CHAPTER SUMMARY

The human resources department of the Roanoke City Public Schools has been in a state of transition during the past several years as several different executive directors have headed the department. The current executive director was hired in January of 2006. Prior to her hire, an interim executive director oversaw the division for a year. Turnover in human resources staff over the past several years has led the executive director to reorganize some staff positions and responsibilities. The review team found a combination of old processes that continue to be maintained, while other newer processes are being developed.

RCPS experienced higher than usual teacher turnover last year and might well be expecting the same this school year. Teacher salaries and benefits and their affect upon hiring and retention are further issues facing the division. Both issues are addressed in this chapter.

This chapter includes the following key commendations:

„ RCPS is commended for joining with the City of Roanoke to determine the feasibility of bringing both organizations’ health care benefits under one program to help reduce costs to both.

„ The establishment of an office of professional development and developing a comprehensive plan in response to needs identified on the basis of student performance, instructional needs, and district data.

The recommendations that follow are essentially focused on continuing to move the division forward in streamlining and strengthening its processes. Some key recommendations include:

„ Develop an internal on-line exit survey for employees to complete upon leaving the division.

„ Implement an up-to-date human resources management system. This issue is addressed and a recommendation made in Chapter 5.0 Technology.

„ Revisit the November 2005 MGT recommendation to purchase a sub-finder system or require the substitute caller to maintain detailed and accurate records of daily teacher absences.

„ Continue to analyze salaries offered to teachers and make adjustments as the budget allows.

„ Organize and coordinate training activities to increase staff development for classified employees and place the coordination of these activities under the directorship of the office of professional development.

„ Move the office of professional development to the human resources department and as part of that office include staff development for classified staff.

3.1 Reported Status of 2005 Review Recommendations

Recommendations in a prior 2005-06 review conducted by MGT of America essentially focused on the management and delivery of personnel services to employees. Please note that in MGT’s previous report, the Personnel and Human Resources chapter was Chapter 6.0.

Among the recommendations in the previous report were the following key suggestions and their status as reported to MGT of America by the division in January 2007:

„ 6.1: Hire a receptionist to answer general information calls to the administrative building and human resources offices and to greet and sign-in visitors to the building (Implemented).

„ 6-2: Reclassify the position of human resources supervisor to human resources specialist (Considered but not implementing).

No explanation was provided but the human resources department is in the process of reorganization and job responsibilities may shift. „ 6-3: Develop and implement a customer feedback system to assist

the department in evaluating the nature and quality of its services and the satisfaction level of RCPS employees (Not completed). Five newly created customer feedback surveys are ready and awaiting a decision from the superintendent’s executive staff as to when the surveys will be sent and how often (annually or every two years). The five surveys include:

− School - teachers and staff. − Classified (non-instructional staff). − Central office personnel.

− Parents (random sample of 20 percent of parents from each school).

− Students.

„ 6-4: Create an awards program to recognize employees of Roanoke City Public Schools (Implemented).

The department of public relations is undertaking this effort of recognizing students and employees.

„ 6-5: Develop procedures for tracking whether employees are formally evaluated according to policy and ensuring that the process is monitored (Not completed).

Human resources is developing a process to track employee evaluations and will hold principals and administrators/supervisors accountable for returning signed evaluations to human resources. „ 6-6: Review and update all job descriptions that are not currently

being revised and rewritten by the City of Roanoke (In process). Further discussion of this issue is found in Section 3.3 of this chapter.

„ 6-7: Implement a position control system (Considered but not implementing – unfunded).

The lack of an adequate human resources management system with an accompanying position control is addressed in this chapter under Section 3.4 and in Chapter 5.0 Technology.

„ 6-8: Research on-line automated application systems (Implemented). A newly purchased on-line automated application system is set for implementation in February 2007.

„ 6-9: Develop a RCPS comprehensive recruitment plan (In process). „ 6-10: Purchase an automated substitute system (Considered but not

implementing – unfunded).

According to staff, this is still under consideration. See comments under Recommendation 6-11.

„ 6-11: Determine the reasons for the high absentee rate and develop strategies for reducing absenteeism (In process).

Further discussion of maintaining teacher absentee records and producing reports in relation to the high absentee rate of teachers is found under Section 3.4 of this chapter.

„ 6-12: Eliminate the $40 stipend paid to substitute teachers for attending a training session. The human resources department intended to implement this recommendation but upon advisement of legal counsel has not.

„ 6-13: Develop a comprehensive divisionwide Staff Development Master Plan that links the division’s priorities with the opportunities provided in staff development (In process).

„ 6-14: Develop an office of staff development (Completed).

„ 6-15: Develop a mentorship program for new teachers (In process).

As noted previously, findings related to the above recommendations and current status are reported in the following sections within this chapter.

3.2 Organization and Management

The department of human resources (HR) is responsible for planning, implementing, and maintaining a sound system of personnel and human resources management that complies with the Commonwealth of Virginia laws and is consistent with Roanoke City Public Schools policies and mission. The current organizational structure of the department of human resources is shown in Exhibit 3-1.

EXHIBIT 3-1

ROANOKE CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS