Comprehensive Review Executive Summary

Compton Unified School District AB52 Assessment and Recovery Plans February 1999 Submitted by Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team INTRODUCTION The purpose of the following report is to provide the Compton Unified School District with the results of a comprehensive assessment in five areas of district operation: 1. Community Relations 2. Personnel Management 3. Pupil Achievement 4. Financial Management 5. Facilities Management The report provides data both to the district and community to assist in facilitating more effective col- laboration and to build necessary capacity to promote improved student learning. All assessments con- ducted in the Compton Unified School District by the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team (FCMAT) have been based upon existing legal and professional standards applicable to all California school districts. Professionals from both the private and public sectors assisted in the research, identification and catego- rization of the standards to assess the Compton Unified School District. FCMAT monitored the use of the standards in the assessment process to ensure necessary fairness and rigor in their application. The standards also provide a clear path to recovery. By implementing these standards, the district and com- munity can be assured improved student achievement will occur and a fair and rational basis for the return of governing board legal rights, powers and duties will have been established. This process increases the overall capabilities of the district, engages parents, students and the community while improving the major functional areas of the school district operations. Historical Background In the spring of 1993, staff of the Compton Unified School District (CUSD) and the Los Angeles County Office of Education became concerned with whether the district would be able to meet its immediate fiscal obligations. After careful analysis, CUSD determined it would require as much as $10.5 million to meet its payroll and other immediate fiscal responsibilities. In July 1993, Assembly Bill 657/Murray (Statutes of 1993, Chapter 78) appropriated $10.5 million in the form of an emergency loan. This loan required certain conditions, including the appointment, by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, of a state administrator who would exercise the powers and re- sponsibilities of the governing board. Soon after the state administrator assumed the governance respon- sibilities for the district, a more detailed analysis of the district’s financial position was completed. The analysis indicated that in order for the district to be fiscally solvent by the end of the 1993-94 fiscal year, another $9.5 million was needed. In October 1993, Assembly Bill 1708/Murray (Statutes of 1993, Chapter 924) provided a second emer- gency loan of $9.45 million. In order to qualify for the loan, the district was required to comply with the terms and conditions set forth in Chapter 78 of the Statutes of 1993 and Article 2.5, commencing with Section 41325 of the Education Code. Section One – Overview 1 In September 1993, Assembly Bill 33/Murray (Statutes of 1993, Chapter 455) provided further clarifica- tion and conditions regarding the emergency apportionment. This bill stipulated the state administrator retain authority for the operation of the district until such time as the Superintendent of Public Instruc- tion determines the district has met the fiscal requirements and has made demonstrated academic progress. The legislation requires the loan be repaid and the academic performance of the district improve prior to the board being restored its legal rights, powers, and duties. The current repayment schedule reflects the complete loan repayment by the end of July 2001. Education Code Sections (41325-41328) beginning with Article 2.5 specify the conditions of the emergency apportionments and outline a generic set of conditions to be imposed in cases of emergency apportionments. These conditions call for a state man- agement review and recovery plan. Other recovery plans to assist the district do exist. These previous recovery plans developed by the Los Angeles County Office of Education and the California Department of Education have provided direc- tion, improvement and focus for CUSD. These past plans clearly depict the condition of the district during 1993 and highlight the reasons for state intervention. The district was virtually in collapse. Educational programs lacked direction and focus, fiscal systems were not reliable, the management and governance structure was ill defined and the facilities were aging and showed signs of neglect. Progress under these past recovery plans is well documented, and these provide a solid base to support the imple- mentation of the recommendations in this report. Through Assembly Bill 52/Washington (Statutes of 1997, Chapter 767), the legislature stated its intent to return the designated legal rights, duties, and powers of governance to the CUSD Board of Trustees. Improvement in five major functional areas of school district operation is required: Pupil Achievement, Financial Management, Facilities Management, Personnel Management, and Community Relations. This law imposes different conditions for the return of powers to the governing board than those stated in the Education Code. Assembly Bill 52 requires FCMAT and the state-appointed administrator, in consulta- tion with other specified entities and persons selected through a competitive process, to conduct compre- hensive assessments and to develop specified recovery plans in the five designated areas. This document is a culmination of those activities. In addition to a systemic, district-wide assessment and the development and implementation of a recov- ery plan, FCMAT is required to determine whether the school district has made substantial and sustained progress in the five designated areas. When there is substantial and sustained progress, FCMAT is required to recommend to the Superintendent of Public Instruction the functional areas of school opera- tion that should be returned to the governing board of the CUSD. As a result of this requirement, an incremental return of the legal rights, powers, and duties to the gov- erning board will occur. Progress reviews will occur at six-month intervals. Study Guidelines FCMAT’s approach to implementing the statutory requirements of AB 52 is based upon a commitment to a standards-based, independent and external review of school district operations. 2 Section One – Overview FCMAT performed the assessment and development of the recovery plan for the district in collaboration with four other external providers chosen by FCMAT through a competitive process. The combination of the FCMAT staff and the four provider groups comprised the team that performed the assessment and developed the recovery plans. Professionals from around the state contributed their expertise and a clear, objective approach to the specific local issues. Prior to beginning work in Compton, FCMAT adopted five basic tenets to be incorporated in the assessment and recovery plan work mandated by AB 52. These tenets were based on previous assessments conducted by FCMAT in school districts throughout Califor- nia and a review of other states implementing external reviews of troubled school districts. The five basic tenets are: 1.Use Professional and Legal Standards Our experience indicates for schools and school districts to be successful in program improve- ment, the evaluation and design and implementation of recovery plans must be standards driven. FCMAT has noted positive differences between an objective standards-based approach versus a non standards-based approach. When standards are clearly defined, reachable, and communicated, there is a greater likelihood they will be measured and met. This review is based on existing legal and professional education standards. In order to participate in the process of the Compton review, potential providers responded to a Request for Application (RFA) that identified these standards as the basis of assessment and recovery. Moreover, the providers were required to demonstrate how the FCMAT-identified standards would be incorporated into their work. It is these standards on which the recovery plans for the Compton district were based. The standards, while identified specifically for Compton Unified School District, are benchmarks that could be readily utilized as an indication of success for any school district in California. Every standard was measured on a consistent rating format, and every standard was given a scaled score from zero to ten as to their relative status of completeness. The following represents a brief definition of terms and scaled scores. • Not Implemented (Scaled Score of 0) A not implemented standard represents a standard that is non-existent. This level earned a scaled score of zero. • Partially Implemented (Scaled Score of 1 through 7) A partially implemented standard lacks completeness. It is met in a limited degree. The degree of completeness varies from a scaled score of one representing very limited imple- mentation, to a scaled score of seven, representing a standard close to being fully and sub- stantially implemented. • Fully Implemented - Substantial (Scaled Score of 8 or 9) A fully implemented, substantial standard is fully implemented but lacks the focus or infra- structure to be sustained. These standards were met but lacked the support structure to ensure they would remain sustained. With adequate focus and infrastructure support, these standards can be sustained. • Fully Implemented - Sustained (Scaled Score of 10) A fully implemented, sustained standard has reached a level of performance that can be sustained without extraordinary intervention. This is the highest level of completeness and represents a focus and infrastructure in place to sustain the standard. Section One – Overview 3 2.Conduct an External and Independent Assessment FCMAT employed an external and independent assessment process in the development of the Compton assessment and recovery plans. The report represents findings and recovery plans based on the external and independent assessment from four separate professional agencies: • California School Boards Association (CSBA)—Community Relations • Schromm and Associates—Personnel • California Curriculum Management Audit Center (CCMAC) Pupil Achievement • School Services of California (SSC)—Finance and Facilities Collectively, these professional agencies constitute FCMAT’s providers in the assessment process. The external and independent assessments serve as the basis for reliability, integrity and credibil- ity of the review. 3.Utilize Multiple Measures of Assessment For a finding to be considered legitimate, multiple sources need to be utilized to provide the same or consistent information. The assessments and recovery plans were based on multiple measures. Testing, personal interviews, group meetings, public hearings, review and analysis of data all provided added value to the assessment process. The providers were required to utilize multiple measurements as they assessed the standard. This process allowed for a variety of ways in deter- mining whether the standards were met. All school district operations with an impact on student achievement, including governance, fiscal, personnel, and community relations were reviewed and included in the recovery plan. 4.Empower Staff and Community The development of a strong professional development plan for the board and staff is a critical component of an effective school district. AB 52 provides for this professional development plan. The success of the recovery plans and their implementation are dependent upon an effective professional and community development process. For this reason, the empowerment of staff and community is the highest priority, and emphasizing this priority with each of the four partners was critical. As a result, a strong training component for board, staff and administration is consistent throughout the report. Of paramount importance is the community’s role of local governance. Despite a setback with the emergency loans, the local community holds the greatest promise for assisting the Compton district. The absence of parental involvement in education is a growing concern nationally. A key to success at Compton is the re-engagement of parents, teachers and support staff. Compton parents care deeply about their children’s future and want to participate in improving the school district and enhancing student learning. From the various interviews, surveys, and public meet- ings, FCMAT believes this basic truth is evident. The community relations section of this report provides necessary recommendations for the community to have a more active and meaningful role in the education of its children. 5. Engage Local, State and National Agencies It is critical to involve various local, state and national agencies in the recovery of the district. This was emphasized through the Response For Application (RFA) process, whereby state recog- nized agencies were selected as partners to assist with the assessment and recovery process. 4 Section One – Overview FCMAT embraces the partnership effort in CUSD’s recovery. The Los Angeles County Office of Education, California Department of Education, professional organizations, and community-based organizations have participated in the recovery of the school district. The whole of the Compton community has a vested interest in the successful recovery of its school system. Through a coordi- nated partnership approach, success can be realized more quickly. The development of this report was based on and guided by the foregoing tenets, and it considers and incorporates prior assessments and recovery plans. The report focuses on current strengths and weak- nesses of the total school district. It is from this comprehensive review of all data that the recommenda- tions contained in the report are formed. Section One – Overview 5 6 Section One – Overview EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FCMAT’s assessments of the Compton Unified School District indicate the district shows clear and definite signs of improvement within the five areas of operation designated by Assembly Bill 52 as essential to Compton’s recovery. These five areas of district operation are: 1. Community Relations 2. Personnel Management 3. Pupil Achievement 4. Financial Management 5. Facilities Management More specifically, in an implementation scale FCMAT developed to measure each of the legal and professional standards in the five functional areas — with 10 being the highest score and zero the lowest — Compton has earned an overall score of 3.99. FCMAT concludes that despite the fact major chal- lenges continue to exist for Compton Unified, the district is moving steadily toward recovery. As the average score in a functional area reaches a level of six and no individual standard is below four, FCMAT will begin to review the incremental process of returning to the Compton governing board its legal rights, powers and duties as outlined by Assembly Bill 52. When the district has earned an average score of 7.5 for the five functional areas, FCMAT will recommend the complete return of all legal rights, powers and duties to the governing board. In order to facilitate more effective implementation of the recovery plan, FCMAT recommends the district • Create Effectiveness Teams with the assistance of and expertise from the Los Angeles County Office of Education. These teams would operate as a support and networking unit for each of the five categories. This concept enlarges the resources for the staff and educational community of the Compton Unified School District. • Hire an Implementation Plan Facilitator. This facilitator would work hand-in-hand with the state administrator, board, staff, and other interested individuals in the implementation of the various recommendations included in the recovery plan. • Provide governance support to the state administrator and board. Support teams for the state administrator and the governing board should to be identified. These individuals will provide the necessary support to each during the recovery and the transition phase of the board returning to its statutory role of governing board. • Hire a full-time certified public accountant to provide support to the fiscal operations of the district. The size, and complexity of the budget alone merit the need for this position. The financial report addresses more specifically the need for the level of expertise a certified public accountant could provide. Implementation funding and district funding should be considered to support this position. Section One – Overview 7 • Establish School Trustee Areas with board members being elected from those designated areas. Trustee areas would provide for balanced representation and adherence to voting rights legislation. • Support special legislation to provide additional funding for implementation of the recovery plan. Through Assembly Bill 52, the legislature designated $500,000 to assist the district in implementation of the recovery plan. Additional funding will be necessary to pay for all of the critical recommendations included in this report. 8 Section One – Overview PRINCIPAL FINDINGS This report includes a complete list of the various findings and recommendations for the recovery of the Compton Unified School District. Each finding and recommendation addresses the professional and legal standards previously identified in the assessment process. The following is a summary of the general findings and recommendations that are presented in detail by study area in Section Two of this report. The assessment represents data collection and analysis at a particular point in time. The assessment team began work in May 1998 and concluded in December 1998. The formal report is scheduled for publica- tion and presentation in February 1999. The district has been addressing previous recovery plans and has benefited by ongoing feedback from the providers. Current progress related to past recovery plans is reflected and acknowledged. The recommendations listed in this report characterize the nature of deficiencies found in the district. Although deficiencies are identified, progress has been made during the past six years as indicated by improvement in many areas. Some standards have been substantially met and are so noted. Upon sub- mission and acceptance of this report, the six-month interval progress reports will reflect the district’s progress toward recovery and FCMAT’s recommendations regarding that progress. The legislature through AB 52 required FCMAT to examine five major functional areas of school district operation and to develop specific recommendations and performance milestones. The assessment has verified the interrelationship between the five areas and their importance to student learning. This section provides the reader with a brief summary of each of the five major areas. Community Relations The District Advisory Board is deeply divided. The working relationships between board, staff and community are hampered by unfairness, differences in personality, racial tension, and personal agendas. Negative press and fragmented internal and external communication efforts have defined the public image of the district. The district has been characterized by instability of staff and programs. The turn- over of teachers and principals has been quite high as compared with other school districts in California, and one effect of this instability is the loss of expertise and experience in regard to community relations. The community feels disenfranchised. It attributes this to the low student achievement, the board’s behavior and the state takeover. Parents perceive the advisory board as composed of “distant figures.” Some board members have been openly disrespectful to the public and district staff during public meet- ings, which has contributed to a strained relationship between staff, parents and the board. The greatest number of assessment elements that remain unimplemented exist in the area of policy. Of particular note is the fact the district’s policy manual has not been updated since 1982. As a result, vague policies and procedures abound, and many of the older policies do not reflect current law. Open enroll- ment and extracurricular and co-curricular policies have not been reviewed in the past two years al- though an annual review is mandated by law. Section One – Overview 9 The district has made some headway in the area of community collaboratives, where many of the assess- ment elements were fully implemented. District collaboratives, as well as advisory councils have formed action committees to research issues and develop and implement recommendations. Although more work must be done in order for these types of bodies to be fully effective, they provide much-needed structures for obtaining input from staff, parents, and community members. Community Relations focused on communication, board policy, district practices and community col- laboration. The review of community relations included the evaluation of 53 specific assessment ele- ments. Of the fifty-three (53) assessment elements: • Six (11 percent) were “fully implemented-sustained.” • Six (11 percent) were “fully implemented-substantial.” • Thirty-four (64 percent) were “partially implemented.” • Seven (14 percent) were “not implemented.” The average rating of the assessment standards for this study area was 4.19 on a scale of 10, with 10 the highest score possible. The average rating for standards in this study area was above the 3.99 average for the five study areas included in the report. (See Figure 1 at the end of this section.) Personnel Management Over a number of years, the Human Relations and Employee Development Division has allowed poor practices to develop. The district currently is open to legal exposure under state and federal regulations in most of the areas examined. Staff members have not been trained to adhere to properly administered human resources procedures. The audit revealed numerous standards of professional activities requiring improvement. Many legally sound processes and procedures are not firmly in place. The district does not have updated board policies and administrative regulations, and the commission rules and regulations are not updated. Both of these deficiencies should be addressed immediately. On the other hand, the district has made significant improvement in the area of recruitment as indicated by the hiring of bilingual teachers. Personnel Management focused on board policies, district practices, staff development and evaluation. The review of the personnel management included the assessment of 96 specific elements. Of the ninety- six (96) assessment elements: • Four (5 percent) were “fully implemented-sustained.” • Eleven (11 percent) were “fully implemented-substantia.l” • Fifty-one (53 percent) were “partially implemented.” • Thirty (31 percent) were “not implemented.” The average rating of the assessment standards for this study area was 2.31 on a scale of 10, with 10 the highest score possible. The average rating for standards in this study area was below the 3.99 average for the five study areas included in the report. (See Figure 2 at the end of this section.) 10 Section One – Overview Pupil Achievement Pupil achievement in the district requires focused attention. Student achievement is uniformly lower than state and national averages. Board policies and procedures are inadequate with respect to curricu- lum management. At present, written curriculum and the scope of student assessment is inadequate to direct instruction. More specifically, no effective structures exist to utilize student assessment data in program review, evaluation and improvement. In the past two years, the district’s students have shown modest improvement as indicated by their performance on the CAT-5 test. Alignment of grade level standards with the State Board of Education adopted content standards as well as the SAT-9 content has been underway for the past three months. This alignment is critical to an accurate assessment process. Pupil Achievement focused on supporting and enhancing student learning for every student. The review of pupil achievement in the Compton Unified School District included the assessment of thirty-eight (38) specific elements. Of the thirty-eight (38) assessment elements: • None (zero percent) was found to be “fully implemented-sustained.” • Six (16 percent) were “fully implemented-substantial.” • Ten (26 percent) were “partially implemented.” • Twenty-two (58 percent) were “not implemented.” The average rating of the assessment standards for this study area was 2.45 on a scale of 10, with 10 the highest score possible. The average rating for standards in this study area was below the 3.99 average for the five study areas included in the report. (See Figure 3 at the end of this section.) Financial Management The assessment found a number of internal control weaknesses in the financial management area. The organizational structure of the business and operational departments provided inadequate supervision, operated ineffective lines of communication, and relied on a high number of entry level job classifica- tions. Various departments were overstaffed but under-skilled for the requirements of the positions. Training programs for the departments and individual staff are virtually non-existent. The overall salary schedules within the departments were not competitive. In areas such as attendance accounting, however, there were several strengths. Standardized attendance accounting software is being used effectively overall, and the system of enrolling adult education stu- dents apparently was workable and accurate. Financial Management focused on the consistent, accurate, and effective management of the district’s resources in order to improve curriculum offerings. The review of the financial management in the Compton Unified School District included the assessment of 81 specific elements. Of these assessment elements: • Two (2 percent) were “fully implemented-sustained.” • Eight (10 percent) were “fully implemented-substantial.” Section One – Overview 11 • Fifty-one (63 percent) were “partially implemented.” • Twenty (25 percent) were “not implemented.” The average rating of the assessment standards for this study area was 3.85 on a scale of 10, with 10 the highest score possible. The average rating for standards in this study area was below the 3.99 average for the five study areas included in the report. (See Figure 4 at the end of this section.) Facilities Management Progress with facilities has been made during the past two years. Campuses are safer with a 59 percent reduction in overall crime during the last six-month reporting period. Increased campus safety and improved facilities have provided for a better learning environment. Nine campuses have been renovated utilizing state modernization funds and plans have been approved for modernizing 22 additional schools. Ninety new air-conditioned portable classrooms have replaced unsafe/antiquated bungalows. There is still much to be done regarding improved facilities. Approximately 50 percent of the rooms visited had malfunctioning or non-functioning heating and ventilation systems. Approximately 20 per- cent of the sites did not have appropriate fire extinguishers or the current inspection information avail- able. The district does not have a long-range school facilities master plan. The district needs to establish consistent, equitable procedures for providing maintenance services to schools and employee account- ability needs to be improved to ensure services are being delivered. Facilities Management focused on facilities and safety, management of district property, and the funding of capital projects. The review of the facilities and safety conditions in the Compton Unified School District included the assessment of 104 specific assessment elements. Of the 104 elements: • Fourteen (14 percent) were “fully implemented-sustained.” • Twenty-two (21 percent) were “fully implemented-substantial.” • Forty-three (41 percent) were “partially implemented.” • Twenty-five (24 percent) were “not implemented.” The average rating of the assessment standards for this study area was 5.01 on a scale of 10, with 10 the highest score possible. The average rating for standards in this study area was above the 3.99 average for the five study areas included in the report. (See Figure 5 at the end of this section.) Returning the District to Local Governance Little research exists providing necessary direction and guidance regarding state control of a school district. As a result, proven systems to support district recovery and processes to return governance responsibilities to local school boards are virtually non-existent. Where direction has been provided, it has come historically from legislation specifying the intent of the legislature. FCMAT believes this work is best accomplished by embracing community involvement, empowering the staff and setting clear expectations for recovery. This report stresses the importance of community interaction and places a high priority on professional development. It also sets clear expectations through the development of stan- dards and their recommendations for recovery. In Compton, past legislation and previous recovery plans have provided direction and statutory requirements for return of legal rights, powers and duties to the governing board. 12 Section One – Overview In a report, completed by the Los Angeles County Office of Education and submitted to the Legislature in the spring of 1993, significant organizational problems were identified in the district. The report, entitled “Report on Priority Corrective Actions for the Compton Unified School District,” was compre- hensive and portrayed a school district in collapse in virtually every aspect of its operation. It was this initial report that led to other subsequent legislation concerning Compton Unified’s problems. Follow- ing this report, special legislation was enacted addressing the authority of the state in the Compton Unified School District and the conditions of recovery. In Assembly Bill 657/Murray, Statutes of 1993, the Superintendent of Public Instruction received author- ity to appoint an administrator. In terms of recovery, this bill required the district to do all of the follow- ing: • Improve educational services to limited-English-proficient pupils. • Improve communication with Latino parents of pupils. • Recruit and hire culturally sensitive personnel that are reflective of the district’s cultural and ethnic diversity. This bill also required the state administrator to report to the Legislature on the implementation of the recommendations contained in the “Report of Priority Corrective Actions for the Compton Unified School District.” Assembly Bill 33/Murray, Statutes of 1993, required the state administrator to: • Implement the recommendations of the “Report of Priority Corrective Actions for the Compton Unified School District,” and provide an annual progress report. • Retain authority for the operation of the Compton Unified School District until the district has met the fiscal requirements of Education Code Section 41326(e) and has made demonstrated academic progress. • Determine that future compliance by the school district with the recovery plans is probable. After the state administrator assumed the governance responsibilities for the district, a more comprehen- sive review of the district’s fiscal status was conducted. This review revealed the need for another $9.5 million to avert fiscal insolvency. Assembly Bill 1708/Murray, Statutes of 1993, appropriated this amount and reaffirmed the district’s requirements under the previous legislation. Assembly Bill 52/Washington, Statutes of 1997, provided further clarity, conditions and intent regarding the return of the designated legal rights, powers and duties to the governing board. Assembly Bill 52 expresses a legislative intent that: • Powers are to be returned to the board only after the board and the school district demonstrate significant improvement in five areas, including: 1. Community Relations 2. Pupil Achievement 3. Financial Management 4. Personnel Procedures 5. Facilities Management • Assessment and recovery plans are to be developed in each of the five major areas. • FCMAT is to report every six months after the development of the recovery plans whether the district has made substantial and sustained progress in any major functional area. • Recommendations are to be made regarding the return of functional areas of school district operation. Section One – Overview 13 • A written report to the Legislature is to be filed annually regarding the progress the district is making in meeting the recovery plans. As described above, Assembly Bill 52 has provided additional conditions for and delineated a process to return full governance to the local board. However, AB 52 is only one of several statues concerning the state takeover of Compton, and it cannot be viewed or applied in isolation. Each bill established require- ments that must be met by the district prior to the Superintendent of Public Instruction relinquishing all state authority concerning district governance. Once the district has satisfied the requirements of AB 52, and powers have been returned to the governing board, the state will no longer need an administrator in the district. At that point in time a trustee will be assigned to the district in conformance with section 41325(e) of the Education Code as described in AB33. Prior to the implementation of AB 52, it has been difficult for the community, staff and parents to iden- tify specific standards to be met in order for recovery to occur. Over the next six months, as the district begins implementation, FCMAT and the providers will provide clarity and build consensus in a process that will eventually return the school district to local governance. The results of this report and the relative scaled score applied to the standards will provide an accurate measure of the current status regarding recovery. Within the five major functional areas, 372 standards were assessed and recovery plans were developed. Each standard was measured for completeness and a relative scale score from zero (not met) to a 10 (fully met) was applied. The average rating of assessment standards for all study areas for the Compton Unified School District was 3.99 out of a possible score of 10. (See Figure 6 at the end of this section.) The Compton district is not required to reach a scaled score of 10 in every standard, but it is expected to make steady progress that can be sustained. It is reasonable to expect the district can reach an average range of at least six. As the average score in a functional area reaches a level of six and no individual standard is below four, FCMAT will begin to review the incremental process of returning to the Comp- ton governing board its legal rights, powers and duties as outlined by Assembly Bill 52. When the district has earned an average score of 7.5 for the five functional areas, FCMAT will recommend the complete return of all legal rights, powers and duties to the governing board. Assembly Bill 52 suggests an incremental return of powers to the district. Subject to progress, recommendations every six months will address the functional areas of school district operation that should be returned to the governing board of the school district. 14 Section One – Overview IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FCMAT, through the development of this implementation plan embraces the value generated through the development of a cooperative partnership. This implementation plan is multifaceted, focusing on district recovery and enhanced pupil achievement. The FCMAT report provides the district and its partners with a comprehensive list of the standards and recommendations by which progress will be measured. The recommendations provide clarity as to the expected outcomes. The district is not expected to implement all recommendations during the first six months. The legislature, through AB 52, recognized this fact by requiring six-month interval progress reports. To assist with implementation, FCMAT has selected ten standards in each major category on which the district will focus during the first six-month period. The district also identified standards for focus during the same time period. At the end of the six-month period(s), FCMAT will determine the progress made regarding the selected standards. This process will allow the district to be fully aware of those standards being measured and provide clarity related to the outcomes being sought and the expec- tation being set. The legislature has appropriated $500,000 for the implementation of AB 52. FCMAT will increase those dollars through a partnership concept. The California Department of Education, Los Angeles County Office of Education, CUSD, and FCMAT will assist in implementing the findings. FCMAT has devel- oped an application process whereby the district will request funding for specific implementation plans, and all partners are encouraged to participate in the funding and application process. FCMAT believes the $500,000 from AB 52 is not adequate to address all of the critical recommendations included in the recovery plan. For example, a facilities master plan would cost the district in excess of $300,000. FCMAT proposes petitioning the legislature for additional ongoing implementation funds to support recovery efforts. In addition, FCMAT proposes a unique plan to support the implementation phase of the CUSD recovery. This approach includes: • Effectiveness Teams Tapping the expertise of the Los Angeles County Office of Education, Effectiveness Teams from the Los Angeles Region will be developed as a support and networking unit for each of the five categories. Implementation funds can be utilized to pay stipends to these external support team members. The external teams would provide a support and networking system with the potential to remain in place after recovery. This concept enlarges the resources for the staff and educational community of the Compton Unified School District. These opportunities for professional growth for district stakeholders are crucial for any substantial and sustained change to occur. • Implementation Plan Facilitator This facilitator will work hand-in-hand with the state administrator, board, staff, and other inter- ested individuals in the implementation of the various recommendations included in the plan. The role of the Plan Facilitator does not intend to replace or abrogate the position of the state-ap- pointed administrator but rather recognizes the need for assistance in moving the implementation plan forward. Section One – Overview 15 • Governance Support The state administrator and board need support. The intent of AB 52 is to return the legal rights, powers, and duties to the governing board after certain conditions are met. Support teams for the state administrator and the governing board need to be identified. These individuals will provide the necessary support to each during the recovery and the transition phase of the board returning to its statutory role of governing board. FCMAT will work with the state administrator and the board in identifying a recognized leader in administration and governance to assist with support. • Recovery Matrix A vehicle for full recovery is provided within AB 52. FCMAT has developed a recovery matrix to help track, clearly define the status, and provide direction for recovery. The matrix will be up- dated every six months and will continue to be updated until full legal rights, powers and duties are restored to the board. The matrix will provide a visual depiction of the progress being made regarding the standards. • Fiscal Support Staff The district would benefit greatly by having a full-time certified public accountant. The size and complexity of the budget alone support the need for this position. The financial findings and recommendations address more specifically the need for this level of position. Implementation funding and district funding should be considered to support this position. • Establishment of School Trustee Areas The board of trustees is currently elected at large. This means the entire voting population votes for each member. As part of the recovery plan, FCMAT suggests the establishment of school trustee areas, with board members being elected from those designated areas. Trustee areas would provide for balanced representation and adherence to voting rights legislation. • Board Stipends and Benefits Education Code Section 41326(4)(c) states that “the governing board of the qualifying school district shall serve as an advisory body, reporting to the state-appointed administrator, in which capacity no member of the governing board shall be paid or entitled to any stipend, benefits, or other compensation.” FCMAT recommends through proposed legislation the board be returned its stipend and benefits upon successful completion of the CSBA training modules and meeting a scale score average of 7.5 in the community relations area. Standards Selected for First Implementation Period The FCMAT and the Compton Unified School District each have selected standards in every major category to focus on during the next six-month period. This pre selection will assist with clarity and focus as the district moves to recovery. The district is not limited to the pre-selected standards and may address additional standards as well. However, the pre selection does provide awareness and direction to those areas being measured by FCMAT. This process also provides for a prioritization regarding the numerous standards needing attention. 16 Section One – Overview The standards selected represent various levels of difficulty. It is expected that some standards will be met relatively quickly, while others may take the full six months to address. Some standards selected may require longer than the six month period to fully address, but they are of such importance that attention to the standard needs to occur during the first implementation period. Because of the interrela- tionship between the standards, progress in one standard may address other related standards and its recovery steps. Anticipated progress for each standard is at least two (2) scale points, depending on the difficulty of the recovery steps. The tables on the following pages list these selected standards for each of the five areas. Section One – Overview 17 Community Relations Standard to be addressed As Implemented Decisions and other information are effectively communicated Partially Met 1.1 throughout the system in a timely manner. Scaled Score of 3 Partially Met 1.3 The board has a proactive communications and media relations plan. Scaled Score of 2 Parents and community members are encouraged to be involved in Partially Met 2.7 the schools. Scaled Score of 2 Board members are actively involved in building community Partially Met 2.9 relations. Scaled Score of 2 The board supports partnerships with community groups, local Partially Met 3.1 agencies and businesses. Scaled Score of 3 The district encourages and provides the necessary training for collaborative and advisory council members to understand the basic Partially Met 3.4 administrative structure, program processes and goals of all district Scaled Score of 4 partners. The school site council annually reviews the school plan and the Partially Met 3.11 board annually approves or disapproves all site councils’ plans. Scaled Score of 6 Policies and administrative regulations are up to date and reflect Not Met 4.2 current law and local needs. Scaled Score of 0 The board has adopted all policies mandated by state and federal Partially Met 4.3 law. Scaled Score of 4 The board annually reviews its policies on intradistrict open Not Met 4.4 enrollment and extracurricular/co-curricular activities. Scaled Score of 0 Board members participate in orientation sessions, workshops, Partially Met 5.2 conventions and special meetings sponsored by board associations. Scaled Score of 2 Pertinent literature, statutes, legal counsel and recognized Partially Met 5.3 authorities are available to and utilized by the board to understand Scaled Score of 3 duties, functions, authority and responsibilities. Not Met 5.4 Functional working relations are maintained among board members. Scaled Score of 0 The board publicly demonstrates respect and support for district Partially Met 5.7 staff. Scaled Score of 3 An adopted calendar of regular meetings exists and is published Not Met 6.1 specifying the time, place and date of each meeting. Scaled Score of 0 Agendas, minutes and other pertinent data are available to the Partially Met 6.2 public during regular working hours. Scaled Score of 5 Board meetings are conducted according to a set of bylaws adopted Not Met 6.4 by the board. Scaled Score of 0 18 Section One – Overview Personnel Management Standard to be addressed As Implemented An updated/detailed policy and procedures manual exists which Not Met 1.1 delineates the responsibilities and operational aspects of the Scaled Score of 0 personnel office. Various publications are provided on a number of subjects to orient Partially Met 2.6 and inform its various clients. Scaled Score of 6 The governing board will provide equal opportunities for all persons Partially Met 3.1 without regard to race, color, creed, sex, religion, ancestry, national Scaled Score of 4 origin, age, or disability. Not Met 3.8 Selection procedures are uniformly applied. Scaled Score of 0 The job applicant form requests information which is legal, useful, Not Met 4.4 pertinent, and easily understood. Scaled Score of 0 The Personnel Commission shall prepare an eligibility list of Not Met 4.5 qualified candidates for each classified position which is open, Scaled Score of 0 indicating the top three candidates. The Personnel Division provides orientation handbooks for new Partially Met 5.2 employee orientation in all classifications: substitutes, teachers and Scaled Score of 2 classified employees. Personnel Division non-management staff members have individual Not Met 6.2 desk manuals. Scaled Score of 0 Policies and regulations exist regarding the implementation of AB Not Met 7.1 1610 and AB 1612 (fingerprinting). Scaled Score of 0 All fingerprinting requirements are met before a potential employee Partially Met 7.2 reports for employment. Scaled Score of 5 The district shall obtain a criminal record summary from the Dept. of Not Met 7.3 Justice before employing an individual and shall not employ anyone Scaled Score of 0 who has been convicted of a violent or serious felony. The governing board requires every employee to present evidence of Partially Met 7.4 freedom from tuberculosis as required by state law. Scaled Score of 4 The district has established a process by which all required notices/in-service training has been performed and documented, Partially Met 7.11 i.e., child abuse reporting, blood-borne pathogens, Hepatitis B Scaled Score of 3 vaccinations, etc. The district is in compliance with Title IX policies on discrimination Not Met 7.12 and Government Code 1290(a) posting requirements concerning Scaled Score of 0 harassment or discrimination. The district is in compliance with the Family Medical Leave Act Not Met 7.14 (FMLA) including posting the proper notifications. Scaled Score of 0 The district has developed a systematic program for identifying Partially Met 9.1 areas of need for in-service training. Scaled Score of 2 Section One – Overview 19 Pupil Achievement Standard to be addressed As Implemented The district through its adopted policy provides a clear operational Partially Met 1.1 framework for management of the curriculum. Scaled Score of 1 The district has clear and valid objectives for students, including the Not Met 1.2 core curriculum content. Scaled Score of 0 The district directs its resources fairly and consistently to Not Met 1.3 accomplish its objectives. Scaled Score of 0 The district has adopted multiple assessment tools, including Not Met 1.4 diagnostic assessments, to evaluate, improve, or adjust programs Scaled Score of 0 and resources. Expectations and a practice exist to improve the preparation of Not Met 1.5 students and to build school structure with the capacity to serve all Scaled Score of 0 students. Staff development provides staff with the knowledge and the skills Partially Met 1.7 to improve instruction and the curriculum. Scaled Score of 3 Staff development demonstrates a clear understanding of purpose, Partially Met 1.8 written goals, and appropriate evaluations. Scaled Score of 3 Evaluations provide constructive feedback for improving job Not Met 1.9 performance. Scaled Score of 0 The administration and staff utilize assessment information to Not Met 1.15 improve learning opportunities for all students. Scaled Score of 0 Not Met 1.20 Administrative support and coaching are provided to all teachers. Scaled Score of 0 Not Met 1.21 Professional development is linked to personnel evaluation. Scaled Score of 0 Initial placement procedures are in place to ensure the timely and Not Met 1.23 appropriate placement of all students with particular emphases Scaled Score of 0 being placed on students with special needs. 2.4 Categorical and compensatory program funds supplement, and do Not Met not supplant services and materials to be provided by the district. Scaled Score of 0 20 Section One – Overview Financial Management Standard to be addressed As Implemented The organizational structure should clearly identify key areas of Partially Met 1.4 authority and responsibility. Reporting lines should be clearly Scaled Score of 1 identified and logical within each area. Develop and use a professional development plan, i.e., training business staff. The development of the plan should include the input of business office supervisors and managers. The staff Not Met 3.1 development plan should at a minimum identify appropriate Scaled Score of 0 programs office-wide. At best, each individual staff and management employee should have a plan designed to meet their individual professional development needs. The governing board should adopt policies establishing an internal Not Met 4.1 audit function that reports directly to the superintendent/state Scaled Score of 0 administrator and the audit committee or governing board. Internal audit functions should be designed into the organizational structure of Compton. These functions should include periodic Not Met 4.2 internal audits of areas at high risk for non-compliance with laws Scaled Score of 0 and regulations and/or at high risk for monetary loss. The district should have policies in place to facilitate development Partially Met 5.5 of a budget that is understandable, meaningful, reflective of district Scaled Score of 2 priorities, and balanced in terms of revenues and expenditures. The district should have procedures that provide for the development and submission of a district budget that adheres to Not Met 7.3 criteria and standards and will be approved by the Los Angeles Scaled Score of 0 County Office of Education. The district should include in its audit report, but not later than Partially Met 7.7 March 15, a corrective action for all findings disclosed as required Scaled Score of 4 by Education Code Section 41020. All purchase orders are properly encumbered against the budget Partially Met 8.1 until payment. Scaled Score of 5 The district should have standardized and mandatory programs to Partially Met 11.6 improve the attendance rate of pupils. Absences should be Scaled Score of 5 aggressively followed-up by district staff. The district should forecast its revenue and expenditures and verify those projections on a monthly basis in order to adequately manage its cash. In addition, the district should reconcile its cash to bank Partially Met 12.3 statements and reports from the county treasurer reports on a Scaled Score of 5 monthly basis. Standard accounting practice dictates that, in order to ensure that all cash receipts are deposited timely and recorded properly, cash be reconciled to bank statements on a monthly basis. Section One – Overview 21 Financial Management (continued) Standard to be addressed As Implemented Standard accounting practice dictates that the accounting work should be properly supervised and work reviewed in order to ensure that Not Met 12.5 transactions are recorded timely and accurately, and allow the Scaled Score of 0 preparation of periodic financial statements. The governing board adopts policies and procedures to ensure Partially Met 13.1 compliance regarding how student body organizations deposit, invest, Scaled Score of 4 spend, raise and audit student body funds. In order to provide adequate oversight of student funds and to ensure the proper handling and reporting, the California Department of Not Met 13.4 Education recommends that internal audits be performed. Such audits Scaled Score of 0 should review the operation of student body funds at both district and site levels. Multi-year financial projections should be prepared for use in the Not Met 14.3 decision-making process, especially whenever a significant multi-year Scaled Score of 0 expenditure commitment is contemplated. Management information systems must support users with information that is relevant, timely and accurate. Needs assessments must be performed to ensure users are involved in the definition of needs, development of system specifications, and selection of appropriate systems. Additionally, district standards must be imposed to ensure Partially Met 17.2 the maintainability, compatibility, and supportability of the various Scaled Score of 1 systems. The district must also ensure that all systems are compliant with the new Standardized Account Code Structure (SACS), year 2000 requirements, and are compatible with county systems with which they must interface. The district should have a work order system that tracks all Partially Met 18.2 maintenance requests, the worker assigned, dates of completion, labor Scaled Score of 6 time spent and the cost of materials. The district should operate the food service programs in accordance Not Met 19.2 with applicable laws and regulations. Scaled Score of 0 22 Section One – Overview Facilities Management Standard to be addressed As Implemented Demonstrate that a plan of security has been developed which Partially Met 1.3 includes adequate measures of safety and protection of people and Scaled Score of 5 property. To ensure that the custodial and maintenance staff are regularly Partially Met 1.4 informed of restrictions pertaining to the storage and disposal of Scaled Score of 4 flammable or toxic materials. The district has a documented process for the issuance of master and sub-master keys. A district-wide standardized process for the Not Met 1.5 issuance of keys to employees must be followed by all district Scaled Score of 0 administrators. Bus Loading and unloading areas, delivery areas, and parking and parent loading/unloading areas are monitored on a regular basis to Not Met 1.6 ensure the safety of the students, staff and community. Students, Scaled Score of 0 employees and the public should feel safe at all times on school premises. Not Met 1.7 All schools shall have adequate lighting and electrical service. Scaled Score of 0 Each public agency is required to have on file a written plan Partially Met 1.9 describing procedures to be employed in case of emergency. Scaled Score of 3 Sanitary, neat and clean conditions of the school premises exist and Not Met 1.14 the premises are free from conditions that would create a fire Scaled Score of 0 hazard. Partially Met 1.17 All exits are free of obstructions. Scaled Score of 5 The district should conduct periodic first aid training for employees Not Met 1.27 assigned to school sites. Scaled Score of 0 Partially Met 2.14 Compton Unified School District should collect statutory school fees. Scaled Score of 3 The district has a restricted deferred maintenance fund and those funds are expended for maintenance purposes only. The deferred Partially Met 3.1 maintenance fund should be a stand-alone fund reflecting the Scaled Score of 2 revenues and expenses for the major maintenance projects accomplished during the year. 3.4 The district consistently reviews and monitors its eligibility for State Partially Met funding so as to capitalize upon maximal funding opportunities. Scaled Score of 4 The CUSD establishes and implements interim housing plans for use Not Met 3.5 during the construction phase of modernization projects and/or Scaled Score of 0 additions to existing facilities. Section One – Overview 23 Facilities Management (continued) Standard to be addressed As Implemented The CUSD ensures that biddable plans and specifications are Partially Met 5.4 developed through its licensed architects/engineers for respective Scaled Score of 6 construction projects. The district should have a comprehensive analysis of their Not Met 8.2 utility bills (all sites) as it relates to their energy Scaled Score of 0 consumption. Adequate maintenance records and reports are kept, including a complete inventory of supplies, materials, tools and equipment. All employees required to perform maintenance on Not Met 8.5 school sites should be provided with adequate supplies, Scaled Score of 0 equipment and training to perform maintenance tasks in a timely and professional manner. Toilet facilities are adequate and maintained. All buildings and Not Met 8.11 grounds are maintained. Scaled Score of 0 The district has implemented a planned program maintenance system. The district should have a written planned program maintenance system that includes an inventory of all facilities Not Met 8.12 and equipment that will require maintenance and replacement. Scaled Score of 0 This program should include purchase prices, anticipated life expectancies, anticipated replacement timelines and budgetary resources necessary to maintain the facilities. 9.7 Not Met All schools shall have adequate heartng and ventilation. Scaled Score of 0 24 Section One – Overview