Liberty Union School District Report

Liberty Union High School District Organizational Staffing and Efficiency Review February 19, 2014 Joel D. Montero Chief Executive Officer Fiscal crisis & ManageMent assistance teaM February 19, 2014 Eric Volta, Superintendent Liberty Union High School District 20 Oak Street Brentwood, CA 94513 Dear Superintendent Volta, In September 2013, the Liberty Union High School District and the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team (FCMAT) entered into an agreement for an organizational staffing and efficiency review. Specifically, the agreement stated that FCMAT would perform the following: 1. Conduct an organizational and staffing review of the district’s central office, including all certificated, classified and administrative positions, in the following departments: business services, personnel, curriculum and instruction, technology, facilities, maintenance, operations, and transportation. The district is the lead agency in a joint powers authority for transportation services that includes the elementary school district. 2. Evaluate the work flow and distribution of functions between the departments, and provide recommendations for improved efficiency, if any. This component will include reviewing documentation, including policies and procedures, and gathering data regarding current practices, procedures and separation of duties. Additionally, the team may interview other staff to determine the efficiency and effectiveness of services delivered. 3. Provide comparative staffing data recommendations to improve efficiency and possibly reduce costs. This district office and department-level comparison will include data from at least three school districts of similar size and structure located in the geographical region, or may include comparable districts utilized in the collective bargaining process. 4. Rview job descriptions for all department positions, interview staff, and make recommendations for staffing improvements or reductions, if any. All recommendations will include estimated and calculated values for any proposed reductions or additions of positions or changes to the organizational structure. This final report contains the study team’s findings and recommendations in the above areas of review. FCMAT appreciates the opportunity to serve the Liberty Union High School District, and extends thanks to all the staff for their assistance during fieldwork. Sincerely, Joel D. Montero Chief Executive Officer Fiscal crisis & ManageMent assistance teaM i TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents Foreword .................................................................................................iii Introduction ............................................................................................1 Background ......................................................................................................1 Study and Report Guidelines .....................................................................1 Study Team.......................................................................................................2 Executive Summary ..............................................................................3 Findings and Recommendations .....................................................5 Organizational Structure .............................................................................5 Central Office Organization and Staffing .............................................11 Human Resources ...................................................................................................11 Educational Services ..............................................................................................13 Business Services .....................................................................................................14 Administrative Services .........................................................................................17 Technology ................................................................................................................18 Transportation Services .............................................................................21 Appendices ......................................................................................29 Liberty Union HigH ScHooL DiStrict ii Fiscal crisis & ManageMent assistance teaM iii ABOUT FCMAT About FCMAT FCMAT’s primary mission is to assist California’s local K-14 educational agencies to identify, prevent, and resolve financial 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 and efficient operations. FCMAT’s data management services are used to help local educational agencies (LEAs) meet state reporting responsibilities, improve data quality, and share information. 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 local education agency 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. Studies by Fiscal Year 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 92/93 93/94 94/95 95/96 96/97 97/98 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 Liberty Union HigH ScHooL DiStrict seidutS fo rebmuN FCMAT also develops and provides numerous publications, software tools, workshops and professional development opportunities to help local educational agencies operate more effec- tively and fulfill their fiscal oversight and data management responsibilities. The California School Information Services (CSIS) arm of FCMAT assists the California Department of Education with the implementation of the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS) and also maintains DataGate, the FCMAT/CSIS software LEAs use for CSIS services. FCMAT was created by Assembly Bill 1200 in 1992 to assist LEAs to meet and sustain their financial obligations. Assembly Bill 107 in 1997 charged FCMAT with responsi- bility for CSIS and its statewide data management work. Assembly Bill 1115 in 1999 codified CSIS’ mission. 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. Assembly Bill 2756 (2004) provides specific responsibilities to FCMAT with regard to districts that have received emergency state loans. In January 2006, SB 430 (charter schools) and AB 1366 (community colleges) became law and expanded FCMAT’s services to those types of LEAs. iv ABOUT FCMAT Since 1992, FCMAT has been engaged to perform nearly 850 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 Joel D. Montero, Chief Executive Officer, with funding derived through appropriations in the state budget and a modest fee schedule for charges to requesting agencies. Fiscal crisis & ManageMent assistance teaM 1 INTRODUCTION Introduction Background Located in the foothills between the San Francisco Bay Area and the Sacramento Valley, the Liberty Union High School District has a five-member at-large governing board and serves approximately 7,700 students in five high schools. Student enrollment has increased by over 30% from 2004 to 2013 but flattened in the last year. Another growth period is expected for the next few years. The district serves the cities of Brentwood and Oakley as well as the communities of Bethel Island, Byron, Discovery Bay and Knightsen in Contra Costa County. In September 2013, the district and the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team (FCMAT) entered into an agreement for a review of the district’s organizational structure and transportation services, to include the following central offices: Human Resources, Business Services, Administrative Services, Curriculum and Instruction, Facilities, Maintenance and Operations, Technology, and Transportation. Study and Report Guidelines FCMAT visited the district on November 18 and 19, 2013 to conduct interviews, collect data and review documents. This report is the result of those activities and is divided into the following sections: • Executive Summary • Organizational Structure • Central Office Organization and Staffing • Human Resources • Educational Services • Business Services • Administrative Services • Technology • Transportation Services • Appendices In writing its reports, FCMAT uses the Associated Press Stylebook, a comprehensive guide to usage and accepted style that emphasizes conciseness and clarity. In addition, this guide empha- sizes plain language, discourages the use of jargon and capitalizes relatively few terms. Liberty Union HigH ScHooL DiStrict 2 INTRODUCTION Study Team The study team was composed of the following members: John Von Flue Dean Bubar* FCMAT Fiscal Intervention Specialist Assistant Superintendent Admin. Services Bakersfield, CA Los Banos Unified School District Los Banos, CA Debbie Fry* Chief Business Officer Laura Haywood Metropolitan Education District FCMAT Technical Writer San Jose, CA Bakersfield, CA Michael Rea* Executive Director West County Transportation Agency Santa Rosa, CA *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 recommenda- tions. Fiscal crisis & ManageMent assistance teaM 3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Executive Summary FCMAT conducted an organizational review of the district office staffing as well as the transpor- tation operations to identify areas of redundancy, improper segregation of duties between depart- ments, and inappropriate staffing levels based on industry standards and comparisons to districts of comparable size and composition. Four comparative high school districts were selected using Ed-Data, a collection of statistical performance, demographic and financial data supplied by California school districts. These districts are: San Mateo Union High School District, Campbell Union High School District, Centinela Valley Union High School District, and Santa Maria Joint Union High School District. FCMAT also reviewed district growth and corresponding staffing levels for site and district personnel over a period of time as an additional comparative measurement. The district’s organizational structure should establish the framework for the leadership and delegation of duties and responsibilities for all staff members. This structure should be managed to maximize resources, reach identified goals and adapt as the district’s enrollment increases or declines. A district should be staffed according to generally accepted theories of organizational structures and standards used in other school agencies of like size and type. In the near future, the district has a unique opportunity to realign positions with an expected attrition of three to five administrative positions. This will allow the district to develop and implement a plan for a more organized structure that will accommodate future growth and bring coordination and efficiency to the central office. FCMAT has proposed a new organizational structure. FCMAT found that as the district grew over the last few years, the district did not grow the general administration proportionately but actually reduced expenses by over 20%. The human resources, business services, and technology departments had fewer positions than the compared districts; however, the district maintains other positions that may no longer be warranted and, therefore, are considered excessive. FCMAT recommends a slight realignment of responsibilities and hierarchy of positions as personnel changes occur, and the reduction of positions that are no longer needed. The district is the lead agency in a cooperative transportation operation. FCMAT reviewed department procedures and organizational structure, including comparisons with other transpor- tation operations. To increase efficiency, several recommendations were made to change business practices and procedures. Also, to provide better oversight of the department, FCMAT recom- mends adjustments to department positions and the responsibilities of the positions. Liberty Union HigH ScHooL DiStrict 4 Fiscal crisis & ManageMent assistance teaM 5 ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE Findings and Recommendations Organizational Structure The organizational structure should establish the framework for the leadership and delegation of duties and responsibilities for all staff members. The purpose of the organizational structure is to help district management make decisions to facilitate student learning while balancing financial resources. The organization design should outline the management process and its links to the system of communication, authority, and responsibility necessary to achieve the district’s goals and objectives. This structure should be managed to maximize resources and reach identified goals and adapt as the district’s enrollment increases or declines. Accordingly, a district should be staffed according to generally accepted theories of organizational structures and within ratios found in other school agencies of like size and type. The most common theories of organizational structure are span of control, chain of command, and line and staff authority. Span of Control Span of control refers to the number of subordinates reporting directly to a supervisor. Although there is no agreed upon ideal number of subordinates for span of control, it is generally agreed that the span can be larger at lower levels of an organization than at higher levels, because subordinates at lower levels typically perform more routine duties and can therefore be supervised more easily. Chain of Command Chain of command refers to the flow of authority within an organization and is characterized by two significant principles: unity of command, where a subordinate is only accountable to one supervisor; and the scalar principle, which suggests that authority and responsibility should flow in a direct vertical line from top management to the lowest level. The result is a hierarchical division of labor. Line and Staff Authority Line authority is the relationship between supervisors and subordinates. It refers to the direct line in the chain of command. For example, the assistant superintendent of business has direct line authority over the director of fiscal services and the director of fiscal services has direct line authority over the fiscal services department staff. Conversely, staff authority is advisory in nature. Staff personnel do not have the authority to make and implement decisions; rather, they act in support roles to line personnel. The organizational structure of local educational agencies contains both line and staff authority. The span of control in the district central office is not organized and consistent. The superin- tendent has responsibility for and direct oversight of too many staff. His direct reports include the executive secretary, chief business officer, director of project development, three assistant superintendents, the site principals, and a community coordinator. The superintendent is sched- uled beyond his own capacity because of myriad meetings with these direct reports. The time committed to staff oversight leaves little time to address his other core responsibilities and to get out into the district and community. The organizational structure has additional administrative inefficiencies, including duplicative positions with the title of director and differing reporting duties. Liberty Union HigH ScHooL DiStrict 6 ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE The assistant superintendent of administrative services directly supervises three food service coordinators (which is pending a change). Prior to the proposed change, the assistant superin- tendent of administrative services would go to the school sites and evaluate front line employees, including the cooks, in food services. The director of project development directly oversees a full-time district secretary and is respon- sible for bidding projects valued at $15,000 or more that require outsourcing and specialized procurement. The director of project development reports directly to the superintendent. The director of maintenance & operations reports to the assistant superintendent of administra- tive services and is responsible for any work under the $15,000 threshold. Staff reported that the dual reporting and value threshold cause complications and some redundant work, or work that gets overlooked. The assistant superintendent of educational services directly oversees the Special Education and Technology departments as well as the district data technicians. The chief business officer oversees the three-member Accounting Department and the director of transportation. Some administrative level staff are on the salary schedule and others are on contract. Salaries for the contracted employees seem to be negotiated separately, with no direct link to published salary schedules. The differences in salary do not appear to align with administrative levels or titles. The district has a unique opportunity to realign positions in the near future, with an expected attrition of three to five administrative positions at the end of this school year and anticipated enrollment growth in the next several years based on local development. This will allow the district to develop and implement a plan for a more organized structure that will accommodate future growth and bring coordination and efficiency to the central office. As depicted on the proposed organizational chart included in this report, the direct reports to the superintendent would be the executive secretary and four assistant superintendents, as well as the site principals in the comprehensive high schools. The distribution of duties to the four assistant superintendents would provide for more oversight of tasks without overburdening any individual with evaluation responsibilities for line staff. This proposed organizational chart recommends new positions that could be supported with funds currently expended on positions that will be vacated this year. The manager of maintenance and operations would replace the director of maintenance & operations; the director of facilities would replace the position of director of project development. The two positions could then share the responsibility for evaluating approximately 50 staff in the facilities department, which is now done by only one position. This would also eliminate the duplicative work and inefficiencies of the current delineation of respon- sibilities. Other recommended changes will be discussed later in the report. Over the five-year period between 2007-08 and 2011-12 the district’s ADA increased by 11%. During this time, expenditures for central office functions were reduced by 16%. Many factors may contribute to a reduction in expenditures, such as a reduction in funding, higher-paid staff leaving and being replaced by lower-paid staff, or a transition to decentralized services. However, the instructional costs increased while instructional support (which includes site-level adminis- tration) was reduced. One option to mitigate a loss of services during growth is to build staffing ratios using a per-pupil ratio. This type of standardized ratio can also serve as guidance during periods of declining enrollment. Fiscal crisis & ManageMent assistance teaM 7 ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE Instruction (Including Instruction Pupil General Plant Year ADA Special Ed) Related Services Administration Services 2007-08 6323 $ 31,484,845 $ 7,885,586 $ 3,055,923 $ 2,863,059 $ 6,930,400 2008-09 6501 $ 33,089,500 $ 7,714,322 $ 3,086,489 $ 3,016,101 $ 6,101,539 2009-10 6752 $ 32,087,142 $ 7,861,749 $ 3,327,419 $ 2,909,942 $ 5,647,410 2010-11 6935 $ 32,068,535 $ 7,486,687 $ 2,929,963 $ 2,473,900 $ 6,258,442 2011-12 7040 $ 33,266,583 $ 7,342,723 $ 3,235,061 $ 2,385,147 $ 5,935,569 5 Year Change 717 $ 1,781,738 $ (542,863) $ 179,138 $ (477,912) $ (994,831) % of Change 11.34% 5.66% -6.88% 5.86% -16.69% -14.35% Source: Ed-Data Recommendations The district should: 1. Reorganize district office functions among four assistant superintendent posi- tions based on current adopted salary schedules and similar duty days. 2. Align salary schedules between like positions and eliminate special contractual arrangements for employees. 3. Reassign evaluation responsibilities for alternative site staff from the superin- tendent to the assistant superintendents. 4. Consider adding a director of facilities position to replace the director of project development position, reporting to the chief business officer. 5. Consider adding a manager of maintenance and operations position to replace the director of maintenance and operations. 6. Consider adding a director of pupil services position to report to the assistant superintendent of administrative services. 7. Develop staffing ratios for each type of position built on a consistent framework to ensure appropriate staffing is maintained during growth and declining periods. 8. Consider adding a mid-manager level position to the technology department to assist in the planning and delivery of technology standards throughout the district. Liberty Union HigH ScHooL DiStrict 8 ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE Organizational Chart The district’s current central office organizational chart and FCMAT’s proposed organiza- tional chart are shown below. LIBERTY UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT DISTRICT OFFICE ORGANIZATION CHART 2013-2014 = Supervisory School Board = Classified/Certificated = Confidential Superintendent Executive Secretary Chief Assistant Assistant Assistant Business Superintendent, Superintendent, Superintendent, S F e o rv o i d ce Officer Ad S m e in rv is ic tr e a s ti ve Re H s u o m u a rc n e s C S a u ll b e r Ed S u e c rv a i t c io e n s a l Supervisor Director, Project Development Director, District Data Tra D ns ir p e o ct r o ta r, t ion Di R st e ri c c e t p S t e io c n re is t t a / ry Ma O in p t e e r n a a ti n o c n e s & Technician S D ec is re tr t ic a t r y District District ELL Coor. BTSA Coor. District Transp.(Coord( Secretary Diversity Transp.(Supervis( Coordinator Certificated Classified Accoun3ng(Asst.( Personnel Personnel .5(Secretary(((( Coordinator Coordinator Director, Director, Special Services Technology A T c e c c o h u n n ic t i i a n n g Payro C ll l e A r c k c ount A P c a c y o a u b n le ts District Technician Secretary Coordinator Network Special Svcs Administrator District Lead Data District Technician Librarian groups:WRITERS:Laura:Laura - studies:Liberty Union HSD - 1019:LUHSD Organization Chart_2013_2014.xls Revised 10/23/13 2:05 PM2/3/14 Fiscal crisis & ManageMent assistance teaM 9 ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE Proposed District Office Organizational Chart Liberty Union High School District Comprehensive Site Superintendent Executive Secretary Principals Assistant Assistant Assistant Superintendent of Superintendent of Assistant Superintendent of Superintendent of Admin. Services Human Resources Educational Services Business Director of TBD Director of Pupil Alternative Certificated Admin. Lead Data Director of Transportation Services Education Personnel Assistant Technician Technology Principals Coordinator Director of Payroll Account Diversity ELL Network Food Services Clerk Coordinator Receptionist/ Classified Substitute Coordinator Administrator District Personnel Caller Secretary Coordinator D F ir a e c c il t it o ie r s of Ac T c e t c s h . n P i a c y ia a n ble Sp D ec ir ia e l c S t e o r r v o ic f es Coo B r T d S in A a tor C T o ec o h rd no in l a o t g o y r Data Accounting Technician Manager of Technician Coordinator of M & O Special Services District Secretary Liberty Union HigH ScHooL DiStrict 10 Fiscal crisis & ManageMent assistance teaM 11 CENTRAL OFFICE ORGANIZATION AND STAFFING Central Office Organization and Staffing Human Resources The Human Resources department of the district consists of an assistant superintendent of human resources and one each classified and certificated personnel coordinators as well as a part-time substitute caller. It was very difficult to find comparison districts because Liberty has decentralized many central office functions, and districts of like size may not have decentralized to that same degree. Among the comparable districts, the average staffing for a human resources office in a district of like size was 4.3 full-time equivalents (FTE) not including the assistant superintendent. Based on the comparison, it would appear that the district is understaffed in Human Resources. However, in interviews with the staff there was no indication of work not being done or other deficits. The staff is efficient and well organized. The Human Resources department is responsible to plan, recruit, and provide orientation and support for new and existing employees; to represent the district in collective bargaining and to provide training and support to management and administration in labor disputes and employee discipline issues. The assistant superintendent of human resources has been in the position for approximately three years. The classified and certificated personnel coordinators have been in their respective positions for several years. The department serves 386 certificated staff, two certificated interns, one certificated consultant and approximately 66 substitutes. The classified staff consists of 261 staff members, 50 substitutes, and 144 coaches. The district has a total of 35 management positions. A recent transition in the financial system that affects the position control system could help streamline many of the redundant tasks that occur when separate systems are operating. Each of the personnel coordinators has a background in payroll, which helps the overall understanding of the benefits and the accuracy needed for a robust position control system. Comparative Staffing Analysis – Human Resources Department Directors/ Total HR Coordinators/ Dept. District Enrollment Administrator Technicians Staff Campbell Union High School District 7408 1.0 4.0 5.0 Centinela Valley Union High School District 6636 1.0 4.0 5.0 Liberty Union High School District 7604 1.0 2.5 3.5 San Mateo Union High School District 8247 1.0 8.0 9.0 Santa Maria Joint Union High School District 7633 1.0 3.0 4.0 Source: Ed-Data; District Websites; District Provided Data Although no concern of understaffing was expressed, staff desire to develop plans for succession in central office roles as vacancies occur. With a small staff and the relative experience of the employees, it is essential to cross-train additional staff to assist in an emergency or long-term need. Additionally, the assistant superintendent has no designated clerical support. Staffing Plans Staff reported that the new position control system has led to some unexpected misunderstand- ings of the actual FTEs needed at site levels and the FTEs allocated in the budget. As training continues to occur to address issues like these, this likely will resolve itself. It is mentioned here to Liberty Union HigH ScHooL DiStrict 12 CENTRAL OFFICE ORGANIZATION AND STAFFING highlight the urgency to resolve issues regarding employee costs because they impact the budget. With the former rapid growth of the district, staffing plans were reactive rather than proactive. The superintendent and board of trustees expressed a desire to implement staffing plans and ratios that would assist with planning for future growth. Staffing ratios that consider square footage, bus riders, students, etc., would assist in planning for site budget costs. As site activities and budgets grow, the impact of the growth and the support needed from the district office will need to be quantified and adjusted accordingly. Recruiting The Human Resources staff leads all district recruitment. The assistant superintendent of human resources serves on most district interview panels to ensure a uniform and compliant process. The new employee hiring process includes a second, or less formal interview in which the final candi- date meets with the assistant superintendent of human resources prior to being offered a position. Interview panels are made up of representatives from the area of the vacancy and classified and/or certificated represented individuals as well as management designees. All interview panelists are required to sign confidentiality statements. Staff consistently supported the recruitment process in FCMAT’s interviews. Job Descriptions and Assignments Job descriptions throughout the district are out of date and do not represent some of the duties or technology used in current tasks. The Human Resources department is responsible to maintain a library of updated job descriptions and to negotiate changes as changes in job assignments occur. Some varied reporting structures and job assignments that have grown with the district may no longer be appropriate. For example, one assistant superintendent is directly responsible for evaluating cafeteria staff. The district has an opportunity to make changes within the organi- zational structure as vacancies occur, which would include updating the job descriptions. Employee Discipline and Collective Bargaining The assistant superintendent of human resources is responsible for employee discipline and works with site staff as problems arise to be sure the district remains compliant in the process. The assistant superintendent works with and trains site staff on bargaining issues as they arise to try to prevent grievances and employee complaints by addressing employees’ needs. It is important that this type of training continue during the transition to new staff and new administrators. The assistant superintendent also serves as the chief negotiator for the district and board. No areas of concern were reported in this area. Staff Development The district takes advantage of training offered by the Contra Costa County Office of Education in many areas. There are collaborative opportunities in the area and in the county for training regarding business and human resources issues. The new financial system is a major focus, and staff has attended most of the training offered for that system. There is no central office tracking system to ensure that staff participate in the mandated trainings each year. This has been required of the sites to maintain as part of the decentralization. There was little mention of participation in staff development outside of the county for additional skills training. Fiscal crisis & ManageMent assistance teaM 13 CENTRAL OFFICE ORGANIZATION AND STAFFING Recommendations The district should: 1. Update all job descriptions to align job tasks with job descriptions. 2. Develop a review schedule for job descriptions to keep them up to date. 3. Develop staffing plans and ratios based on desired staffing levels that can be used to make adjustments during growth and/or decline periods. 4. Add clerical support as needed to the Human Resources department. 5. Develop a tracking system to ensure that all employees complete mandated training each year. 6. Conduct cross training between classified and certificated personnel coordina- tors, and include clerical and/or sub caller in the training as appropriate. Educational Services The Educational Services Department is headed by the assistant superintendent of educational services, who stated she might retire this year. A district secretary and district data technician support her. The assistant superintendent oversees the English Language Learner coordinator and Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment coordinator as well as the director of technology and the director of special services. With the onset of Common Core State Standards and required Career Technical Education as part of the Local Control Accountability Plan, the Educational Services Department will experi- ence a need for increased data and assessment capabilities. Staff indicated they were able to meet current demands. A district secretary and a coordinator of special services support the director of special services. The director indicated that the district has a higher-than-average ratio of special education students. The statewide average of special education students to enrollment is approxi- mately 10%, and the district has an average of 14%. FCMAT found a great variety of organizational structures in the educational services depart- ments of the comparison districts. While all these departments were headed by one administra- tive level employee, the direct report staff and underlying organizational structure differed greatly, thus precluding relevant comparisons. The district should consider, as part of an organizational realignment, moving the oversight of special education to the assistant superintendent of administrative services, freeing the assistant superintendent of educational services to focus on the implementation of Common Core State Standards. This may provide more administrative oversight of special education to allow the district to meet the needs of the special populations more efficiently. Liberty Union HigH ScHooL DiStrict 14 CENTRAL OFFICE ORGANIZATION AND STAFFING Recommendation The district should: 1. Realign the administrative duties of the assistant superintendent of educa- tional services and the assistant superintendent of administrative services to provide more focused student support in high-need areas. Business Services The business office staff consists of four positions: chief business officer, payroll account clerk, accounts payable technician, and accounting technician. The chief business officer supervises the other three accounting positions in the department, and also supervises the director of transportation. The director of transportation is not housed in the district office, and there is no secretarial or clerical position in the business office. Chief Business Officer This position is employed by the district through an employment agreement under the title of business manager. The chief business officer position has primary responsibility for all district financial reporting including: budget development, supervision and direction of the accounting staff, financial accounting, and other duties as outlined in the employment agreement. The contract also specifies that the duties and responsibilities shall be as described in the district job description of business manager. FCMAT was unable to obtain this job description, and cannot determine exactly what those other duties are, or if they are being performed. The district did provide to FCMAT a current job description for the position of chief financial officer adopted by the board of trustees on September 28, 2011, which outlines many duties relevant to the management and supervision of the business department, but there is no reference to this job description in the chief business officer (CBO) employment agreement. The individual in the CBO position has comprehensive and extensive experience in school district fiscal management and reports directly to the superintendent. Interviews conducted with the business office staff indicated that the CBO spends most of their time performing the district’s essential fiscal and budget oversight functions. The CBO prepares all budget and multiyear projection data, and maintains the budget and accounting records through daily data entry transactions. The CBO also prepares all mandated state financial reports and presents them to the board for approval. The CBO prepares all enrollment and certificated staffing projections for budget development, but has no oversight responsibility in other opera- tional areas of the district such as maintenance, food service, or facility planning. In recent years the CBO has also provided the major leadership role in the implementation of the district’s new Munis financial reporting system. The implementation is complete and has resulted in the development of many new processes and duties for staff members in the business and personnel departments. The CBO indicated that significant time was spent on the system imple- mentation, and that staff members continue to work with it to refine and improve its efficiency and reliability. The CBO interacts often with the payroll account clerk, accounts payable technician and accounting technician positions, and directs and controls much of their daily activities. There is less frequent interaction with the director of transportation, as indicated in FCMAT interviews Fiscal crisis & ManageMent assistance teaM 15 CENTRAL OFFICE ORGANIZATION AND STAFFING with both the CBO and the director of transportation. Each of them stated they meet often enough to discuss and review any issues that may require the attention of the CBO. Business Office Reorganization In most school organizations of similar size the CBO position has direct supervision and oversight of all business and operational activities. CBO training and certification involves the development of knowledge and expertise in the basic functional areas of school business such as accounting, budgeting, food service, maintenance and operations, transportation, risk manage- ment, auditing, collective bargaining, and facility planning. Under the current organizational structure, the CBO at Liberty UHSD does not have comprehensive oversight of the district’s business operations. While the CBO has some direct control over purchasing through the approval of purchase orders, on a daily basis the position essentially functions as the fiscal director for the district’s accounting department. Typically, in a district of this size, a fiscal director or budget analyst type of position would perform many of the job functions currently performed by the CBO but would report to a higher-level administrative position within business services, such as a CBO or assistant superintendent of business services, who would oversee the supervision of the accounting department as well as the maintenance and operations, food service, and transporta- tion departments. The employment agreement for the CBO indicates the position will supervise food services and transportation, and will have management responsibilities for maintenance and facilities. However, the director of maintenance and operations is not part of the business department and reports directly to the assistant superintendent of administrative services, as do the food service coordinators. The director of project development performs facilities planning and construction duties, which are also usually organized under business services, and reports directly to the superintendent. This organization structure results in positions that perform basic business and operational functions but report to three different supervisors. Having the director of maintenance & operations and the food service coordinator operational positions report to the assistant superintendent of administrative services is unusual in this case because the assistant superintendent position is designated as certificated. Its primary responsibil- ities relate to student discipline and attendance: student expulsions, interdistrict transfers, SARB meetings, credit deficiencies, truancy, and other student welfare issues. FCMAT’s interviews with the assistant superintendent indicated that he spends most of his time handling matters directly related to students, and very little time supervising food service or maintenance. Student welfare responsibilities have little in common with the daily supervision of operational activities, so the placement of these diverse areas of responsibility under the same supervisor is not a logical or effective organization structure. As outlined previously in this report, an effective organization structure requires attention to the concepts of span of control, chain of command, and line authority. A more effective structure would be to consolidate the supervision of the operational departments of fiscal services, main- tenance and operations, food service, facilities planning and development, and transportation under the supervision of one position that reports directly to the superintendent. This would allow logically grouping business and operational functions under one supervisor, provide an ideal span of supervisory control, improve the span of supervisory control for the superintendent, and establish a clear chain of command from the superintendent (first) level to the assistant superintendent of business (second) level, to the director (third) level of departmental supervi- Liberty Union HigH ScHooL DiStrict 16 CENTRAL OFFICE ORGANIZATION AND STAFFING sion, and on to the front-line (fourth) level of the business and operational departments. Each of these levels of supervision should have salary ranges and levels of supervision and responsibility that are approximately equal, thus providing a symmetrical and organized hierarchy for advance- ment. An effective business office organizational structure would include placement of an assistant superintendent of business services or CBO at the top of the structure to report directly to the superintendent. This position would supervise director-level positions in fiscal services, maintenance and operations, food service, transportation, and facilities development. Each of these director positions would then supervise all employees in their individual departments. A department secretary or administrative assistant would be responsible for clerical duties and other miscellaneous departmental functions. This reorganization of the business office would also require the district to review and refine each job description in the business office to define its role. FCMAT reviewed each current job description provided by the district for positions in the business office and found many contained outdated duties and were inconsistent in their supervisory and subordinate assignments. Comparative Staffing Analysis – Business Services Department Directors/ Clerks / Total Coordinators/ Support Business District Enrollment Administrator Technicians Staff Dept. Staff Campbell Union High School District 7408 1.0 7.0 10.0 18.0 Centinela Valley Union High School District 6636 1.0 1.0 11.0 13.0 Liberty Union High School District 7604 1.0 2.0 1.0 4.0 San Mateo Union High School District 8247 1.0 5.0 5.0 11.0 Santa Maria Joint Union High School District 7633 1.0 5.0 5.0 11.0 Recommendations The district should: 1. Consolidate supervision of the business and operational departments under an assistant superintendent/CBO position that reports directly to the superin- tendent. This position would supervise directors or managers of fiscal/budget, food service, transportation, and facilities planning and development. 2. Develop a job description and fill a position of director of fiscal services to oversee the daily activities of the accounting department, allowing the CBO position to supervise other business functions. 3. Develop revised job descriptions for each second-level administrative position consistent with the new organizational structure. Create a job description and title for each position on the administrative or classified management salary Fiscal crisis & ManageMent assistance teaM 17 CENTRAL OFFICE ORGANIZATION AND STAFFING schedule, and hire the incumbents as district employees rather than utilizing an employment agreement. 4. Review in detail each of the job descriptions for positions in the business and operations departments and update them to correctly reflect the qualifica- tions, duties, responsibilities, and supervision chain of command in the new organizational structure. Administrative Services FCMAT found a great variety of organizational structures within the administrative services departments of the comparison districts. Not all the districts have an administrative services department or position, so relevant comparisons could not be made. The assistant superintendent of administrative services position has responsibilities in a diverse range of functional areas. Much of its responsibility is for student services, which includes many activities pertaining to atten- dance and disciplinary issues. The position also has responsibility in many duties uncharacteristic of the position such as the approval of interdistrict attendance agreements, and the completion of the Healthy Kids Survey. The assistant superintendent indicated to FCMAT that responsibilities under the administrative services position have changed at different times in recent years, with supervision of the director of maintenance and operations, for example, having been moved from the assistant superin- tendent of administrative services to the assistant superintendent of human resources, and then back to the Administrative Services department. He believes the position has evolved because of previous staff reductions to cover duties previously handled by the Business Services, Human Resources, and Educational Services departments. Many of the functions supervised by the assis- tant superintendent of administrative services are, in fact, commonly supervised by the business office in a typical school district organizational structure, such as maintenance and food service. Maintenance and Operations The director of maintenance and operations supervises all custodial, grounds keeping, and general maintenance worker positions, and reports directly to the assistant superintendent of administrative services. The director also supervises a department secretary. Each of the district’s three comprehensive high schools is staffed with a day custodian who takes daily direction from a school site administrator. Each site also has a number of night custodians whose work is directed by the lead custodian assigned to that site. The night lead custodians, however, do not evaluate the night custodians they oversee. Project Development/Facilities Planning The position titled director, project development reports directly to the superintendent and has an employment agreement with the district. This position was developed in the 1990s to manage the construction of new school facilities during a period of high student population growth. The position is responsible for overseeing school construction projects and the state approval processes that accompany them. The director also oversees smaller public works projects such as the recent installation of solar energy panels at some district schools. These types of activities are referred to as facility planning and construction duties in many districts. Liberty Union HigH ScHooL DiStrict 18 CENTRAL OFFICE ORGANIZATION AND STAFFING The district’s new construction activity has slowed in response to housing development in recent years, and the director recently was given responsibility for overseeing and administering smaller maintenance projects that require adherence to the formal public bidding process. The director also supervises a part-time department secretary, oversees the collection of district development impact fees, and procures consultants to prepare facility planning studies and school facilities needs analysis reports. The need for facility planning and project development rises and falls with economic and popula- tion growth, and the availability of public funding. Recommendations The district should: 1. Assign the assistant superintendent of administrative services with appropriate level responsibilities including oversight of middle management. 2. Evaluate the need for a director of project development. In periods of no or slow growth, this position and the project development department are not needed. Technology The administrative structure that supports district technology is organized under the assistant superintendent of educational services. The director of technology provides leadership for the development and implementation of technology. This position reports directly to the assistant superintendent of educational services and supervises the network administrator, lead data tech- nician and district librarian positions. While there is no definitive rule for the placement of district technology positions in the admin- istrative organizational structure, in many school districts the positions responsible for the imple- mentation and maintenance of computer technology and its support are under the supervision of the educational services department. This philosophy is based on the concept that the principal use of technology is in the classroom for the instructional use of teachers and students, and that its development and usage is based mainly on curricular needs. Additionally, in recent years there has been, and will continue to be, an increasing requirement for school districts to gather, orga- nize, analyze and report student test data for state and federal reporting and funding purposes. The director of technology spends most of her time developing materials and training teachers in the use of curriculum-related classroom technology. The director also supports the assistant superintendent of educational services in the development of classroom curriculum materials, and works with teachers to develop classroom assessment and grading systems. While classroom-based technology needs are of distinct importance to the academic success and achievement of every school district, the implementation and maintenance of the computer network hardware system that supports the delivery of data to classrooms is also essential to the day-to-day operation of district administrative systems. The network support system is focused on the hardware infrastructure and the expertise necessary to maintain an efficient and effective data network for the district. In many districts the job func- Fiscal crisis & ManageMent assistance teaM 19 CENTRAL OFFICE ORGANIZATION AND STAFFING tions related to the maintenance of the district data network are not typically organized under the educational services department, but are instead supervised by the business services department since they are so vital to the delivery of key operational functions, such as the creation of payroll checks, accounts payable warrants, and direct financial reporting with county and state educa- tional agencies. Educational technology often centers around the knowledge and expertise of educational soft- ware programs and their use by professionals in the classroom, whereas business and operational technology use focuses on the maintenance of network systems and administrative computer use. In most cases the education and business sides of the organization both rely on the same district network to deliver data for two different but important purposes. At Liberty UHSD the network administrator is the only position that directly supports and provides expertise to the network hardware system. This position has total responsibility for the system design and maintenance, as well as network and student database security. The network administrator is assisted to some extent by school site-based district technology technician positions at each of the comprehensive high schools, but they do not possess the specialized knowledge necessary to effectively support or maintain the network. The job description for the network administrator indicates that the position will supervise and evaluate the district tech- nology technician positions, but they are currently supervised and evaluated by the director of technology. The director of technology has expertise mainly in educational software systems but only limited knowledge of network systems operation, so the district must rely almost completely on the network administrator to maintain and troubleshoot the district network. In an interview with FCMAT the network administrator expressed concern over the age and condition of the district’s network hardware and software. The district is aware of the situation and has developed a plan to upgrade the network that includes a substantial budgetary commit- ment over the next three years. The network administrator indicated it will be a difficult project to implement without additional support given the amount of daily tasks the staff must regularly complete. Because the state of California is implementing the Common Core State Standards as its adopted curriculum and testing program, with increased technological requirements necessary for its implementation, the district should carefully assess its capabilities and needs regarding the systems expertise of its staff and seek to provide either additional training for staff, or hire addi- tional staff and/or outside contractors as necessary to prevent system failure. Because the network administrator is the only employee who possesses much of the expertise necessary for the mainte- nance and security of the district network, hiring a second network administrator or developing another position in the technology department with network knowledge and expertise would decrease the risk of depending on one individual position to secure and maintain its technology and network backbone. The comparative staffing chart shows that the district’s technology staffing is at minimal levels in clerical and support staff as compared to other like districts. Although there are site-based technicians, the lack of front line staff validates the concerns the technology staff expressed in completing daily tasks and making progress on the system upgrades. Liberty Union HigH ScHooL DiStrict 20 CENTRAL OFFICE ORGANIZATION AND STAFFING Comparative Staffing Analysis – Technology Department Total Directors/ Clerical and Tech Coordinators/ Other Support Dept. District Enrollment Administrator Technicians Staff Staff Campbell Union High School District 7408 1.0 1.0 5.0 7.0 Centinela Valley Union High School District 6636 1.0 1.0 5.0 7.0 Liberty Union High School District 7604 1.0 1.0 1.0 3.0 San Mateo Union High School District 8247 1.0 1.0 3.0 5.0 Santa Maria Joint Union High School District 7633 1.0 1.0 2.0 4.0 Recommendations The district should: 1. Evaluate the role of director of technology as a developer of training and curriculum materials. Consider adding support to assist with these tasks allowing the director additional availability to provide department leadership and support. 2. Consider adding additional technology staff to support the network infra- structure and provide backup to the network administrator. Fiscal crisis & ManageMent assistance teaM 21 TRANSPORTATION SERVICES Transportation Services The district is the lead agency in a cooperative school transportation operation. The cooperative operates 14 special education routes and 13 regular education routes to transport students to and from schools. The districts participating in this cooperative are Liberty Union High School District, and the Brentwood, Byron and Oakley union school districts. Knightsen Elementary School District is a feeder to the Liberty Union High School District, but is not a participating member in the cooperative. The cooperative does provide some special education transportation for Knightsen at their request. Although not specifically requested in the scope of this study, necessary observations of the opera- tions aspects of this pupil transportation program were made to evaluate appropriate staffing levels. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) Motor Carrier Inspector Division inspects every school bus in California annually. In addition, they inspect vehicle maintenance records, driver records and driver drug and alcohol testing records. The CHP provides a report of these inspections enti- tled Safety Compliance Report/Terminal Record Update, also known as the terminal grade. This report summarizes the district’s compliance with laws and regulations governing pupil transpor- tation and is a reasonable assessment of the district’s pupil transportation safety. Liberty Union High School District has consistently received the CHP’s highest grade, which is “satisfactory.” Classified employees in the district are represented by the California School Employees Association. A ratified collective bargaining agreement is in effect through June 30, 2014. No specific article of this collective bargaining agreement specifies working conditions or job assignments in the Transportation Department. The first step salary for the bus driver classification is $14.63 per hour. Many of the buses have unrepaired body damage and are quite dirty. They do not represent the districts well. The Transportation Department offices are relatively new. They are quite functional and include two restrooms and a small conference room/classroom. The driver’s lounge is a trailer in the bus parking lot. The trailer used to be the transportation offices prior to the new offices being constructed. It is quite old. The maintenance garage includes a small parts room, an office and a full repair bay with an in-ground vehicle lift. Additional room that is next to the bus bay could accommodate a smaller piece of equipment or a van. The program has three full-time mechanics. The shop work area is not adequate for three mechanics, and requires one or two mechanics to work on vehicles outside the shop. Some larger parts are stored in storage containers. There is an outside bus washing/ steam cleaning area. The bus parking is very cramped and not adequate for the size of the fleet. Construction of a new transportation facility has been discussed but not yet begun. Districts in the cooperative have established common eligibility criteria for regular education home to school bus service. Elementary students are eligible to ride a bus if they are more than one mile from their school. High school students are eligible to ride a bus if they are more than two miles from their school. Each of the school districts receives revenue from the state and reports its costs on the California Department of Education Transportation Report, which is part of the unaudited actuals financial report that is completed at the end of each fiscal year. For regular education transportation, each district charges fees. TThe cooperative has adopted fees and enforcement rules that apply to all of the participating districts. The revenue collected from bus passes helps to defray some of the cost of providing school transportation, as the state revenue does not cover all costs. For the 2012-13 fiscal year, the district issued 1,722 bus passes and collected $178,000 in revenue. There were 1,138 free Liberty Union HigH ScHooL DiStrict 22 TRANSPORTATION SERVICES passes and 584 paid passes processed. The fee level has historically been increased annually by the Consumer Price Index percentage increase. The bus pass forms list the cooperative as the East Contra Costa School Transportation Department. That name is also used on the spreadsheets that distribute costs to the members. There appears to be no other reference to this name on any other document. Processing bus passes takes an extraordinary amount of department staff time. The department evaluates parent income and requires supporting documentation to qualify for the free pass. Families are required to apply for the free pass quarterly and produce this same documentation each time. Parents come to the Transportation Department in person to process this. Most parents provide this information. Occasionally there are conflicts and verbal altercations if a family does not qualify. In this era of sensitivity relative to personal information, it is understandable that some families will be concerned about producing tax returns, payroll stubs and statements regarding government assistance. In most school districts, the transportation department utilizes the list of students who qualify for free or reduced price meals, and does not personally audit these financial statements. Utilizing such a process and issuing the pass for the entire year would significantly reduce the amount of staff time expended. It also would minimize the concerns of possibly compromising personal financial information for the families. These bus pass practices were reported to have been in place for many years. There is no written agreement between the districts for this or for any operating aspect of the cooperative. Revenue that is collected from the sale of bus passes is directly credited to each participating school district. Liberty Union High School District staff could not produce a written agreement that specifies the details of this cooperative school transportation operation with the three feeder elementary school districts. Some staff believed that the cooperative began approximately 16 years ago; others believe it began earlier than that. Over the years, practices have been established relative to the operation of the cooperative and the distribution of costs. Members of the cooperative meet quarterly to review the distribution of costs spreadsheets and occasionally discuss capital needs for the program, such as bus replacement. At these meetings, Liberty, Brentwood and Oakley have two voting representatives. Byron has only one voting representative. It is not known why three of the districts have more voting members than Byron. The department collects a significant amount of daily data that is associated with developing very complicated quarterly spreadsheets. Regular education transportation costs are distributed by a ratio of mileage of each district route compared to the total. Shared routes split the mileage evenly among the districts. Special education transportation costs are distributed by a ratio of the number of students routed daily. A fairly significant amount of daily staff time is devoted to collecting this data. District participants, including the high school district, are billed monthly based on the estimated amount for the school year. The final month’s invoice in each school year for each district compares the amount invoiced to each district with the actual costs. Districts are invoiced the final adjusted amount. Liberty has completely separated the transpor- tation operation by establishing a separate fund, Fund 63, for all cooperative transportation costs and revenue. Reducing the complexity of this data collection could reduce the staff time spent on it. For example, rather than taking daily detailed mileage of each route, mileage could be taken at one or a few specific dates during the year and averaged. Regular home to school bus routes change very little. The process could be automated with simple computerized map programs. Student counts Fiscal crisis & ManageMent assistance teaM 23 TRANSPORTATION SERVICES could be done in the same fashion. Either one date or a few dates could be used. The student counts are based on the number of students for whom there are transportation requests, not the number who are riding on each day. In addition to the district-provided transportation, some special education students are trans- ported by the Contra Costa County Office of Education on their contract with First Student, a for-profit school transportation company. The county office’s October 2013 spreadsheet indicates 11 students for Liberty Union High School District at a monthly cost of $13,523.60, five students for Brentwood at a monthly cost of $9,091.99, one student for Byron at a monthly cost of $1,344.53, and three students for Oakley at a monthly cost of $4,841.51. Each district is invoiced directly by the county office. These are students that go outside of the area and would require significant cost for the district to transport. The county office of education provides this service to most of its districts. The district has two separate systems to communicate with buses. The regular education buses utilize a two-way radio system. The special education buses utilize a cellular-based, press-to-talk system. Dispatchers communicate with drivers on the two different systems. Although staff indicated that it worked, it is logistically cumbersome. The phone units cost approximately $375 per month total, but can vary depending on the amount of air time used. This can be an expen- sive method of communication, compared to a two-way radio system that has an initial capital investment, but little ongoing cost. The department indicated that the two-way radio system occasionally does not have the range to communicate with some special education bus routes. That challenge could be addressed by installing an antenna and repeater on Mt. Diablo that would have complete coverage of the area. Often counties allow the placement of this equipment at their towers with little or no cost to other public agencies. The department allows only one field trip per day that conflicts with regular bus route times, and as many trips as possible that do not conflict with bus routes. There are many schools in the partic- ipating four districts and three high schools in the Liberty district. High schools generate a large number of athletic events that require team transportation. The department does not coordinate the booking of these trips and accomplishes very few of them. School activity trip providers must be in compliance with California Vehicle Code section 546, which requires certified School Pupil Activity Bus (SPAB) drivers and buses. The department does not inspect the certifications of buses or drivers when trips are provided. The department has provided a list of charter bus companies that advertise that they have SPAB capability to the schools. The district may want to evaluate the cost of expanding its pool of substitute bus drivers or creating a standby or flex driver position that could address its ability to perform more field trip work for the cooperative’s membership. Staffing The Transportation Department is staffed as follows: • 1 FTE director of transportation 1 FTE transportation supervisor .5 FTE transportation secretary (11 month) 1 FTE transportation coordinator 1 FTE accounting assistant-transportation 1 FTE mechanic II (lead mechanic) 2 FTE mechanic I • 1 bus driver for each bus route 6 substitute bus drivers Liberty Union HigH ScHooL DiStrict 24 TRANSPORTATION SERVICES As is the case with many school district job descriptions, there are some differences between the listed duties and actual duties. Any significant variances are noted below. The director of transportation works from approximately 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. He oversees the cooperative program, evaluates all employees and directs the department. The transportation supervisor works from 5:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and does not perform supervisory functions. This individual is the morning dispatcher and is a state certified school bus driver instructor. This position does not perform personnel evaluations. The transportation coordinator works from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily and functions as a dispatcher. This classification also requires a school bus driver instructor certification, which the incumbent possesses, and assists in training school bus drivers. The transportation secretary works from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and performs a number of clerical tasks. This position previously had been full time. There was a significant period of time when the position was unfilled or the incumbent was not working. The position was advertised as .5 FTE and has been filled for about one year. The transportation secretary assists with bus pass processing and inputting mileages, and functions as a dispatcher after 3 p.m. The accounting assistant-transportation works from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and processes accounts payable and payroll, prepares the cost distribution spreadsheets for the cooperative and assists with all other duties. After 3 p.m. this individual functions as a dispatcher. Office employees work cooperatively. Everyone in the office assists with telephones, communi- cation with buses, assisting with parents who come to the department to process bus passes, and other duties. The lead mechanic works from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. One mechanic works from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the other works from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. One of the mechanics spends approximately two hours per day fueling buses. Both mechanic job descriptions require the possession of a valid license and certification to operate a school bus. None of the mechanics possess the certification. In many small and moderate-size school transportation operations, mechanics have the certification and drive as substitutes when necessary. In addition to working on school buses, the mechanics perform regular maintenance on all district vehicles, including cars, pickup trucks, gators, carts, mowers, tractors, and two vans that are used for student transportation. The mechanics also maintain some vehicles for Byron. There are two separate classifications for school bus drivers. One is “bus driver,” the other is “bus driver-special education.” The job description is noted as a separate classification in the collective bargaining agreement; however, it is not differentiated on the salary schedule. Both classifications are designated as “driver” on the salary schedule and are paid at range 43. When assigned to bus routes, the classifications are mutually exclusive, meaning that a driver is hired to one classifica- tion or the other. Only special education drivers can be assigned to those routes and only “bus drivers” can be assigned to regular education routes. This is a unique arrangement and seems to limit flexibility in the department. All drivers are trained to drive all buses. There are six substi- tute school bus drivers, but only five are available at this time. Substitutes can drive both regular education and special education bus routes. Both the coordinator and supervisor are licensed to drive a school bus and do substitute on routes when necessary. Most staff reported that there is high bus driver absenteeism, particularly on Mondays and Fridays, and that some substitute bus drivers are directed to report to the transportation office daily. The department was unable to quantify the level of absenteeism. Fiscal crisis & ManageMent assistance teaM 25 TRANSPORTATION SERVICES In addition to the time necessary to drive a school bus route, each driver receives 30 minutes additional pay per day to perform a legally required pre-trip inspection. Drivers also receive 15 minutes per day additional pay to sweep and clean their bus at the end of each day. These times are integrated as a part of the regular bus route contract time for the driver. In addition to this, drivers can earn additional time for performing field trips and washing buses. It does not appear that buses are washed very often, even though drivers are responsible for keeping their buses washed. The transportation secretary and accounting assistant-transportation also process all bus miscon- duct reports. The department contacts parents and arranges student suspensions of bus service. School principals and vice principals are not involved in this process. This arrangement occurs in some school districts, however, it is much more common for school principals and vice principals to have a more active role in this process. The director of transportation reports to the CBO, which is typical for most school districts. The department works closely with the business office relative to payroll and accounts payable functions, and in this case, accounts receivable, as they invoice all services to the cooperative members. The department also works closely with the Human Resources department. The department reports that it receives excellent support from the district office staff in these areas. Recommended staffing for this department is: • 1 FTE director of transportation 2 FTE transportation coordinator 1 FTE accounting assistant-transportation 1 FTE mechanic II 2 FTE mechanic I This staffing structure adjusts the number of individuals by removing the transportation secretary position. The department has functioned well without the position in the past. The accounting assistant-transportation could also be reduced to a .5 FTE if the bus pass and reporting require- ments were reduced as suggested above. Through interviews, FCMAT found that the supervisor performs the duties that are normally performed by a coordinator position: dispatching and instruction but not evaluating or disci- plining. For an operation of this size, it is sufficient to have one management position to handle all the evaluation and discipline issues; however, for proper dispatching coverage, two coordina- tors would be needed to span the hours of the transportation day. Therefore, staffing would also be adjusted by changing the transportation supervisor position to a transportation coordinator position. The shifts of the transportation coordinators should be adjusted and staggered so that one of them is there throughout the day. For example, one could be on shift from 5 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and the other from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dispatching duties would then be handled by the coordinators. Leaving dispatch duties for clerical staff is not recommended because this staff may not know the laws and regulations to which the drivers and department must adhere. Comparative School Districts Unlike the comparisons selected for district office staffing that are related to ADA, school transportation comparisons must be related to the number and types of bus routes that the oper- ation provides. Few school district pupil transportation operations compare to Liberty Union High School District in its local area. FCMAT has performed numerous transportation studies throughout the state. The following comparisons are from some recent studies. Liberty Union HigH ScHooL DiStrict 26 TRANSPORTATION SERVICES Ocean View School District’s transportation department provided service to its schools on 13 regular education home to school routes and 13 special education bus routes. It had the following staffing level when FCMAT conducted its study in 2012: • 1 FTE director of transportation 1 FTE dispatcher 1 FTE fiscal secretary (10 month) .5 FTE driver instructor 1 lead mechanic 1 mechanic At the time of the study, FCMAT recommended upgrading the .5 FTE driver instructor to a full- time position, with the understanding that this employee functions as a cover driver and assists with dispatch functions as well. San Ramon Unified School District operated 28 special education bus routes and a large number of field trips when FCMAT evaluated the operation in 2013. The staffing was as follows: • 1 FTE director of transportation 1 FTE dispatcher .5 FTE transportation secretary .5 FTE dispatcher/.5 FTE driver instructor (one individual did both jobs) 1 FTE head mechanic 2 FTE mechanics FCMAT evaluated Sanger Unified School District in 2011. The district operated 27 regular education bus routes at that time. The staffing was as follows: • 1 FTE director of transportation 1 FTE clerk 2 FTE driver instructors 1 FTE dispatcher 1 FTE router/scheduler 1 FTE shop supervisor 3 FTE mechanics FCMAT determined that this operation was staffed greater than its need and recommended that the department eliminate 1 FTE clerk and 1 FTE driver instructor. School transportation operations vary greatly, and the needs of each operation must be regularly assessed. Included in this assessment are some of the following variables: • The data collection demands of the department: whether or not there are school transportation software programs for bus routing, bus passes, vehicle maintenance, fuel logging, etc. • The required preparation at the department level for accounts payable, accounts receivable or payroll. • The complexity of bus pass processing. • The number of field trip bookings and coordination of charter buses or district-owned vehicles driven by teachers and coaches. Fiscal crisis & ManageMent assistance teaM 27 TRANSPORTATION SERVICES • The in-house repairs performed by mechanics versus vehicle and equipment repair that is performed by outside repair facilities. • Other mechanic related duties such as fueling or washing vehicles. • The number of district maintenance and operations vehicles that are maintained by the department. Recommendations The district should: 1. Re-establish the operating agreement between the school districts in the transportation cooperative. 2. Utilize the list of students who qualify for free or reduced price meals as the criteria for free bus passes. 3. Simplify the data collection and reporting necessary for the transportation cooperative. 4. Outfit all buses with two-way radios. 5. Evaluate the cost of providing most field trips on charter buses and compare with the potential cost of expanding the district’s capability to provide its own field trip services. 6. Make the staffing changes recommended above. 7. Consider expanding the transportation parking and shop facility to better accommodate current and future needs. 8. Enforce the requirement for the mechanics to possess bus driver licensing and certification. Liberty Union HigH ScHooL DiStrict 28 Fiscal crisis & ManageMent assistance teaM 2299 APPENDDRICAEFST Appendices Appendix A - Study Agreement Liberty Union HigH ScHooL DiStrict 3300 DARPPAEFNTDICES Fiscal crisis & ManageMent assistance teaM 3311 APPENDDRICAEFST Liberty Union HigH ScHooL DiStrict 3322 DARPPAEFNTDICES Fiscal crisis & ManageMent assistance teaM 3333 APPENDDRICAEFST Liberty Union HigH ScHooL DiStrict 3344 DARPPAEFNTDICES Fiscal crisis & ManageMent assistance teaM 3355 APPENDDRICAEFST Liberty Union HigH ScHooL DiStrict 3366 DARPPAEFNTDICES Fiscal crisis & ManageMent assistance teaM