prior to Digging / As M&O, Grounds Trenching & Shoring Title 8-1540, 1541 Needed Discretionary Universal Waste Custodial, M&O Management Title 22 Initial Hire / As Needed Discretionary M&O, Grounds, Custodial, Administration or employees that Utility Vehicles & Golf Risk Management operate utility carts, etc. Carts Practices, Title 8-3203 Prior to Use / As Needed Discretionary Title 8-4799, 4848, 8357, M&O, Industrial Tech Welding 4850, 4853 Prior to Use Discretionary M&O, Industrial Tech Woodworking Machines Title 8-Article 59, Prior to Use Discretionary Work Platforms( elevating) Title 8 -3636, 3648, 3646, M&O, Grounds, Custodial and Aerial Devices 3638, 3294 Prior to Use Discretionary A qualified person is a person designated by the employer; and by reason of training, experience, or instruction has demonstrated the ability to perform safely all assigned duties; &, when required is properly licensed in accordance with federal, state, or local laws and regulations. A competent person is a person who is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in the surroundings or working conditions that are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to employees. The competent person has the authority to impose prompt corrective measures to eliminate these hazards. ACCURACY; CONTENT. FCMAT IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ACCURACY OF ANY OPINIONS, ADVICE, REPRESENTATIONS OR INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE FCMAT PRODUCT(S) (TRAINING MATRIX FOR SCHOOL DISTRICT EMPLOYEES), FOR ANY DATA INPUT OR CHANGES, OR ANY THIRD PARTY’S RELIANCE THEREON. 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In view of the possibility of human error or changes, you should confirm the content in the FCMAT Products through your own independent sources. Original documents on which the above matrix and disclaimer are based were developed by the San Luis Obispo County Schools Insurance Program for Employees (SIPE) (www.slosipe.org), a joint powers authority established in 1977. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Armona Union Elementary School District 36