Salinas Union High School District Report

Human Resources Review February 9, 2024 Salinas Union High School District Michael H. Fine Chief Executive Officer February 9, 2024 Dan Burns, Superintendent Salinas Union High School District 431 W. Alisal Street Salinas, CA 93901 Dear Superintendent Burns, On September 28, 2023, the Salinas Union High School District and the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team (FCMAT) entered into an agreement for FCMAT to conduct a review of the district’s Human Resources Department. The agreement stated that FCMAT would perform the following: 1. Review operational processes and procedures in the Human Resources Department and make recommendations for improved efficiency and customer service, if any. 2. Evaluate the current workflow and distribution of functions within the department and make recommendations for improved efficiencies, if any. 3. Conduct an organizational and staffing review of the department and make recommendations for staffing improvements and organizational restructuring, if any. This final report contains the study team’s findings and recommendations. FCMAT appreciates the opportunity to serve the Salinas Union High School District and extends thanks to all the staff for their assistance during fieldwork. Sincerely, Michael H. Fine Chief Executive Officer Michael H. Fine • Chief Executive Officer 1300 17th Street – City Centre, Bakersfield, CA 93301-4533 • Tel. 661-636-4611 • Fax 661-636-4647 www.fcmat.org Table of Contents Table of Contents About FCMAT ..................................................................................................iii Introduction .......................................................................................................v Background ............................................................................................................................v Study and Report Guidelines .............................................................................................v Study Team .............................................................................................................................v Executive Summary ........................................................................................1 Findings and Recommendations ..............................................................2 Human Resources Department Operational Processes and Procedures .......................................................................................................2 Department Handbook ........................................................................................................2 Staff Training and Cross-Training .........................................................................3 Staff Training ...........................................................................................................................3 Cross-Training ........................................................................................................................3 Communication and Customer Service .............................................................5 Human Resources Department Customer Service and Internal Communication .....................................................................................................5 Human Resources Department Communication with the Business Office ...............................................................................................................6 Workflow and Distribution of Functions ............................................................8 Position Control .....................................................................................................................8 Recruitment and Onboarding ...........................................................................................11 Applicant Tracking ..............................................................................................................11 Centralized Recruitment .....................................................................................................11 Recruitment .........................................................................................................................13 Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Salinas Union High School District i Table of Contents Onboarding ..........................................................................................................................14 New Hire Checklist .............................................................................................................15 Organization and Staffing .....................................................................................17 Job Descriptions and Reclassifications .........................................................................17 Human Resources Department Workload and Staff Assignments ........................19 Master Schedule ................................................................................................................21 New Teacher Support — Teacher on Special Assignments ..................................22 Human Resources Department Staffing .....................................................................22 Appendix ........................................................................................................26 Study Agreement ...................................................................................................27 Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Salinas Union High School District ii About FCMAT FCMAT’s primary mission is to assist California’s local TK-14 educational agencies to identify, prevent, and resolve financial, human resources and data management challenges. FCMAT provides fiscal and data management assistance, professional development training, product development and other related school business and data services. FCMAT’s fiscal and management assistance services are used not just to help avert fiscal crisis, but to promote sound financial practices, support the training and development of chief business officials and help to create efficient organizational operations. FCMAT’s data management ser- vices are used to help local educational agencies (LEAs) meet state reporting responsibilities, improve data quality, and inform instructional program decisions. FCMAT may be requested to provide fiscal crisis or management assistance by a school district, charter school, community college, county office of education, the state superintendent of public instruction, or the Legislature. When a request or assignment is received, FCMAT assembles a study team that works closely with the LEA to define the scope of work, conduct on-site fieldwork and provide a written report with findings and recommendations to help resolve issues, overcome challenges and plan for the future. 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 FCMAT has continued to make adjustments in the types of support provided based on the changing dynamics of TK-14 LEAs and the implementation of major educational reforms. FCMAT also develops and provides numerous publications, software tools, workshops and professional learning opportunities to help LEAs operate more effectively and fulfill their fiscal oversight and data management responsibilities. The California School Information Services (CSIS) division of FCMAT assists the California Department of Education with the implementation of the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS). CSIS also hosts and maintains the Ed-Data website (www.ed-data.org) and provides technical expertise to the Ed-Data partnership: the California Department of Education, EdSource and FCMAT. FCMAT was created by Assembly Bill (AB) 1200 in 1991 to assist LEAs to meet and sustain their financial obligations. AB 107 in 1997 charged FCMAT with responsibility for CSIS and its statewide data management work. AB 1115 in 1999 codified CSIS’ mission. seidutS fo rebmuN About FCMAT Studies by Fiscal Year 99/00 00/01 01/02 02/03 03/04 04/05 05/06 06/07 07/08 08/09 09/10 10/11 11/12 12/13 13/14 14/15 15/16 16/17 17/18 18/19 19/20 20/21 21/22 22/23 Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Salinas Union High School District iii About FCMAT AB 1200 is also a statewide plan for county offices of education and school districts to work together locally to improve fiscal procedures and accountability standards. AB 2756 (2004) provides specific responsibili- ties to FCMAT with regard to districts that have received emergency state loans. In January 2006, Senate Bill 430 (charter schools) and AB 1366 (community colleges) became law and expanded FCMAT’s services to those types of LEAs. On September 17, 2018 AB 1840 was signed into law. This legislation changed how fiscally insolvent dis- tricts are administered once an emergency appropriation has been made, shifting the former state-centric system to be more consistent with the principles of local control, and providing new responsibilities to FCMAT associated with the process. Since 1992, FCMAT has been engaged to perform more than 1,400 reviews for LEAs, including school districts, county offices of education, charter schools and community colleges. The Kern County Superintendent of Schools is the administrative agent for FCMAT. The team is led by Michael H. Fine, Chief Executive Officer, with funding derived through appropriations in the state budget and a modest fee sched- ule for charges to requesting agencies. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Salinas Union High School District iv Introduction Introduction Background The Salinas Union High School District is in the city of Salinas, CA, in Monterey County. The district serves approximately 16,337 students in grades seven through 12 and is composed of five comprehensive high schools, four comprehensive middle schools, an alternative education center, an adult education program, career technical education, and other services. Salinas Union is the largest school district in Monterey County. According to Ed Data, the district’s 2022-23 unduplicated count of students who are English learners and/or socioeconomically disadvantaged and/or foster youth was approximately 91.78% of enrollment. In addition, since 2018-19, the district’s enrollment has been increasing by approximately 1.58% per year. However, the district reported that its current year’s enrollment has decreased. The district’s human resources (HR) team is made up of approximately 15 staff members who serve more than 2,000 classified and certificated employees. The district's two main employee associations are the Salinas Valley Federation of Teachers A.F.T Local #1020 and California School Employees Association Chapter 547. Study and Report Guidelines In September 2023, the Salinas Union High School District and the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team (FCMAT) entered into an agreement for FCMAT to conduct a review of the district’s Human Resources Department. FCMAT visited the district on November 6-7 and 9, 2023, to conduct interviews with district and school staff, collect data, and review documents. Following fieldwork, FCMAT continued to review and analyze documents. This report is the result of those activities. FCMAT’s reports focus on systems and processes that may need improvement. Those that may be func- tioning well are generally not commented on in FCMAT’s reports. In writing its reports, FCMAT uses the Associated Press Stylebook, a comprehensive guide to usage and accepted style that emphasizes con- ciseness and clarity. In addition, this guide emphasizes plain language, discourages the use of jargon and capitalizes relatively few terms. Study Team The study team was composed of the following members: Marcus Wirowek, CFE Tami Montero, CFE, SFO Intervention Specialist Chief Analyst John Lotze Technical Writer Each team member reviewed the draft report to confirm accuracy and achieve consensus on the final recommendations. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Salinas Union High School District v Executive Summary Executive Summary The Human Resources (HR) department’s onboarding process faces criticism from its internal custom- ers for its inefficiency and prolonged timelines, leading to the reported loss of qualified candidates. This report encourages the district to implement new hire checklists for both classified and certificated employ- ees to streamline operations, retain valuable applicants, and mitigate the risk of failing to meet statutory requirements. Because the HR Department is not involved in the interview process, there is a lack of essential docu- mentation, which has led to inconsistency in fairness and equity in hiring. Establishing a comprehensive department manual is recommended to ensure adherence to tasks, promote transparency, and address perceptions of unfair hiring. In addition, challenges in staff training and cross-training point to the need for a structured plan that aligns with annual planning, to encourage collaboration and improve customer service. Communication emerged as a significant issue both internally and externally, affecting efficiency and timeli- ness. Adopting a districtwide standard for communication and holding regular interdepartmental meetings will be crucial to improving communication. Communication within the HR Department also needs to be improved by holding staff meetings, facilitating cohesive teamwork, and preventing miscommunication. Position control is vital for effective budget management and requires collaboration between HR and the business office. Problems with workflow, reported errors, and reliance on external spreadsheets show the need for integration with financial software modules and an electronic position request process. Addressing these concerns is vital for the district's financial health and decision-making. The district's use of Frontline as its primary applicant tracking system makes it difficult to engage with candidates. Transitioning to Edjoin.org is recommended to align with state norms, maximize recruitment efficiency, and attract a broader pool of candidates. Standardizing recruitment processes and adopting automated electronic workflow systems will further improve operational efficiency. The HR Department's workload and staff assignments reveal a need for cross-training, and FCMAT’s sug- gested organizational chart for the department recommends reclassifying positions for improved efficiency and customer service. Creating an executive director of human resources position would help streamline communication and improve overall HR functions. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Salinas Union High School District 1 Findings and Recommendations Human Resources Department Operational Processes and Procedures Findings and Recommendations Human Resources Department Operational Processes and Procedures Department Handbook When asked for a department handbook, the district replied that there was none. The department also lacks individual desk manuals. Department handbooks typically include policies and procedures, are designed to communicate important policies and expectations, and are usually provided to employees when they begin employment. They include items such as the following: • The district’s mission or vision statement. • A department mission or vision statement. • Contact information for employee resources. • Employment-related definitions. • Rules regarding attendance, leaves and tardiness. • Board policies and administrative regulations pertinent to the employees being addressed. • Salary schedules. • Employee calendars. • Employee union information. • A disclaimer that the handbook does not address every possible situation or create a con- tract for employment. Providing handbooks to employees is not required but is a best practice. Well-written handbooks provide important information and support consistency in practices. The department manual may provide more information than necessary for anyone outside the department. However, once created, it is the best prac- tice for this handbook to be made available to the district office, schools, and other divisions and depart- ments as applicable to help with transactions and best practices. Creating such a manual can ensure each department employee completes tasks correctly. It can also help change the perception that the district has an unfair, inequitable and questionable hiring process and practice by ensuring that everyone has access to the steps in that process in writing and can hold the department accountable for any deviations. Recommendation The district should: 1. Create a department handbook that includes the sections identified in the bulleted items above. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Salinas Union High School District 2 Findings and Recommendations Staff Training and Cross-Training Staff Training and Cross-Training Staff Training Throughout FCMAT’s interviews, HR Department staff indicated there is not enough money in the budget for them to attend training on relevant HR issues. Staff indicated that the few training options provided were in group settings. In one instance, a generic training on leaves was offered that was not specific to kin- dergarten through grade 12 (K-12) public schools. Staff indicated that no individual training based on each employee’s specific needs has been offered to current HR staff. FCMAT requested copies of the budget and expenditures for the HR department for 2023-24. The depart- ment has an allocation of $25,000, almost all of which had been encumbered or spent at the time of field- work in November 2023. FCMAT analyized the expenditures made to date for the HR department related to travel and conferences, where training is typically paid for, and found that only $2,625 was spent on group training that directly relates to K-12 education and human resources topics. When allocating resources for training, priority needs to be given to opportunities that will benefit the department as a whole, which directly affects employees’ and the department’s knowledge and efficiency. Overall, HR staff showed minimal awareness of changes in the law in areas such as credentialing, leaves, contract management and workers’ compensation. This lack of training is especially concerning because HR is a highly technical area, and the related laws constantly change. Mistakes in these areas can be costly for the district. It is the best practice to select trainings for the HR Department staff annually and include them in a written plan to ensure that staff receive the knowledge needed to better support the district and understand their many job requirements. This includes new staff. Developing a training schedule as soon as HR personnel are hired helps the department continue to provide technical support and may also fill knowledge gaps to help staff perform their duties and protect the district. In addition, employees feel valued when a district invests in them by providing quality training that is matched to each employee’s needs to build capacity. The department has no plan or training schedule to ensure the continuity needed for timely completion of the department’s work or to make certain that HR customers receive timely answers to questions. Interviews with customers of the HR department indicated that, due to a lack of structure and training, the department is inefficient. Cross-Training HR Department managers lack clear written expectations for employees; likewise, employees lack any such formal expectations for managers. Written expectations need to be provided to all employees, reviewed at least annually, and used during evaluations. This would allow HR staff to understand their roles, provide better customer service, and correct information promptly. Expectations also need to include cross-train- ing. Staff indicate that cross-training, specifically for those who perform the certificated HR functions, has been rare to nonexistent. Most of the knowledge needed to carry out HR functions related to certificated staff is held by one person in the department, and this person decides when staff can be cross-trained. This causes issues with efficiency and is not aligned with best practices. Cross-training in certificated functions needs to occur immediately. Without cross-training, the department will be unable to perform critical tasks such as credentials monitoring if this particular employee is absent. The HR Department divides staff duties between those who process certificated employees and those who process classified employees. This has limited the type of service staff can provide to their internal and Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Salinas Union High School District 3 Findings and Recommendations Staff Training and Cross-Training external customers. If a staff member who works solely on certificated staff is on vacation or leave, the HR Department is hindered in its ability to serve those customers. Some staff reported not being able to take vacation because no one else in the department can perform their job tasks. This has caused excessive compensatory time and vacation balances to accrue. Reorganizing the HR Department and reassigning job duties would better align responsibilities between department management and staff-level positions. Instead of the delineation between those who serve certificated and classified staff, each department staff member could be assigned both types of personnel duties. More detailed information on this can be found in the “Organization and Staffing” section of this report. Redesigning the staff duties from certificated or classified to all duties, by type, would necessitate cross-training to ensure that staff are well-versed in processes for both employee classifications. It would increase overall department efficiency and morale by allowing employees to work together, support one another, understand the differences between classifications, respect the expertise and knowledge of other staff, and provide better service. Recommendations The district should: 1. Ensure that the HR Department develops an annual written training plan for HR staff to better support the district and improve efficiency. 2. Ensure that HR Department managers and staff regularly attend training in relevant K-12 public school issues. 3. Develop and provide clear, written expectations that include cross-training for HR Department staff. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Salinas Union High School District 4 Findings and Recommendations Communication and Customer Service Communication and Customer Service Human Resources Department Customer Service and Internal Communication Communication was reported as an issue in many of FCMAT’s interviews with staff. Communication can be oral or written. Oral communication can be via phone or in person, either one-on-one or with multiple people, such as a meeting. Written communication can be in the form of memos, emails, policy and proce- dures manuals, board policies and administrative regulations, forms, handbooks, desk manuals, and many others. The district lacks many of the forms and types of communication listed above, and there is a lack of fol- low-through with what little communication the district has. Because of these lapses, employees dis- trictwide have reported a lack of support when handling HR issues. Many of those interviewed cited con- cerns about the HR Department’s customer service and lack of timeliness. Among the issues mentioned in FCMAT’s interviews were the following: information not provided in a timely manner; incorrect information; emails and phone calls ignored; processes and procedures not consistent; and taking several weeks to correct an error once it is identified. Some employees reported having to visit the HR department office in person to obtain support or get answers to questions. Interviewees indicated it is difficult to support employees and to make timely decisions when communication is inconsistent or unreliable. Comments from staff indicated that they often have to contact HR staff repeatedly for responses and information, and that they do not receive timely information on employee issues. Several managers stated they had to take disciplinary action against employees without advice or guidance from the HR Department. This exposes the district to a high level of risk and potential litigation if regulations are not followed. Adopting a districtwide standard deadline by which employees must return telephone calls and emails is essential to efficient and effective communication. Department and school administrators could then be held responsible for implementing and enforcing this standard and could ensure that everyone is treated consistently and fairly. This standard is important even if a complete response will take longer to develop. All those affected need to know they have been heard and that their concerns will be addressed. Improving customer service needs to become a top priority for the HR Department. The first step to improv- ing customer service is for this to be an expectation from the department head. Another common way to identify ways to improve customer service is to perform a customer service survey annually, which would inform HR department managers and district leaders of the level of customer service being provided. Without a customer service survey, it is difficult for the district and HR leadership to fully determine what improvements need to be made. Communication within the HR Department also needs improvement. Some HR Department employees reported that the department held monthly meetings, but that these meetings lacked substance. Staff meetings are an important part of establishing a cohesive department because they help share ideas, pro- vide an environment where everyone can ask questions, develop solutions, share knowledge and prevent miscommunications and misunderstandings. To be effective, staff meetings should have an agenda to keep everyone on task, a time limit, and a designated mediator. Topics could include items such as current dis- trict events and how they affect the department, current department priorities, scheduled department tasks and activities, progress on long-term projects, and training opportunities. The mediator should not set the agenda alone; the agenda should be developed by the group, and everyone in the department should have the opportunity to add topics to ensure all voices are heard. Holding regular department staff meetings can help form a cohesive team that understands department mechanics and processes. Well-facilitated Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Salinas Union High School District 5 Findings and Recommendations Communication and Customer Service staff meetings can help improve verbal and written communication among personnel, provide a consistent avenue of reliable information, promote openness on decisions, and improve communication and relation- ships throughout the district. The HR Department leaders need to communicate better with the department’s staff members. Department staff did not appear adequately informed of important issues and activities in the district and department. For example, several staff members reported that when decisions are made in cabinet or at board meet- ings, they are informed by other departments rather than by HR Department leaders. This lack of commu- nication could lead to HR staff being unaware of approved policies and procedures, which exposes the district to risk. FCMAT also noted during interviews that morale in the department was threatened because staff did not feel valued enough to be kept informed of pertinent information. Human Resources Department Communication with the Business Office There is a lack of coordination between the Business Services and the HR departments. During fieldwork, FCMAT was given agendas for five meetings that occurred in the past year between the payroll staff and the HR Department. Payroll staff are located within the business office. Most of the items appear to be questions or concerns that the two departments are working on resolving together. There are no interde- partmental meetings between the Business Services and HR departments. The two departments lack a joint calendar of major events or responsibilities, even though they are linked by the hiring, payroll, and position control functions. It is imperative that the two departments work together to ensure that employ- ees are paid correctly and on time and that information is accurate for financial reporting periods and budget development. In addition to the lack of communication, the relationship between the two departments is strained. District staff reported that many payroll errors occur, and this causes finger-pointing between the HR and Business Services department managers. This behavior is a result of improper workflow and poor training. It threat- ens the efficiency of both departments and degrades the reputations of both departments in the eyes of the district staff. The best practice to help business and HR departments function at a high level is to have regular inter- departmental meetings. These meetings need to have certain standing agenda items including, but not limited to, the following: • New hires/separations effective dates. • Leaves of absence. • Workflow. • Process improvements. Improving communication between the two departments should lead to fewer payroll errors and better accuracy and timeliness of data entry for payroll and position control functions. Recommendations The district should: Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Salinas Union High School District 6 Findings and Recommendations Communication and Customer Service 1. Ensure HR Department staff understand the district’s newly-adopted expectation that the department focus on providing efficient and timely communication as well as excellent customer service for both applicants and employees. 2. Establish a districtwide standard timeline for returning emails and telephone calls. If it will take longer to provide a complete response, ensure that the return communication includes an estimated time for providing the response. 3. Conduct a customer service survey so that areas needing improvement can be addressed and support can be provided. 4. Ensure monthly HR Department meetings are held, and include agendas and minutes for each. 5. Ensure HR Department leaders communicate changed policies and procedures to department staff in a timely fashion. 6. Ensure that interdepartmental meetings of the Business Services and HR departments occur at least monthly, and more frequently during financial reporting periods. Ensure all meetings are memorialized with agendas and meeting minutes. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Salinas Union High School District 7 Findings and Recommendations Workflow and Distribution of Functions Workflow and Distribution of Functions Position Control Position control is a system for tracking information based on positions rather than employees. It is a frame- work of positions for all jobs in the organization, regardless of whether an employee is currently in a spe- cific job. Position control prevents employees from being hired if an organization does not have a position to which they will be assigned. Position control includes creating, maintaining, and monitoring positions and the budgets for them. In school districts, the HR and Business Services departments usually manage this collaboratively. Salary and benefit costs are the largest component of any school district’s budget. Salinas Union High School District’s 2023-24 budget shows that personnel costs make up 83% of unrestricted general fund expenditures. Maintaining an effective position control system is essential to produce the information needed to manage the cost of salaries and benefits, to properly reflect those expenditures in the district’s budget, and to ensure that they remain within a reasonable ratio to total expenditures. A reliable position control system establishes positions by site or department and helps prevent over- or underbudgeting of staff by including all district-approved positions. In addition, a reliable position control system can help prevent the budget process from omitting routine annual expenses that are tied to district positions. These include step-and-column salary increases, substitutes, extra duty pay, stipends, vacation payouts, retiree health and welfare payments, and other contract-related items. Position control is also necessary to accurately identify the cost savings from open positions and/or attri- tion, and to model adjustments to salary schedules. To be most effective, a position control system must be integrated with other financial modules such as budget and payroll. There should also be segregation of duties within and between position control functions to ensure proper internal controls and a reliable position control system. Those controls must ensure that only board-authorized positions are entered into position control, that the HR Department hires only for board-authorized positions, and that payroll pays only employees hired by HR for board-authorized positions. A fully functioning position control system helps districts maintain accurate budget projections, employee demographic data, and salary and benefit information. Internal controls help ensure efficient operations, reliable financial information, and legal compliance. Internal controls also help protect the district from material weaknesses, serious errors, and fraud. These controls need to be part of any position control system. The following table provides a suggested distribution of labor between the Business Services and HR departments to help provide the necessary internal control structure. Position Control Tasks and Responsible Department Task Responsibility Approve or authorize position Governing board Enter approved position into position control with estimated salary and budget. Business Services Department Each position is given a unique number. Eliminate positions. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Salinas Union High School District 8 Findings and Recommendations Workflow and Distribution of Functions Task Responsibility Enter demographic data into the main demographic screen, including: Employee name. Employee address. Social Security number. Human Resources Department Credential (if applicable). Classification. Salary schedule placement. Annual review of employee assignments. Update employee benefits. Business Services and Human Resources departments Review and update employee work calendars. Annually review and update salary schedules. This may need to be completed more frequently, such as in the case of collective bargaining Business Services and Human Resources departments settlements. Account codes. Budget development. Budget projections. Business Services Department Multiyear projections. Salary projections. Many of the items identified in the table above as business services responsibilities are being handled by the district’s HR department, which is causing issues with payroll and budget. The district uses the county superintendent of schools’ accounting software called Escape, which includes a position control module that can be integrated with budget development and payroll. The district’s posi- tion control system drives its payroll system, which means that if an employee is not entered correctly into position control, payroll payments will contain errors. Staff reported many payroll errors occur every month, and some errors have existed for years before being corrected. It is the best practice for an HR Department to work with a position control report that uses the information within the position control system. This allows it to know at any time which positions are vacant and being actively recruited for, and which positions are deliberately being left frozen because of funding changes. Each position needs to have a unique position number, and changes to positions need to be driven by a position request form. During interviews, staff indicated different variations of the workflow from when a personnel request is cre- ated to when the position is entered into the position control system. Human resources staff responsible for certificated staff reported that the principal at a school would initiate the personnel request and send it to human resources, which would then enter the information into the position control system, and assign the account code, which is a business office function, without the business office being involved. The Business Services Department is responsible for ensuring that funds are sufficient for all employees and positions. This path of the personnel request through position control exposes the district to the risk that positions will cost more than the district’s available funding, which could lead to deficit spending and inaccurate bud- gets. Staff interviewed also indicated that the position control system has not been routinely reconciled to payroll or budget. Because salaries and benefits are 83% of the district’s budget, the risks that these issues create are high. Staff also reported that the position control system is inaccurate and unreliable. Staff indicated that the number of vacant positions is incorrect. HR staff have created and rely on Google Sheets to keep track of how many employees and positions the district has. It is the best practice to use an integrated financial system and human resources software without the need for external spreadsheets of any kind. Keeping information in a Google Sheet presents numerous problems: the owner of the spreadsheet could terminate employment with the district, leaving no record of the file, and causing information to be incongruent with Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Salinas Union High School District 9 Findings and Recommendations Workflow and Distribution of Functions the financial system, because it requires double entry to keep the two types of entries reconciled. Thus, full integration of data and data integrity is threatened. Any time information is held outside of the financial system, a district faces a risk that reports and budgets will not be completely accurate. The district’s position request process is not electronic. The financial system, Escape, has a module that can perform electronically all the steps that the district is doing manually. Implementing this module could make the process more efficient and allow the position request process and the position control system to communicate, further automating both. FCMAT created its Fiscal Health Risk Analysis (FHRA) tool to help districts measure their fiscal health. The FHRA includes questions about the 20 areas in which districts that have faced fiscal insolvency have had weaknesses. Section 19 of the FHRA is Position Control; it would benefit the district to use this section in particular to help it monitor proper use of the position control system. The questions in this section include the following: • Does the district account for all positions and costs? • Does the district analyze and adjust staffing based on staffing ratios and enrollment? • Does the district reconcile budget, payroll and position control regularly, at least at budget adoption and interim reporting periods? • Does the district identify a budget source for each new position before the position is authorized by the governing board? • Does the governing board approve all new positions and extra assignments (e.g., stipends) before positions are posted? • Do managers and staff responsible for the district’s human resources, payroll and budget functions meet regularly to discuss issues and improve processes? If a district cannot answer “Yes” to all of these questions, it is at risk of failure in its position control process. At this time, the district would not be able to respond with “Yes” to all of these FHRA questions. Recommendations The district should: 1. Design a position control workflow that aligns with industry standards and that shifts appropriate responsibilities to business office staff. 2. Ensure that the business office is included in the routing of all personnel requisitions, to verify that a sufficient budget is available for all positions. 3. Discontinue the use of external tracking methods, such as Google Sheets. 4. Institute an electronic personnel requisition process. 5. Use section 19 of FCMAT's FHRA, titled "Position Control," to determine whether best practices are being followed to reduce the risk of fiscal insolvency. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Salinas Union High School District 10 Findings and Recommendations Recruitment and Onboarding Recruitment and Onboarding Applicant Tracking In California, the main job applicant tracking system for local educational agencies (LEAs) is EDJOIN, which plays a pivotal role in connecting qualified educators with suitable positions. Edjoin.org is owned by California County Superintendents (CCS) and hosted by the San Joaquin County Office of Education. EDJOIN stands out as a comprehensive platform that both serves as a primary recruitment source and streamlines the application process, allowing candidates to apply for multiple positions effortlessly. The district uses Frontline as its primary applicant tracking system. Although Frontline offers an array of programs to help school districts manage functions such as budget monitoring and absence tracking, it is not the primary applicant tracking system in the state. District and HR Department staff have raised concerns about the impact of this deviation on attracting candidates, and they have reported instances in which potential applicants refrain from applying because of the perceived complexity of creating a new application in the Frontline system. The reported difficulties in engaging job candidates become particularly significant in the context of the ongoing statewide teacher shortage. The difficulty of finding qualified educators underscores the impor- tance of creating an efficient and user-friendly application process to encourage potential candidates to apply. The unique structure of EDJOIN allows for a seamless transfer of applicant information across var- ious job positions and increases the platform’s attractiveness to educators seeking diverse opportunities within the state. In contrast, the reported hesitancy of candidates to engage with the district’s Frontline system introduces potential barriers to recruiting and hiring the best talent. The differences between the district's chosen applicant tracking system and the widely-adopted EDJOIN platform may inadvertently limit the pool of applicants willing to navigate a less familiar and potentially more time-consuming application process. It would benefit the district to transition from Frontline to EDJOIN as its main applicant tracking system. This would help align its recruitment practices with the state norm to maximize the efficiency and reach of its application process. Such a change would not be merely procedural but would help the district adopt best practices in meeting the urgent demand for qualified teachers. It would streamline the application process and could reduce the reported loss of candidates who find the current system less user-friendly. Recommendations The district should: 1. Transition to edjoin.org as its primary applicant tracking system. 2. Provide relevant staff and hiring managers with training on EDJOIN. Centralized Recruitment The district’s decision to transfer the recruitment process from the HR Department to schools or depart- ments is driven by a desire for improved efficiency but poses challenges and highlights the importance of maintaining HR oversight of the recruiting process. Staff reported that the decision was to streamline pro- cesses, potentially due to perceived inefficiencies; however, this change does not align with best practices and has caused further delays in recruitment. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Salinas Union High School District 11 Findings and Recommendations Recruitment and Onboarding Interviews with school and department staff indicated that support from the HR Department for recruitment is minimal. Requests for interview questions often go unfulfilled. School and HR staff have also reported a lack of adequate training on recruitment. As discussed previously, HR Department staff have not received formal training on legal standards and best practices for the primary functions of HR, including recruitment. In addition, interviewees expressed concerns about the lack of adequate training for school and depart- ment staff and about a lack of effective communication and support from the HR Department. As discussed previously, the issues created by the decision to centralize recruitment are compounded by insufficient training for HR staff, which highlights the need for districtwide training initiatives to equip HR professionals, schools and departments with effective and legal recruitment practices. The decentralization of recruitment may also have legal ramifications. The lack of standard processes increases the risk of inconsistent application of hiring practices, which could lead to discrimination claims from applicants who feel unfairly treated. In addition, inadequate training of school and department staff could result in noncompliance with board policy, employment law, and regulations. Failure to follow legal requirements could expose the district to legal consequences, including fines and lawsuits. Insufficient communication and feedback mechanisms may contribute to gaps in documentation, further complicating legal defense in the event of disputes. Insufficient interview and recruitment training for both school and department staff and HR professionals is a significant problem. Without adequate knowledge of recruitment practices, staff may struggle to complete the process effectively and in compliance with legal standards. As discussed previously, the reported lack of feedback and support from the HR department indicates a communication gap. Effective communication channels are vital for collaboration and problem-solving, especially when recruitment is decentralized. Assuming HR staff are adequately trained, centralizing the recruitment process within HR is essential for several reasons. It ensures consistency and adherence to best practices across the organization, mitigating the risk of biased or discriminatory hiring decisions. Ideally, human resources staff are trained to implement standard procedures that align with board policy, legal requirements, and ethical standards. In addition, because HR possesses specialized knowledge in recruitment strategies, it contributes to effective talent acquisition and selection. Finally, a centralized approach facilitates better communication, ensuring that all partners are informed and engaged throughout the hiring process. However, these improvements can only occur with a well-trained HR department that places a strong emphasis on customer service. Although HR’s goal of improving efficiency is understandable, it would benefit the district to reverse the decision to move the recruitment process from HR to specific schools or departments. However, the full benefit of this will be realized only if the district ensures that HR staff receive training regarding the legali- ties of recruitment. This situation underscores the importance of districtwide training initiatives to equip HR professionals with effective and legal recruitment practices. Maintaining centralized HR control is crucial for legal compliance, standardization, and effective communication, all of which contribute to a fair and suc- cessful recruitment process. Recommendations The district should: 1. Provide HR staff with recruitment training that includes best practices and legal guidelines. 2. Ensure that, once trained, HR staff develop districtwide training for staff who are a part of the interview process. 3. Bring the recruitment process back to the HR department. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Salinas Union High School District 12 Findings and Recommendations Recruitment and Onboarding Recruitment To increase efficiency and establish a cohesive recruitment process for both classified and certificated positions, the district needs to transition from its current manual process using Google Sheets to a com- prehensive, automatic, electronic workflow system. Feedback from school staff, departments and HR staff highlights the current recruitment process's burdensome nature, lack of timeliness, and issues related to transparency, communication, and accuracy, particularly within Google Sheets. The cause of this is the district's reliance on Google Docs for recruitment, coupled with the absence of an automated workflow process. Consequently, delays in hiring persist, creating uncertainty among internal customers about the status of their recruitment. Interviews indicated that applicants could wait several weeks before being contacted regarding the next step in the process. In addition, staff interviews indicated that the processes for classified and certificated recruitment differ, introducing unnecessary complexities. To address these challenges and align with best practices, the district needs to adopt an electronic work- flow tool with automation capabilities and develop a standard recruitment flowchart. Below is a sample of a recruitment process flowchart that starts with an approved vacancy. Sample Recruitment Flowchart Requisition created by school or department manager via position HR department screens HR department establishes control. applicants and tests if interview list necessary Business office ensures HR department conducts the position is adequatelly HR department creates interviews funded job posting and opens recruitment HR department checks HR department determines HR department establishes background and references if there are any current expected recruitment elibility or reemployment timelines lists HR department makes employment offer This flowchart is best designed collaboratively using input from staff at various levels so their expertise con- tributes to the creation of a transparent, efficient, and user-friendly recruitment process. In addition, at each step along the process, the flowchart will need to clearly identify who in HR is responsible for the task(s). This ensures transparency about who will complete the process. After it develops the flowchart, the district will need to explore existing systems such as InformedK12, Laserfiche and DocuQuest, or contact Escape to determine if it offers modules for automated electronic workflows. Engaging with these platforms could provide valuable insights into specialized solutions tai- lored to the district's needs. Implementing a dedicated module from these systems could further improve efficiency and automation in the recruitment process, contributing to a seamless and streamlined workflow. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Salinas Union High School District 13 Findings and Recommendations Recruitment and Onboarding This strategic approach, integrating an automated workflow or potentially leveraging existing systems, would position the district to overcome challenges and become efficient while adhering to best practices. Recommendations The district should: 1. Develop a recruitment flowchart that includes information on which staff and positions are responsible for each step. 2. Explore the option of transitioning to an electronic, automated workflow process. Onboarding Employee onboarding is the process of integrating a new staff member into an organization and its culture. It focuses on equipping individuals with the essential tools and information needed to contribute produc- tively to the team. It is the best practice for onboarding to be done in person, because this helps answer any questions employees may have and ensures that the employer has reviewed all of the legally required documents with them. Although a portion of the onboarding process can be done virtually, certain doc- uments and processes need to be done in person, such as explaining health benefit options, reviewing Workers’ Compensation, and other items. In addition, answering a new employee's questions about the work environment is an important component of this process. Typically, an LEA needs to complete a variety of tasks before an employee starts work. Efficient organizations can minimize delays between the time of the final interview and the employee's first day of work. Onboarding works best when organized collaboratively across multiple departments, including human resources, payroll, and information technology, with a goal of seamlessly transitioning individuals into their roles. Interviews with staff indicated that there is a significant delay between the time of a candidate’s final interview and the onboarding process. Staff reported that HR has taken more than four weeks to initiate contact with a candidate to make a job offer. This delay has resulted in some candidates accepting posi- tions elsewhere. It is essential that HR begin the hiring and onboarding process promptly after final inter- views and reference and background checks are completed. In addition, the district’s lack of an in-person onboarding option has contributed to additional delays. This process has left employees with unanswered questions. A district manager indicated that a new employee still lacks information about available benefit plans, which is discussed later in this report. To increase efficiency, the HR Department needs to meticulously track key dates in the onboarding process to identify opportunities to speed up processes. This includes monitoring dates for the following events: • Job offer. • References cleared. • Background cleared. • Onboarding date. • Cleared to start. • Start date. Using an in-person onboarding option has several advantages to help ensure a more effective and positive integration into the new work environment. Face-to-face interactions foster personal connections among Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Salinas Union High School District 14 Findings and Recommendations Recruitment and Onboarding the new employee, colleagues, managers, and the broader team. In-person onboarding also presents an opportunity to communicate essential information about the LEA. This approach also allows for immediate feedback, both verbal and nonverbal, enabling employees to pose questions, receive instant clarification, and accurately gauge reactions. This contributes to a better under- standing of expectations and job responsibilities. To optimize the onboarding process, the district will need to establish dates and times throughout the month for onboarding new employees, particularly during peak hiring times. It is common for effective HR departments to take an all-hands-on-deck approach six to eight weeks before the start of the school year to help ensure that staff are onboarded and prepared to welcome students on the first day of school. Recommendations The district should: 1. Track important dates during the onboarding process. 2. Offer in-person onboarding. 3. Schedule additional onboarding dates in advance for heavy hiring seasons, such as before school starts. New Hire Checklist Hiring new staff in public education is a detailed process with many steps; some are legally required, and others include information on salary, benefits, and demographics. The purpose of a new hire checklist is to ensure that no steps are missed during the new employee onboarding process. The district’s onboarding process is lengthy and slow. Staff report losing many qualified candidates, both certificated and classified, because of the time it takes to onboard a new hire. More information related to onboarding is provided in the “Workflow and Distribution of Functions” section of this report. The HR operational processes could be improved by creating and consistently using a new hire checklist for both classified and certificated employees. Without consistent use of such a checklist, the district will continue to lose valuable, qualified applicants, and could miss steps in the onboarding process, which would put the district at risk of not obtaining legally required documents related to new staff. A sample of the checklist the HR Department uses to onboard classified employees was provided to FCMAT. Although the HR staff interviewed stated that they use a similar checklist for certificated employ- ees, none was provided to FCMAT. The classified employee checklist is thorough and contains legally mandated items as well as those needed to track longevity, employee leaves, demographic information, and payroll. However, the checklist could be improved by doing the following: 1. Creating a new hire checklist that is visible to the new employee to follow progress during onboarding. 2. Including technology needs for the new hire as part of the checklist. 3. Adding a signature line for both the new hire and the HR staff person responsible for ensuring the checklist is complete, with a corresponding date line for each. This would Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Salinas Union High School District 15 Findings and Recommendations Recruitment and Onboarding provide accountability for both the completeness of the checklist and the timeliness of the completion. Recommendations The district should: 1. Create a new hire checklist for use when onboarding certificated staff, and include in it the same items as listed in the next recommendation for the classified new hire checklist. 2. Update the classified new hire checklist so it is visible to the employee, includes technology needs, and includes signature lines, with dates, for both the new hire and the HR staff member completing the checklist. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Salinas Union High School District 16 Findings and Recommendations Organization and Staffing Organization and Staffing Span of Control Span of control refers to the number of subordinates who report directly to a supervisor. Although there is no agreed-upon ideal number of subordinates for span of control, the span can be larger at lower levels of an organization than at higher levels because subordinates at lower levels typically perform routine duties that are easier to supervise. Chain of Command Chain of command refers to the flow of authority in an organization and is characterized by two significant principles: unity of command, in which a subordinate is accountable to only one supervisor, thus eliminating the potential for conflicting direction from multiple supervisors; and the scalar principle, in which authority and responsibility flows in a direct vertical line from top management to the lower levels. The result is a hierarchical division of labor. Line and Staff Authority A school district’s organizational structure has both line and staff authority. Line authority is the relationship between supervisors and subordinates and refers to the direct line in the chain of command.1 For example, in the Salinas Union High School District, the superintendent has direct line authority over the assistant superintendent/human resources, and the assistant superintendent has direct line authority over the direc- tors of human resources. In contrast, staff authority is advisory in nature. Staff personnel do not have the authority to make and implement decisions, but act in support of supervisors who have line authority. Management positions are responsible for supervising employees and the work of their respective departments. They must ensure staff members understand all district policies and procedures and perform duties in a timely and accurate manner. A manager also serves as the liaison between their department and others to identify and resolve problems and design and modify processes and procedures as needed. Management positions are typi- cally not responsible for routine daily functions; these activities are best assigned to department staff. Job Descriptions and Reclassifications Accurate and updated job descriptions are crucial for any LEA because they do the following: • Provide clarity to employees and potential candidates about roles and responsibilities. • Help in recruitment and candidate screening. • Guide training and development initiatives • Facilitate workforce planning and legal compliance. • Support career progression. • Foster clear communication across the school district. 1Organization Theory and Design; Richard L. Daft; South-Western College Publishing; copyright 2001. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Salinas Union High School District 17 Findings and Recommendations Organization and Staffing The district is in its eighth year of a districtwide job reclassification project with its third outside vendor. Typically, a job reclassification is the process of determining if a particular position should be moved to another salary range or grade, based on the job tasks, functions and market. During the reclassification process, which is normally done internally, job descriptions are also reviewed and updated. The reclassifica- tion depends on accurate job descriptions. One of the main functions of the HR department is to create and maintain job descriptions. Interviews and documents provided to FCMAT indicate that HR has not updated job descriptions because it is awaiting completion of the reclassification project. FCMAT also found that most of the job descriptions in the HR department were out of date or had no review date, as shown in the table below. HR Department Job Description Creation and Revision Dates Title Initial Date/Last Revised Assistant Superintendent HR 3/19/12 Director of Human Resources-Classified 2/9/99 & 1/26/22 Director of Human Resources-Certificated 7/21/15 Sr Administrative Secretary III No Date Listed Sr Administrative Secretary II (x2) No Date Listed Personnel Clerk/Receptionist No Date Listed Personnel Specialist II No Date Listed Job duties and responsibilities can evolve over time because of changes in technology, district needs, industry standards, and other factors. If job descriptions are not updated, they may no longer accurately reflect the requirements of the positions. If the HR department’s job descriptions are not updated, confu- sion regarding responsibilities could spread throughout the district and to job applicants. The district decided to have some personnel specialist II positions work only on HR duties related to certificated staff, and other of these positions work only on HR duties related to classified staff. However, this delineation is not noted in the job description. For example, according to the job description, all staff in the personnel specialist II position are required to “Interpret State and County credentialing laws and rules…...” This decision has also created an environment in which staff become isolated in their position and responsibilities. These decisions are not conducive to best practices and usually decrease efficiency within departments. In addition, the personnel specialist II and the senior administrative secretary II positions are in the same salary range, which is against compensation best practices. In most organizations, positions that require a higher level of knowledge, experience and function are usually compensated at a higher rate. Staff inter- views indicated that the district also has no personnel specialist I or senior administrative secretary I posi- tions. It would benefit the district to conduct a compensation study on its administrative secretary II and personnel specialist II positions to determine what the appropriate salaries should be. Once the compensa- tion study is complete, salary ranges can be adjusted in accordance with market rates. Outdated job descriptions could make it difficult to recruit qualified applicants. Potential candidates might be discouraged from applying if these documents do not accurately reflect the skills and qualifications needed for the position. This could limit the applicant pool, cause further delays in hiring, and make it harder to find suitable candidates. As discussed previously, the district has contracted with a vendor for the reclassification study. However, employees indicated there is no plan to keep job descriptions current after the study is completed. Without such a plan, job descriptions will again become outdated. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Salinas Union High School District 18 Findings and Recommendations Organization and Staffing Most HR staff have not received training outside the organization on how to conduct job classification studies or job description updates. Such studies are highly involved and require assistance from various departments and staff. The HR Department needs to provide its staff, managers and employees with train- ing and resources regarding the importance of accurate job descriptions and how to effectively communi- cate changes in job roles. Insufficient training for staff often manifests as reduced efficiency, an increased number of errors, the need to redo work, diminished customer service, and other related issues. Once personnel are adequately trained, the HR department will need to develop a three-year calendar that includes which classifications’ job descriptions will be reviewed each month. Ideally, HR could reasonably expect all classifications’ job descriptions to be reviewed or revised within three years. Once the calendar is developed, HR can prioritize work and regularly conduct thorough job description reviews. This would require working closely with department managers and employees to understand any changes in job duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required for each position. Setting a calendar and a timeline and adhering to them helps ensure success. HR staff need to work collaboratively with the district’s various departments and leaders to gather input and feedback regarding any changes in job roles and responsibilities. This can help ensure that the updated job descriptions accurately reflect the needs of each department. Recommendations The district should: 1. Update job descriptions for HR department positions and districtwide. 2. Study the compensation range of the personnel specialist II and senior administrative secretary II positions. 3. If needed based on study results and market rates and, if affordable, adjust the salary range of the personnel specialist II and senior administrative secretary II positions. 4. Provide HR staff with training on the reclassification process. 5. Ensure HR staff create and adhere to a calendar of job classification updates. 6. Develop a three-year calendar and plan that identifies which job classifications are to be updated during which month. 7. Require HR staff to develop training for the district’s administration to assist in the job classification process. Human Resources Department Workload and Staff Assignments As discussed previously, documents provided and staff interviews indicate the HR department’s work is split by classification. The department structure is shown below: Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Salinas Union High School District 19 Findings and Recommendations Organization and Staffing Current Human Resources Department Organization Salinas Union High School District Community Salinas UHSD Board of Trustees Superintendent Assistant Superintendent, Human Resources (1.0 FTE) Director of Human Director of Human Resources Certificated Resources Classified (1.0 FTE) (1.0 FTE) Personnel Specialist II Personnel Specialist II (1.0 FTE) (1.0 FTE) Personnel Specialist II Personnel Specialist II (1.0 FTE) (1.0 FTE) Support staff are not included in the organizational chart shown above. There is a division within the department, splitting the work between employees who serve certificated staff and those who serve classified staff. At the time of interviews, within the certificated side, a personnel specialist II was slowly cross-training the other personnel specialist II on the task of credentials. However, on the classified staff side, no training is being provided to personnel specialist II employees on the function of credentials. This is contrary to the current job description, which states that all personnel specialist II positions are responsi- ble for credentials. In addition, interviews indicate that when one personnel specialist II is absent, whether on the certificated or classified side, the tasks and duties assigned to that position stop until the individual returns or in some cases until the position is filled. When absences occur, it is essential that another staff member perform the duties of that position until it is filled or staff return. To achieve this, staff need to be cross-trained. All staff members need to be able to perform the duties of another in case of absence or vacancy. Inadequate cross-training is often a problem even in the largest central offices. For efficiency purposes, it may be best to have each personnel specialist II position handle HR duties for both certificated and classi- fied employees. Below is a table that shows how these duties may be divided among staff appropriately. In this case, FCMAT split the assignments by the last name of the employees. Another method, shown in the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Salinas Union High School District 20 Findings and Recommendations Organization and Staffing second table below, is to split duties by school or department. The district would have to determine which method would work best for its situation. Possible Division of Duties by Employees’ Last Names Staff Responsibility Certificated (Last Name) Classified (Last Name) Personnel Specialist II A-G S-Z Personnel Specialist II H-L M-R Personnel Specialist II M-R H-L Personnel Specialist II S-Z A-G Possible Division of Duties by School and Department Staff Responsibility Sites Departments Business Services, Educational Services, Personnel Specialist II Alisal HS, El Puente School, El Sausal MS Educational Technology HR, Information Technology, Instructional Personnel Specialist II Everett Alvarez HS, Harden MS, La Paz MS Services Mission Trails ROP, K12 Strong Workforce Pupil Personnel Services, Research, Personnel Specialist II Program, Mount Toro HS, North Salinas HS Assessment, and Accountability Rancho San Juan HS, Salinas Adult School, Special Projects, Student Services, Student Personnel Specialist II Salinas HS, Washington HS Health & Wellness The district would also benefit from assigning HR staff the task of managing employment benefits. Interviews indicated that benefits are managed by an account clerk in the business department but that this individual’s only responsibility in this area is to process payments to medical providers. No staff are respon- sible for reviewing benefit programs with new employees, which is commonly done during onboarding. As a result, no district representative is available to answer basic questions from employees related to the dis- trict’s benefits packages. If staff have complex benefits-related questions, they are referred to the benefit providers. Recommendations The district should: 1. Give all personnel specialist II positions duties related to both classified and certificated staff. 2. Assign the task of reviewing benefits programs to the personnel specialist II positions. Master Schedule Interviews with HR staff and staff from the Educational Services Department revealed that staff in the HR Department who are assigned to certificated staff prepare, monitor and edit the master schedule. This is a departure from the norm, as in most LEAs these responsibilities typically fall under the purview of edu- cational services. In addition, staff members stated that HR has the authority to veto certain schedules or course allocations proposed by principals and/or the Educational Services Department. It is common practice among LEAs to have these tasks performed and overseen by educational services. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Salinas Union High School District 21 Findings and Recommendations Organization and Staffing To align with industry standards, the district needs to immediately reassign the creation and maintenance of the master schedule from HR to educational services. This change would empower educational services, working collaboratively with school principals and the business department, to articulate and meet the specific needs of the district’s students. The HR department's primary focus could then be on recruiting suitable candidates who align with various schools’ requirements, ultimately benefiting both the schools and the district. Recommendation The district should: 1. Move the task of managing the master schedule from HR to educational services. New Teacher Support — Teacher on Special Assignments In most LEAs, it is a common practice to have professional development for certificated staff under edu- cational services. The primary objective of the Educational Services Department is to ensure a systematic approach to monitoring and aligning all training and professional development activities with the district-ap- proved curriculum and teaching practices. This includes providing professional development to existing certificated staff as well as orientation and support for new teachers, whether they are new to the teaching profession or newly affiliated with the district. The HR Department oversees 3.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) teachers on special assignment (TOSAs) ded- icated to providing support to new teachers. Feedback from staff highlights a redundancy in the efforts between the TOSAs assigned to the HR Department and the services provided by the Educational Services department. Staff members have expressed concerns about this duplication of effort and were aware of the need to ensure that the training sessions delivered do not duplicate those offered by the Educational Services Department, which would require careful coordination. FCMAT received reports of instances when TOSAs in the HR Department delivered training sessions similar to those offered by the Educational Services Department, which is inefficient. Although HR plays a role in supporting both new and existing employees, it would benefit the district to transfer the TOSAs currently assigned to the HR Department to the Educational Services Department. This would help improve the over- all efficiency of its training and support for both new and existing employees, and it would place responsi- bility for training with the relevant department, which is the common and the best practice. The suggested realignment of the TOSA position would help streamline professional development, reduce or eliminate duplication, and ensure a more coherent and effective approach to training. Recommendation The district should: 1. Reassign the 3.0 FTE TOSAs from the HR Department to the Educational Services Department. Human Resources Department Staffing FCMAT conducted a staffing comparison of high school districts using information from Ed Data, which pro- vides detailed information on California’s K-12 students. FCMAT filtered its search to locate high school dis- Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Salinas Union High School District 22 Findings and Recommendations Organization and Staffing tricts with an enrollment that differed by no more than 4,500 students from the district’s current enrollment. Some of the districts used for comparison were merit system districts, in which a personnel commission is responsible for overseeing certain aspects of the district’s human resources functions that affect classified employees. A personnel commission is an independent body that oversees a district’s merit system. In districts that have a personnel commission, the functions related to recruiting staff are somewhat similar to those in nonmerit districts. In addition to information from Ed Data, FCMAT used information from the comparison districts’ websites and information obtained directly from the districts’ staff. When using data from the websites, FCMAT assumed that the positions were full time (1.0 FTE). In some cases, a portion of an FTE was split among or between various departments, creating a shared position. Human Resources Staffing Comparison Census Day FRPM/EL/Foster Enrollment Unduplicated % HR Staff District Name District Type (District) (2022-23) (District)** (FTE) Fullerton Joint Union High (Orange) High School District 13,173 60.70% 9.00 Huntington Beach Union High (Orange) High School District (PC)* 14,522 52.87% 11.00 Oxnard Union High (Ventura) High School District 17,770 65.24% 11.00 Roseville Joint Union High (Placer) High School District 12,237 22.46% 11.00 Salinas Union High (Monterey) High School District 16,337 91.78% 11.00 San Dieguito Union High (San Diego) High School District (PC)* 12,615 18.99% 10.00 Victor Valley Union High (San Bernardino) High School District 12,105 75.17% 10.00 Average 14,108 55.32% 10.43 *PC designates that the LEA is a Merit District with a Personnel Commission. **Indicates students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals, are English learners, or are foster youth. No student is counted twice, even if they are in more than one of these categories. Sources: Ed-Data.org, informal FCMAT survey, and the districts’ websites. In the comparison districts, student enrollment varied from 12,105 to 17,770, with an average of 12,533. The districts’ HR departments’ FTE ranged from 9.0 to 11.0. Districts with a merit system had HR FTE ranging from 10.0 to 11.0. The functions related to the recruitment of classified positions must be carried out regard- less of the presence of a merit system. The comparison’s average staff assigned to HR departments is 10.0 FTE. Although comparative information can provide valuable insights, it should not be the sole determinant of suitable staffing levels because each district is unique in the students it serves and the services it provides. According to the data shown above, it appears that Salinas Union High School District is understaffed. However, before justifying additional FTE, the district needs to implement several of the recommendations in this report, because failure to do so would result in hiring another staff member who is not given ade- quate training to meet the department’s demands. Interviews with HR staff indicated that the district has no classified staffing ratios. It is the best practice for districts to develop and implement certificated and classified staffing ratios. FCMAT’s Indicators of Risk or Potential Insolvency is a tool that was developed to identify key risk factors in functions needed to maintain a district’s fiscal health. One of the indicators is position control, which includes the following risk factors related to staffing ratios. • Failure to analyze and/or adjust staffing based on staffing ratios and enrollment. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Salinas Union High School District 23 Findings and Recommendations Organization and Staffing • Failure to adopt/or follow staffing ratios for certificated, classified and administrative positions. • Failure to align special education staffing ratios, class sizes and caseloads with statutory requirements and industry standards. Each of the above bullet points represents a risk to a district that lacks staffing ratios. The district’s lack of staffing ratios increases its risk of fiscal insolvency and needs to be addressed. As previously discussed, the district’s projected decline in enrollment makes it even more important to establish and adhere to staff- ing ratios. The following suggested organizational chart is designed to help the district reach its goals and provide better customer service. The organizational chart will be useful only once FCMAT’s recommendations have been or are being implemented. The proposed organizational chart reclassifies a senior administrative secretary II to a personnel special- ist II, resulting in a total of 5.0 FTE personnel specialist II positions. In addition, the chart includes a new position of executive director of human resources, which could involve reclassifying one of the district’s two director of human resources positions. This role would serve as an intermediary between the assistant superintendent, human resources position and the director of human resources position. Under this structure, 1.0 FTE senior administrative secretary II would be designated to support the assistant superintendent, human resources, and a reclassified senior administrative secretary II would be assigned the role of department administrative secretary under the executive director of human resources. To improve the overall efficiency of the HR department, it would be advisable to add a 1.0 FTE personnel clerk/ receptionist, bringing the total to 2.0 FTE personnel clerk/receptionist positions. All these positions must be expected to provide customer service to both classified and certificated staff, both internally (district staff and administration) and externally (general public, applicants, and others). Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Salinas Union High School District 24 Findings and Recommendations Organization and Staffing Human Resources Department Suggested Organization Salinas Union High School District Community Salinas UHSD Board of Trustees Superintendent Assistant Superintendent, Senior Administrative Human Resources Secretary II (1.0 FTE) (1.0 FTE) Executive Director of Department Administrative Human Resources Secretary (1.0 FTE) (1.0 FTE) Director of Human Resources (1.0 FTE) Personnel Specialist II (5.0 FTE) Personnel Clerk/ Receptionist (2.0 FTE) Recommendations The district should: 1. Work with its respective departments to develop classified staffing ratios. 2. Consider implementing a new organizational chart. 3. Consider reclassifying one senior administrative secretary II position to a personnel specialist II position. 4. Consider reclassifying one of the two director of human resources positions to an executive director of human resources. 5. Consider reclassifying one senior administrative secretary II position to a department administrative secretary. 6. Consider adding one 1.0 FTE personnel clerk/receptionist position. Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Salinas Union High School District 25 Appendix Appendix Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Salinas Union High School District 26 Appendix Study Agreement Study Agreement Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Salinas Union High School District 27 Appendix Study Agreement Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Salinas Union High School District 28 Appendix Study Agreement Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Salinas Union High School District 29 Appendix Study Agreement Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Salinas Union High School District 30 Appendix Study Agreement 9/28/23 Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Salinas Union High School District 31