Comprehensive Review Executive Summary

West Contra Costa Unified School District Third Six-month Progress Review January 2, 2003 Submitted by Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team Introduction This report provides the West Contra Costa Unified School District with the third of four six-month progress reviews of its efforts to address the improvement plan recommendations that were presented to the district in the July 2001 Assessment and Improvement Plan. The Assessment and Improvement Plan provided a systemic, comprehensive assessment in five areas of district operations: 1. Community Relations 2. Personnel Management 3. Pupil Achievement 4. Financial Management 5. Facilities Management This six-month assessment continues to be based upon the existing legal and professional standards that were used in the Assessment and Improvement Plan and that are applicable to all California school districts. Independent and external professional experts from both the private and public sectors assisted in the research, identification and categorization of the standards utilized in the assessment of the West Contra Costa Unified School District. The process of systemic assessment, prioritization and intervention used to develop the Assessment and Improvement Plan provided a foundation upon which to increase the overall capacity and productivity of the district by establishing a baseline by which progress can be measured. Six-month progress reviews provide the district with a measure of progress in achieving the professional and legal standards. The district is not expected to address all of the professional and legal standards in the Assessment and Improvement Plan in a six-month period. Targeting a few standards at a time allows the district to focus its improvement efforts on standards that are most pressing. The district and the FCMAT providers collaboratively determine the standards in each operational area that will be targeted for review during each six-month review period. In the Assessment and Improvement Plan, FCMAT provided both an analysis of the issues in West Contra Costa and a priority listing of those needs that are most pressing through its comprehensive audit. This third six-month progress review provides current ratings on those standards identified by FCMAT and the district that continue to be pressing. The findings presented in this report represent a snapshot of the district. FCMAT would like to acknowledge the cooperation of the district Governing Board, administration and staff during these follow-up progress reviews. Historical Background On September 22, 2000, Assembly Bill 2265 was signed into law. In part, the bill required the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team to conduct assessments of the West Contra Costa Unified School District in the five major operational areas. The bill allocated $800,000 to FCMAT for that purpose, and required the team to file status reports every six months with various entities, including the Legislature, on the school district’s progress in meeting the recommendations of the various improve- ment plans. This is the third of four six-month reports that will monitor the district’s progress over a period of two years. Introduction 1 Study Guidelines FCMAT’s approach to implementing the statutory requirements of AB 2265 is based upon a commit- ment to a standards-based, independent and external review of the West Contra Costa Unified School District’s operations. FCMAT performed the initial assessment and developed the Assessment and Improvement Plan (July 2, 2001) in collaboration with four other external providers selected through a competitive process. Professionals from throughout California contributed their knowledge and applied the identified legal and professional standards to the specific local conditions found in the West Contra Costa Unified School District. The FCMAT providers continue to provide their expertise as partici- pants in each six-month review process. Five basic tenets are incorporated in the Assessment and Improvement Plan and in the six-month progress reviews. These tenets were based on previous assessments conducted by FCMAT in school districts throughout California and a review of data from other states implementing external reviews of troubled school districts. The five basic tenets are: 1. Use Professional and Legal Standards Our experience indicates that for schools and school districts to be successful in program improvement, the evaluation, design and implementation of improvement plans must be standards-driven. FCMAT has noted positive differences between an objective standards-based approach versus a non-standards- based approach. When standards are clearly defined, reachable, and communicated, there is a greater likelihood they will be measured and met. In order to participate in the process of the West Contra Costa Unified School District review, potential providers responded to a Request for Applications (RFA) that identified these standards as the basis of assessment and improvement. Moreover, the providers were required to demonstrate how the FCMAT-identified standards would be incorporated into their work. It is these standards on which the improvement plans for the West Contra Costa district were based. The standards, while identified specifically for the West Contra Costa Unified School District, are benchmarks that could be readily utilized as an indication of success for any school district in California. Every standard was measured on a consistent rating format, and each standard was given a scaled score from zero to 10 as to its relative status of completeness. The following represents a definition of terms and scaled scores. The single purpose of the scaled score is to establish a baseline of information by which the district’s future gains and achievements in each of the standard areas can be measured. Not Implemented (Scaled Score of 0) There is no significant evidence that the standard is implemented. Partially Implemented (Scaled Score of 1 through 7) A partially implemented standard lacks completeness, and it is met in a limited degree. The degree of completeness varies as defined: 1) Some design or research regarding the standard is in place that supports preliminary development. (Scaled Score of 1) 2) Implementation of the standard is well into the development stage. Appropriate staff is engaged and there is a plan for implementation. (Scaled Score of 2) 3) A plan to address the standard is fully developed, and the standard is in the beginning phase of implementation. (Scaled Score of 3) 2 Introduction 4) Staff is engaged in the implementation of most elements of the standard. (Scaled Score of 4) 5) Staff is engaged in the implementation of the standard. All standard elements are developed and are in the implementation phase. (Scaled Score of 5) 6) Elements of the standard are implemented, monitored and becoming systematic. (Scaled Score of 6) 7) All elements of the standard are fully implemented, are being monitored, and appropriate adjustments are taking place. (Scaled Score of 7) Fully Implemented (Scaled Score of 8-10) A fully implemented standard is complete relative to the following criteria: 8) All elements of the standard are fully and substantially implemented and are sustainable. (Scaled Score of 8) 9) All elements of the standard are fully and substantially implemented and have been sustained for a full school year. (Scaled Score of 9) 10) All elements of the standard are fully implemented, are being sustained with high quality, are being refined, and have a process for ongoing evaluation. (Scaled Score of 10) 2. Conduct an External and Independent Assessment FCMAT employed an external and independent assessment process in the development of the Assess- ment and Improvement Plan. The report presented findings and improvement plans based on the external and independent assessment from four separate professional agencies: • California School Boards Association (CSBA) – Community Relations • Schromm and Associates – Personnel • MGT of America – Pupil Achievement • School Services of California – Financial Management and Facilities Management Collectively, these professional agencies constitute FCMAT’s providers in the assessment process. Their external and independent assessments serve as the primary basis for the reliability, integrity and credibil- ity of the review. These providers continue to assist FCMAT in conducting these six-month progress reviews. 3. Utilize Multiple Measures of Assessment For a finding to be considered legitimate, multiple sources need to be utilized to provide the same or consistent information. The Assessment and Improvement Plan and subsequent six-month progress reports are based on multiple measures. Testing, personal interviews, group meetings, public hearings, observations, review and analysis of data all provided added value to the assessment process. The providers were required to utilize multiple measurements as they assessed the standard. This process allowed for a variety of ways of determining whether the standards were met. All school district opera- tions with an impact on student achievement, including governance, fiscal, personnel, and facilities were reviewed and included in the improvement plan. 4. Empower Staff and Community The development of a strong professional development plan for the board and staff is a critical compo- nent of an effective school district. The success of the improvement plans and their implementation are dependent upon an effective professional and community development process. For this reason, the empowerment of staff and community is one of the highest priorities, and emphasizing this priority with each of the four partners was critical. As a result, a strong training component for board, staff and administration was called for consistently throughout the initial report. Introduction 3 Of paramount importance is the community’s role of local governance. The absence of parental involve- ment in education is a growing concern nationally. A key to success in the West Contra Costa Unified School District is the re-engagement of parents, teachers, and support staff. West Contra Costa parents care deeply about their children’s future and want to participate in improving the school district and enhancing student learning. The community relations section of the initial report provided necessary recommendations for the community to have a more active and meaningful role in the education of its children. 5. Engage Local, State and National Agencies It is critical to involve various local, state and national agencies in the improvement of the district. This was emphasized through the Request for Applications (RFA) process, whereby state-recognized agencies were selected as partners to assist with the assessment and improvement process. The Califor- nia Department of Education, city and county interests, professional organizations, and community- based organizations all have expressed and shown a desire to assist and participate in the improvement of the West Contra Costa Unified School District. Study Team The study team was composed of the following members from FCMAT and the FCMAT provider groups: For FCMAT: Joel Montero Roberta Mayor Laura Haywood For California School Boards Association: (Community Relations) Davis W. Campbell James Morante Holly Jacobson Kitty Simpson For Schromm and Associates: (Personnel Management) Richard A. Schromm Jack M. Weinstein Michael J. Keebler For MGT of America: (Pupil Achievement) Jannelle Kubinec JoAnn Cox Karin Bloomer Megan Atkinson Fred Forrer For School Services of California: (Financial Management) Ken Hall Wes Stewart For School Services of California: (Facilities Management) Ron Bennett Curt Pollock 4 Introduction Executive Summary This report is the third in a series of four six-month progress reviews of the efforts of the West Contra Costa Unified School District Governing Board, administrators, and staff to address the recommenda- tions for improvement made in the West Contra Costa Unified School District Assessment and Im- provement Plan, first presented to the district by FCMAT on July 2, 2001. This report provides new ratings on several standards that were reviewed during this latest six-month period, and continuing analyses of the district’s fiscal condition. The Assessment and Improvement Plan (July 2, 2001) includes a complete list of the various findings and recommendations for district improvement in five areas of school district operations: Community Relations and Governance, Personnel Management, Pupil Achievement, Financial Management and Facilities Management. FCMAT assessment teams initially visited the district in spring 2001 and published the Assessment and Improvement Plan for the district in July 2001. The first six-month progress report, reviewing the district’s progress on specific, targeted standards, was published in early January 2002. The second six-month progress report, published in July 2002, provided an assessment of additional targeted standards identified for the district to address. This third six-month report again provides an assessment of specific targeted standards identified for the district to address during this latest six-month period. Assembly Bill 2265 (Aroner), signed into law on September 22, 2000, required FCMAT to conduct assessments of the West Contra Costa Unified School District and complete improvement plans in five district operational areas. The bill also required the team to file status reports every six months with various entities, including the Legislature, on the school district’s progress in meeting the recommenda- tions of the improvement plans. Principal Findings The district continues to make progress in addressing many of the recommendations made in the initial Assessment and Improvement Plan. The progress made on several targeted standards are detailed in this report, and the average rating in each operational area continues to increase. Several major issues, however, identified by the assessment team in the initial assessment of the district, and noted again in the Executive Summary of the second six-month progress report, continue to concern the team as little change has occurred to remedy the status quo in some areas of the Personnel and Financial Management operational areas. If the district does not resolve these issues, the district’s future fiscal solvency will continue to be at risk. • The second six-month progress report noted that the district’s administrative data systems needed to be improved. A position control system, linking staff positions to approved budgets for those positions, had not been fully implemented. The district has worked with Bi-Tech and there are now components developed for both certificated and classified positions. The district has initiated the automated position control system, and has estab- lished a staff position to check the accuracy of documents exchanged between the personnel and payroll departments. However, the system has not met all of the needs of the Personnel Services Division and work with the MIS staff is continuing. Executive Summary 5 • A number of classified staff have been determined by the district to be short-term employ- ees. These employees work a maximum of 75% of the year and are released before working 185 days. However, many of these employees often are rehired as temporary employees for the following year. The assessment team believes the district may be at risk in continuing this practice. Newly enacted legislation, AB 500, will require the Governing Board to be involved in identifying short term positions and determining ending dates for temporary services. In addition, the district’s practice of hiring substitutes and temporary employees to provide extra help, often in unauthorized positions for which no budget is available, needs to be closely monitored. There continues to be insufficient control over the utilization of substitute and temporary employees. • The second six-month progress report noted that the provision of lifetime medical benefits for retirees and dependents, which cost the district in excess of $5 million dollars last year, continues to pose an unfunded liability for the district. The amount required to fund these benefits is far beyond the scope and fiscal capability of the district. The district’s unfunded liability in this area is currently $257 million dollars. The rising costs of employee benefits for both regular employees and retirees increases the district’s annual cost for the program, which was $6.5 million in 2002-03 and is anticipated to be $8.5 million in 2003-04. There is no long-term plan to fund these increasing costs, and the district needs to attempt to negotiate the cessation of lifetime benefits for new employees. However, the district has negotiated three-year contracts with employee organizations without resolving this concern. Included in each unit’s newly negotiated contract is a clause to participate in a committee process to review these benefits with the goal of cost reduction and containment. A health benefits committee has been established. A resolution to this issue has been left for future negotiations, increasing the district’s long-term liability in the interim, and raising questions about the district’s future fiscal solvency. • The district’s effort to implement many of the recommendations in the improvement plan is hampered by existing contract language. The district has completed negotiations with the employee organizations for the year and has not been able to significantly affect the status quo. For example, the district has negotiated a three-year collective bargaining contract with Local One. There was no change in the Local One contract dealing with seniority and its significance in the selection process for classified employees. Only mutually agreed upon issues can be reopened through 2003-04. For 2004-05, salary plus two articles per party will be negotiated. This will probably be the next opportunity for the district to be able to negotiate the seniority-related issues. At issue is the district’s need to hire the most qualified individual for new positions, rather than the most senior on the substitute list. The district’s ability to affect contract language in future negotiations remains a crucial component of making long-term improvement in the district’s operational efficiencies. • The second six-month progress report noted that the district and employee organizations need to understand the multi-year cumulative effects of any bargaining agreements. The district must not utilize one-time resources for ongoing costs of salaries or programs. The review team indicated six months ago that the district would be hard-pressed to provide step and column increases, let alone salary increases under current budget conditions, and in view of the district’s long-term unfunded liabilities. The district has negotiated seemingly modest 2% salary increases in each year of the three-year contract just negotiated, which amounts 6 Executive Summary to more than a 12% increase in year three as a result of cumulative compounding. This increase may exacerbate the district’s ability to balance its budget in succeeding years. In addition to preparing multi-year financial projections relative to the negotiated agreements, the district needs to develop a multiyear plan for cost containment and future budget reduc- tions. A summary of the findings in each of the five operational areas assessed during the past six-month period is presented here. Additional detail of the progress made on the individual standards identified for review during this six-month period follows in the body of this report. Executive Summary 7 Community Relations The Community Relations operational area includes communications, board policies, board governance, community collaboratives and advisory councils. The district continues its commitment to improving this area of responsibility. The Superintendent’s focus on student achievement and community outreach appears to be showing positive results. Many of the initiatives begun by the district last year are being implemented and are becoming internal- ized in the district. For example, the “Friday FYI” newsletter/email has shifted to a positive proactive focus, and along with the Website, press releases and other communication instruments, have been aligned to support the district’s focus on student achievement. This core message has also been incorpo- rated into the expanded communication outreach effort to audiences outside the district. Having a core message that can be communicated to community groups is a positive improvement for the district. Most importantly, it appears the communication tools have become integrated into the every day work of the district. The district has also made progress in the area of community collaboratives and advisory councils in strengthening the district’s relationship with its community. The district has established a community outreach office and has employed an administrator who is in the process of structuring and beginning to implement a work plan for this office. The district has taken other organizational steps to strengthen their community education and involvement including contracting with a private company to ensure that School Accountability Report Cards are completed and information distributed in a timely manner to the community. School site councils are monitored and parent education programs provided. There has also been real progress made in updating the district’s policies and communicating the policies throughout the district. Policy development has been centralized with the new board chief council. This has resulted in a more efficient policy operation. The greatest positive change has been in the operations of the board. The current board, according to board and staff, works extremely well together. They are courteous and respectful of each other. The board is supportive of the superintendent and staff and tries to be responsive to district governance needs as well as to the community at large. The current board members and the superintendent have made effective governance a high priority. The review of the Community Relations area during the third six-month progress review period, in- cluded the assessment of 11 targeted standards of the 60 professional and legal Community Relations standards. The average rating of all assessment standards for this operational area has increased as seen below, on a scale of 0 to 10, with 10 the highest score possible. July 2, 2001 6.27 January 2, 2002 6.92 July 2, 2002 7.38 January 2, 2003 7.62 8 Executive Summary Pupil Achievement The district has continued to make significant progress in the improvement of pupil achievement. The first six-month progress review, in December 2001, placed noted emphasis on district planning pro- cesses. The second six-month progress review, in May 2002, focused on curriculum management and a review of categorical programs such as special education, English Learners, and GATE. This third six- month progress review again places emphasis on learning objectives and assessments. There are several instructional areas in which the district has made noteworthy improvements over the past six months. The district has implemented a directed and consistent planning process at both the district and school site levels. Improving pupil achievement has been highlighted as an important goal for the district. Some significant improvements include the following: • The district has begun to implement a standards-based assessment program in mathematics and language arts. In addition, the district has introduced a Language Arts implementation plan to guide and support improvements in reading and writing achievement. • The district’s school improvement planning process is used to focus schools on the district’s strategic priorities and provides a forum for discussing and considering data in relation to student performance and learning goals. The district has received outside foundation re- sources and technical support to provide training and continuous improvement support. • The district has required principals, and encouraged teachers, to participate in training regarding how to use data to inform instruction and has implemented a Data Warehouse system to facilitate data driven decision making. Some issues that the district has begun to address but will need continued attention include: • Providing adequate counseling services at the high school level. • Developing standards and standards-based assessments in all subject areas. The review of the Pupil Achievement area during the third six-month progress review period, included the assessment of 15 targeted standards of the 63 professional and legal Pupil Achievement standards. The average rating of all assessment standards for this operational area has increased as seen below, on a scale of 0 to 10, with 10 the highest score possible. July 2, 2001 2.76 January 2, 2002 3.45 July 2, 2002 4.24 January 2, 2003 5.03 Executive Summary 9 Personnel Personnel Services Division staff members have all been trained in the writing of goals and objectives. Every staff member has developed a written professional goal and a written personnel professional growth goal. The Personnel Services Division has developed drafts of three separate employee handbooks for certificated, classified and management employees, and has developed a Procedures and Policy Hand- book that contains written guidelines on the hiring process. It also has implemented procedures that more closely monitor the promotion and transfer interview and selection process. A reference checking system for classified employees has also been standardized. The Classified Personnel Department has drafted a recruitment plan and has started expanding its recruitment of classified employees through community-based organizations and parent newsletters. The district has been working with the classified employee organization to make modifications to the collective bargaining agreement. There will be a pilot summer hiring project, new time lines on the filling of vacancies, expansion of the number of candidates to be considered when a vacancy occurs, and formation of a health benefits committee. There have been no changes, however, in the seniority provi- sions of the contract. The district continues to meet over the issue of substitute and temporary employ- ees; however, this matter is unresolved. The district currently involves site administrators in the negotiations process. The Personnel Services Division is planning to develop new contract administration materials that can be used in the training programs for managers and supervisors. The Personnel Services Division is conducting contract management training for managers and supervi- sors. The grievance database for classified personnel is used to establish training needs. Additional work is needed in establishing the grievance database for certificated personnel and developing a contract administration advisory committee and producing training materials. The Personnel Services Division has been upgrading its office equipment with new computers, fax, scanner, and CD-ROM reader/writer. There continues to be a space problem that keeps division staff from working in a central location and prevents easy accessibility to all applications. The Personnel Services Division has worked with Bi-Tech and the Management Information System staff to develop an automated system for entering credentials data, retrieving the data, and developing appropriate reports. The Personnel Services Division has salary placement procedures in its handbook and available to administrators and employees. There continues to be problems with processing classi- fied longevity increments due to technology limitations. The Division has been working to maximize the applicant tracking capabilities of the district software system. However, there continues to be limitations in the system’s ability to provide information in formats useful to Personnel Services and administrators. The California School Boards Association (CSBA) has been contracted to update the Board policies including appropriate Americans with Disability Act requirements. Medical records need to be sepa- rated from employee primary personnel files. Specific training to interviews needs to be developed regarding appropriate questions concerning physical and mental qualifications. 10 Executive Summary The district has contracted a consultant to develop and update job descriptions and include the FSLA requirement for identifying employees who are exempt and non-exempt. Managers have been provided procedures for granting permission to pay overtime in compliance with the bargaining agreement. The district has developed and is piloting a new administrators’ evaluation process. Classified supervi- sors are still being evaluated on the regular classified employee evaluation form. The Personnel Services Division plans to develop a formal tracking system to monitor employee evaluations. The Bi-Tech system has the potential to fulfill this need. The review of the Personnel Management area during the third six-month progress review period, included the assessment of 24 targeted standards of the 96 professional and legal Personnel Manage- ment standards. The average rating of all assessment standards for this operational area has increased as seen below, on a scale of 0 to 10, with 10 the highest score possible. July 2, 2001 5.30 January 2, 2002 5.83 July 2, 2002 6.48 January 2, 2003 6.84 Financial Management In the second six-month progress report, it was reported that the district’s Assistant Superintendent for Fiscal Services position was vacant, the Director of Fiscal Services was out on personal leave, and the Internal Auditor was assigned additional responsibilities beyond what was contained in the job descrip- tion. Despite these obstacles to overcome, the district demonstrated progress in the targeted standards. The current review found that a new Assistant Superintendent for Fiscal Services had been hired effective July 1, 2002, who now reports directly to the Superintendent. The Director of Fiscal Services has returned, and the position has been changed to Director of Fiscal Services, Unrestricted. The previous Internal Auditor has assumed the new role of Director of Restricted Programs. A new Internal Auditor has been hired, who reports directly to the Superintendent and/or the Board of Education. The Finance Division is fully staffed for the first time during the period of these FCMAT reviews. West Contra Costa Unified School District continues to make progress in all areas identified in the Financial Management Assessment and Improvement process. Specifically: • The Internal Auditor position has been filled and the duties and responsibilities clearly defined. With the evaluation of the Internal Auditor being the responsibility of the Superinten- dent, the independence of the Internal Auditor has been achieved. (1.4) • The reporting process to the Board of Education has improved significantly, and budget deficits have clearly been identified and eliminated. (2.4) • With the Assistant Superintendent for Fiscal Services achieving the CASBO CBO Certifica- tion, and two others in the division well on their way to achieving the same, the commitment of the division to capable services has been clearly demonstrated. (3.3) Executive Summary 11 • The District is well on its way to updating and revising the policies and procedures with the issuing of a contract to the California School Boards Association that is to be completed prior to the end of the current fiscal year. (4.1) • The District has initiated the BiTech automated position control system plus the addition of a position that is a mid-point between personnel and payroll. The purpose of this position is to check account accuracy of documents exchanged between the personnel and payroll departments, and has resulted in a significant improvement in communication. (8.5) The following areas are in need of additional attention: • There has been no significant progress reported in the area of employee evaluation. (1.7) • Substantial progress has not been made in complying with policies and regulations as they relate to vending machine operations. (18.7) One caution and concern for the District needs to be especially noted. A high percentage of the District’s classified staff is exempt from the classified service since the District has determined that these staff are “short-term employees” in accordance with Education Code Section 45103. Under this code provision, the District has determined that the employee is providing a service which, upon completion, “will not be extended or needed on a continuing basis.” When the District reaches this conclusion, and classifies the employee as a “short term employee,” the employee may only work a maximum of 75% of the work year, or 195 days. The District’s contract with its bargaining unit decreases the time for a “short term employee” to 155 days. As noted in the original report (see Section One, Overview, page 15), this practice leads to high turn- over, as employees leave the District after serving 155 days. The cost of this turnover, as originally noted, may be higher than the savings created as a result of the employees not being eligible for health benefits. The District needs to be cognizant of the provision of AB 500 (Chapter 867/2002) which requires the District Governing Board to declare which positions are “short term,” what services are to be provided, and to declare the ending dates for the employee’s temporary service. The legislation is effective January 1, 2003, and thus the Governing Board will be required to provide the employee identification shortly after the first of the calendar year. This new identification obligation will require the District to ensure that indeed these short-term declara- tions are for short-term, temporary, and non-recurring service needs only. As a consequence, the District may find that there is a wholesale rearrangement of the use of short-term employees. The district has negotiated three-year agreements with all employee organizations, granting a 2% salary increase in each of the three years. The district was unable to significantly modify the medical benefits for regular employees or for retirees. Concerns about the long-term impact of the salary increases and the district’s inability to address the benefit packages are discussed under Principal Findings earlier in the executive summary. The commitment by the District to achieve the level of success as identified in the initial report continues to be a goal of the District. While there are some items remaining to be achieved, the overall success to this point in the process is to be commended. 12 Introduction The review of the Financial Management area during the third six-month progress review period, included the assessment of 20 targeted standards of the 107 professional and legal Financial Manage- ment standards. The average rating of all assessment standards for this operational area has increased as seen below, on a scale of 0 to 10, with 10 the highest score possible. July 2, 2001 4.38 January 2, 2002 4.68 July 2, 2002 5.16 January 2, 2003 5.88 Facilities Management The West Contra Costa Unified School District (District) has taken major strides in improving its facilities. This progress is primarily attributable to the passage of two local bond measures: Measure M, a $150 million General Obligation Bond which passed in November 2000, and Measure D, a $300 million General Obligation Bond, which passed in March 2001. These two measures have allowed the District to begin the planning process and to make improvements to schools. Without Measures M and D, the District could not afford to modernize the majority of the campuses. The acquisition of the Master Architect, and additional Facilities staff, has allowed the District to be able to aggressively pursue state funding, process all applications and job specifications in a timely manner, and keep up with the ever-changing world of school construction and modernization. The team consists of District staff, Construction Managers, and numerous architects on contract. The team is located in a single building with a central conference room so that when emergencies arise, they are solved immediately. The District should take pride in the amount of progress it has been able to achieve in just 18 months. With the necessary funding, the District should be able to modernize all of the facilities and establish a sound maintenance program for the ongoing upkeep of the schools. The current structure of the Facili- ties Department would be a great model for other school districts to follow. The review of the Facilities Management area during the third six-month progress review period, included the assessment of 15 targeted standards of the 111 professional and legal Facilities Manage- ment standards. The average rating of all assessment standards for this operational area has increased as seen below, on a scale of 0 to 10, with 10 the highest score possible. July 2, 2001 5.26 January 2, 2002 5.53 July 2, 2002 5.98 January 2, 2003 6.43 Executive Summary 13