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INSIDE
Illinois Association of School Business Officials UPDATE Magazine / Fall 2017 / v.25 / i.01
HUMAN RESOURCES ISSUE
ANCILLARY SERVICES / WINTER 2017
update INDISPENSABLE TOOL for SCHOOL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
Stay In Motion
ESSENTIAL OPERATIONS OF EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT
THE NEXT ISSUE: OPERATIONS (ANCILLARY SERVICES) Operations that keep your district running.
The Human Element: Connecting HR + Business Departments
Building a strong partnership between HR and business departments is a shared work that starts at the top, extends to all staff and has a direct impact on student learning. Learn how two new administrators navigated this key relationship to the benefit of their community. Cover Story by Laurie Campbell and Dr. Alicia Evans
24
LOOKING FOR PAST ISSUES? Visit ISSUU.com and search for Illinois ASBO.
Staffing for facilities and operations takes a broad knowledge of the types of materials, occupant loads and the levels of service depending on the type of space being staffed and expected levels of performance. By Kenneth E. Roiland, CPMM
14
www.iasbo.org
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PERSPECTIVE
FROM-THE-PODIUM The Power of Proper Alignment. 07
FROM-THE-OFFICE Education is a People Business. 09
Hiring to Build Culture
Making good hiring decisions is more important now than it has ever been. Although there is no magic formula for making perfect hiring decisions every time, a well-defined recruitment and selection process can tip the odds in your favor.
20
By Christine Mueller
FROM-THE-FIELD People: The Ultimate Measure of Success. 11
SCHOOL BUSINESS 101 Best Interview Questions to Gauge Personality, Honesty and Motives. 19 Alternative models can lead to a win-win scenario for both administration and teachers. Learn from two districts that have re-written the rules at a significant savings to their districts. By Barry A. Bolek and Adam P. Parisi
403(b):
What Every SBO
Should Know
There are many key compliance issues that school districts should consider in light of the enhanced compliance obligations from the IRS. By Trevor Holmes
34
30
RESOURCES Don’t wait until a situation occurs — get best practices to start defining, documenting and sharing work processes within your business office.
38
By LeeAnn D. Taylor
The Importance of Being Diverse Hiring to reflect a diverse student body is key to encouraging students to perform at their best. With a shortage of supply and funds, this presents a challenge for HR professionals.
ON MY LIST Trust: The Cornerstone of Leadership
43
By Sherry L. Reynolds-Whitaker. Ed.D.
40
The Final Word Beth A. Reich Business Manager Grant CHSD 124 Beth believes that solid communication between the HR and business departments is key to district success. This means knowing what to ask, when to ask and who to ask as well while recognizing that communication is a two-way street. If you don’t keep the lines open, bigger problems will result.
46
RESOURCES: The Human Element: Resources to Connect Your HR and Business Practices.
44 www.iasbo.org
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THE
MAGA ZINE
Illinois Association of School Business Officials
CALENDAR OF
Northern Illinois University, IA-103 108 Carroll Avenue DeKalb, IL 60115-2829 P: (815) 753-1276 / F: (815) 516-0184 www.iasbo.org
EVENTS
UPDATE Editorial Advisory Board
Check out www.iasbo.org or the latest Calendar of Events included in the UPDATE mailing for full seminar listings including location and PDC sponsorship and register for professional development today. September June 2014 2017
S 27 3 10 17 24 1
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T F S 31 1 2 7 8 9 14 15 16 21 22 23 28 29 30 5 6 7
October 2017
November 2017
December 2017
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T W T F S 31 1 2 3 4 7 8 9 10 11 14 15 16 17 18 21 22 23 24 25 28 29 30 1 2 5 6 7 8 9
Event
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Date
Time
9/13/17
12:00pm
Lunch & Learn Webinar: Googleize Your Business Office
9/19/17
8:00am
SupportCon - Springfield
9/20/17
8:00am
Facilities Operations Program: Essentials of Facilities Management
9/21/17
6:00pm
Illinois ASBO Member Only Event at Viewhouse Eatery (held in conj. w/ASBO's Annual Mtg)
Denver, CO
9/22-25/17
8:00am
ASBO International Annual Meeting & Expo
Denver, CO
9/23/17
8:00pm
Rocky Mountain Spectacular Joint ASBO Affiliate Hospitality (held in conj. w/ASBO's Annual Mtg)
Denver, CO
10/11/17
8:00am
Facilities Operations Program: Essentials of Maintenance Operations
10/11/17
12:00pm
Lunch & Learn Webinar: Preparing for Negotiations
10/13/17
7:30am
TechCon
10/16-18/17
8:00am
CPS Facilities Certification & Exam
10/17/17
10:00am Leadership Institute Cohort Capstone 2017
10/25/17
8:30am
Regional Conference - Decatur
10/26/17
8:30am
Regional Conference - Mt. Vernon
Location Online Springfield Lisle
Lisle
Naperville Yorkville Naperville Decatur Mt. Vernon
12:00pm Lunch & Learn Webinar: Trust in the Workplace
11/8/17
12:00pm
Lunch & Learn Webinar: Understanding the Illinois Program Accounting Manual
Online
11/17-19/17
8:00am
IASB/IASA/Illinois ASBO 85th Joint Annual Conference
Chicago
12/1/17
7:30am
SupportCon - Downers Grove
1/17/18
8:00am
Facilities Operations Program: Essentials of Grounds Operations
12/22/17-1/1/18
8:00am
Illinois ASBO Office Closed for Holiday Break
1/19/18
1:30pm
PDC Networking Meeting
1/26/18
TBD
2/28/18
8:00am
Facilities Operations Program: Essentials of Custodial Operations
BOARD & EXTERNAL RELATIONS MEMBERS David H. Hill, Ed.D. President Anne Noble SAAC Chair AT-LARGE MEMBERS Mike Johann Illinois Association of School Personnel Administrators STAFF MEMBERS Michael Jacoby, Ed.D. Executive Director / CEO (815) 753-9366, mjacoby@iasbo.org Susan P. Bertrand Deputy Executive Director / COO (815) 753-9368, sbertrand@iasbo.org Craig Collins Statewide Professional Development Coordinator, (630) 442-9203, ccollins@iasbo.org Rebekah L. Weidner Senior Copywriter / Content Strategist, (815) 753-9270, rweidner@iasbo.org Tammy Curry Senior Graphic Designer (815) 753-9393, tcurry@iasbo.org John Curry Graphic Designer / Videographer (815) 753-7654, jcurry@iasbo.org Zack Hildebrand Membership & Marketing Coordinator (815) 753-9371, zhildebrand@iasbo.org
Illinois ASBO Board of Directors Online
11/1/17
2018 Leadership Day
PDC MEMBERS Ryan Berry Legal Issues Patrick S. Browne Sustainability Catherine H. Chang Food Service Seth Chapman Budgeting & Financial Planning Yasmine Dada Principles of School Finance Eric DePorter Human Resource Management Jeff E. Feyerer Leadership Development Kathy Gavin Special Education Sean Gordon Maintenance & Operations Rich Hendricks Cash Management Anton Inglese Technology Stephen Johns Planning & Construction Tim Keeley Purchasing John Lavelle Risk Management Stacey Mallek Accounting, Auditing & Financial Reporting Patrick McDermott Public Policy Michael Schroeder Transportation
Online
David H. Hill, Ed.D President Cathy L. Johnson President-Elect Dean T. Romano, Ed.D. Treasurer Jennifer J. Hermes, SFO Immediate Past President 2015–18 Board of Directors Mark W. Altmayer, Julie-Ann C. Fuchs, Eric M. Miller 2016–19 Board of Directors Jan J. Bush, Julie A. Jilek, Bradley L. Shortridge 2017–20 Board of Directors Mark R. Bertolozzi, Kevin L. Dale, Eric DePorter
Illinois ASBO Board Liaisons
Anne E. Noble Service Associate Advisory Committee Chair Carrie L. Matlock, AIA, LEED AP, BD+C Service Associate Advisory Committee Vice Chair Deborah I. Vespa ISBE Board Liaison Perry Hill IASB Board Liaison Paul McMahon Regional Superintendent Liaison Calvin C. Jackson Legislative Liaison
Privacy Policy Downers Grove Lisle DeKalb Itasca Rolling Meadows Lisle
All materials contained within this publication are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, displayed or published without the prior written permission of the Illinois Association of School Business Officials. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content. References, authorship or information provided by parties other than that which is owned by the Illinois Association of School Business Officials are offered as a service to readers. The editorial staff of the Illinois Association of School Business Officials was not involved in their production and is not responsible for their content.
PERSPECTIVE / Board President
FROM–THE–PODIUM The Power of Proper Alignment “You’ve got to think about big things while you’re doing small things, so that all the small things go in the right direction” – Alvin Toffler The most important asset to any school district is its people. For a school district to be successful, people and resources must be properly aligned. David H. Hill, Ed.D. Have you ever watched a rowing eights event? To achieve success, the rowers must stroke ASSOCIATE SUPERINTENDENT COMM. CONS. SCH. DIST. 93 at the same pace with the blades of every oar pulling at the same depth in the water. They all know the game plan for success and they are ready to respond to the orders of the coxswain (the steerman who directs the execution of the racing strategy and communicates adjustments) as individuals and as a cohesive unit. Each member of the team knows what their job is during the race and that they can rely on their coaching, training, technique, equipment and the commitment of their teammates while the race is on. When team alignment and cohesion are not in sync, the boat strays off course, wasting time, energy and the resources that were invested into trying to achieve the goal of winning the race. SIMPLY SAYING
Aligning people and resources with your district’s objectives is an ongoing commitment amongst all departments in your organization. Aligning people and resources with your district’s objectives is an ongoing commitment amongst all departments in your organization. Leaders (coxswains) in all departments should be continually assessing the skill of their team against the current/future resources and plans of the district. This practice will ensure that skill gaps are identified early on and team members grow with a focus on leading the school district forward toward common goals. By aligning your staff with your district objectives, you can ensure that the investment you make in their development is targeted and reflects the strategic direction of the organization.
As this is my first article as president of Illinois ASBO, I would like to say that I am humbled, not only by the title that I am honored with, but because of the caliber of people that I represent. I am the next link in a long chain of dedicated professionals that reaches back 66 years. I would like to thank all of the past presidents as well as the entire Illinois ASBO Board and staff for their support and partnership. The great industrialist innovator Henry Ford once said, “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” I am thrilled to have the opportunity to lead Illinois ASBO as we work together for the success of all students.
www.iasbo.org
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“Board service has been the opportunity of a lifetime, both personally and professionally. I get to work with so many intelligent, driven and creative SBOs and Service Associates who share their experiences and ideas. It has pushed me to make a meaningful contribution each and every day.”
Jan J. Bush, Director 2016 – 2019
S OFFICIA ES L N
INOIS ILL
A IATION OC of SS
S
Become A Leader
L HOO BUS I SC
“Serving on the SAAC has allowed me to expand my professional network significantly as well as learn the complete in’s and out’s of maximizing my Illinois ASBO membership to my personal and business benefit.”
Anne Noble, SAAC Chair 2017 – 2018
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UPDATE Magazine / Fall 2017
Board and SAAC Applications are due December 15!
PERSPECTIVE / Executive Director
FROM–THE–OFFICE Education is a People Business In this issue of UPDATE we are focusing on human resources (HR), or simply stated, people. And schools are a people business. In most districts, 80 percent of all financial resources are spent on people. A child’s education is dependent on the quality of those people. Human resources is about who you hire and how you keep them, while at the same time making sure you do everything according to the law — before, during and after employment. The issues associated with recruiting, selecting and retaining quality personnel are deep and vast.
Michael A. Jacoby, Ed.D., CAE, SFO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/CEO ILLINOIS ASBO
SIMPLY SAYING
In most districts, 80 percent of all financial resources are spent on people. A child’s education is dependent on the quality of those people. Ever hear someone say, “Schools should be run like a business?” Well, the following is a top ten list of issues that human resources professionals face in the private sector. It comes from a leading private sector HR consultant, Paul Gerhardt of Leadership Success. Top Ten HR Issues: 1. Talent Management 2. Recruiting and Interviewing 3. Employment Law 4. Benefits and Compensation 5. Performance Management
6. Corporate Culture 7. Training and Development 8. Employee Motivation 9. Harassment and Discrimination 10. Employment Branding
Sound familiar? When it comes to managing human resources, the private and public sectors face the same challenges. Essentially, schools do run like a business when it comes to these issues. Yes, there are other specific statutes that impact school district HR, but in the end, most of those simply run parallel to private sector requirements. Hopefully, this issue of UPDATE will help you obtain valuable information in several of these areas as well as with some of the hot issues emerging in Illinois schools.
www.iasbo.org
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DISCOVER THE POWER OF THE
ILLINOIS ASBO ANNUAL CONFERENCE
4
600+
2
Hours of
School
Days of
Non-Compete
Business
Networking
Time
Professionals
& Events
Exhibiting at the Annual Conference is your opportunity each year to interface with over 600 school professionals gathered in one place. Experience the power of your Illinois ASBO network as you engage in two days of non-stop networking and events to build on your valuable connections within the industry.
May 3 - 4, 2018
Schaumburg, IL
REGISTER EARLY TO ENSURE YOUR SPOT IN THE MARKETPLACE! SERVICE ASSOCIATE REGISTRATION OPENS MONDAY, OCTOBER 2
PERSPECTIVE / SAAC Chair
FROM–THE–FIELD People: The Ultimate Measure of Success When your business provides a service, the ultimate success of the organization depends mainly on the people involved. Certainly the quality of the product is important, but no matter how good it is, it can mean nothing if the service providers involved do not excel. I would bet most of you have had an experience where two almost identical providers, with similar products, produced wildly different results based solely on the service personnel involved. How quickly did you get the return call you wanted? Did they promise you a deadline and fail to meet it? Did it take a phone call to remind them of what said they would do on their own?
Anne Noble MANAGING DIRECTOR STIFEL, NICOLAUS & COMPANY
SIMPLY SAYING
While hiring the right people is important, nurturing them to provide exceptional service is equally critical. Even if a project runs into unexpected delays, a timely explanation usually makes the client happy. Communication is the key to quality service — and communication is 100% a product of human talent. Let’s be honest, not everyone is “service talented.” That is where your ability to recognize the power of people and leverage it for maximum outcomes comes into play. Bigger is Not Always Better Here is another key consideration. Providing a successful service, whether it is a school district or a private business, is not dependent solely on the depth of available resources. Having a staff of twenty in the business office does not guarantee that a parent/taxpayer will get a faster or more satisfactory answer than with a staff of one or two individuals. Outstanding service that is positively remembered and appreciated most often correlates with the desire of the provider to “do the right thing.” Kindness, consideration, being timely and keeping promises all make a huge difference and none of these characteristics require deep resources.
Nurturing Success Having a talented, excellent staff with a “do the right thing” attitude will only last so long if they are over-tasked, feel taken advantage of or are under-appreciated. While hiring the right people is important, nurturing them to provide exceptional service is equally critical. Our lead article in this issue talks about how the connection between HR and the business office leads to overall success. Money savings, efficiency and service success can work hand in hand if you have the right people in the right jobs. Hiring, training, evaluating and appreciating a “service talented” staff through positive feedback and appropriate compensation often results in high levels of success. We believe this edition of UPDATE will be of great assistance as you pursue these goals.
www.iasbo.org
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CONTRIBUTORS
Barry A. Bolek
Laurie Campbell
Dr. Alicia Evans
Asst. Supt. /Finance Twp. High Sch. Dist. 113
Asst. Supt. /Human Resources Oak Park Elem. SD 97
Asst. Supt. /Finance & Operations Oak Park Elem. SD 97
Has had his current position for 12 years and has been in SD 113 for over 30 years. Barry is a firm believer that we can all work smarter and not harder if we continue to share and collaborate as school officials.
Has spent her entire career working in public schools. For the last 11 years, Laurie has led the Department of Human Resources in two different school districts. Laurie also has eight years of experience as a principal.
Has worked in school finance since 2005 and served as a business manager, director of business affairs and in human resources. Evans holds both bachelor’s and master's degrees in Business Administration. She also earned a doctorate in Educational Leadership.
bbolek@dist113.org
lcampbell@op97.org
aevans@op97.org
Trevor W. Holmes
Chris Mueller, PHR
Adam P. Parisi
Associate Franczek Radelet P.C.
Director of Human Resources East Moline SD 37
Asst. Supt. /Finance & Operations Mt. Prospect SD 57
His practice focuses on the design, implementation and ongoing compliance of all types of employersponsored benefit plans. Trevor assists public sector entities, including school districts, with legal obligations that arise related to their 403(b) plans and other tax-qualified savings arrangements. twh@franczek.com
Has worked for East Moline School District for 25 years, with the last six years as HR Director. Chris has been a member of the Illinois Association of School Personnel Administrators (IASPA) since 2006 and currently serves on the IASPA Board of Directors.
Is completing his third year in his position. Adam is active in the DuPage Illinois ASBO regional organization serving as a past regional chair as well as the golf committee co-chairperson.
cmueller@emsd37.org
aparisi@d57.org
Sherry L. Reynolds-Whitaker , Ed.D.
Kenneth E. Roiland, CPMM
LeeAnn D. Taylor
Business Manager Lyons Elementary SD 103
Dir. /Facilities Management Woodstock CUSD 200
Dir. /Fiscal Services Barrington CUSD 220
Has more than two decades of experience in accounting, financial analysis, business management and school administration. Sherry has spent the last 12 years working on education and career development initiatives in the community and is dedicated to diversity work. sreynolds-whitaker@sd308.org
A regular speaker at many facilities seminars, Ken is a past Maintenance & Operations PDC Chair and a past North Central Illinois Facility Professionals Regional Organization Co-Chair. He is also one of the co-creators of the Illinois ASBO Facilities Operations Program. kroiland@wcusd200.org
A former business teacher with two decades of experience in transforming high school business curriculum, LeeAnn is a strong advocate for all career and technical education programs. She completed her CSBO endorsement through NIU in 2016 and transitioned to the business office in 2017. ltaylor@barrington220.org
Thank you to our UPDATE Contributors and the Editorial Advisory Board The Editorial Advisory Board (EAB) ensures that the UPDATE Magazine remains the most anticipated resource for school business officials. Members of the EAB bring expertise and perspective from all sides of school business management. They identify topics, resources and tools that prove useful to members. Upcoming issue themes that have been developed by the EAB will include:
• Operations (Ancillary) • Legal Issues • The Future • Facilities
www.iasbo.org
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14 |
UPDATE Magazine / Fall 2017
By Kenneth E. Roiland, CPMM
ARTICLE
DIR./FACILITIES MANAGEMENT WOODSTOCK CUSD 200
Staffing for facilities and operations is more complex than simply applying an FTE (Full Time Equivalent)
calculation against the square feet of space to be cleaned or maintained, or the amount of acres to be managed. It takes a broad knowledge of the types of materials, occupant loads and the levels of service depending on the type of space being staffed. When looking into the correct staffing for a facility or organization, it is imperative to interview staff who typically work in those areas or departments, along with the administration, on how the spaces are used, the types of materials to be maintained and the expected levels of performance.
Staffing a Standard of Service
There are many great organizations that have done time studies to determine proper staffing levels. The APPA (Association of Physical Plant Administrators) has a set of standards that looks at levels of service that can then be applied to staffing level calculations.
Service Standards for Facilities Level
1 2 3 4 5
Maintenance
Custodial
Grounds
Showpiece Facility
Orderly Spotlessness
State of the Art
Comprehensive Stewardship
Orderly Tidiness
High Level
Managed Care
Casual Inattention
Moderate Level
Reactive Management
Moderate Dinginess
Moderately Low-Level
Crisis Response
Unkept Neglect
Minimum Level
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Different areas of a building or of the grounds may need to be maintained at different levels. Setting different levels of service can reduce or increase staffing based on an organization’s desired level of service. It is important to take time to look at this objectively, then once the decision is made those levels of service need to be shared with the occupants of the space. This way, everyone is on the same page, thereby reducing the chance of unrealistic expectations of performance based on staffing levels. Using custodial operations, a system of levels of performance could be broken down as follows: • Front entrances at Level 2 • Restrooms and kitchens at Level 1 • Offices and classrooms at Level 3 • Mechanical rooms at Level 4 Utilizing standards that makes sense for the organization allows whoever is assessing the staffing levels to break down the various areas by square feet or acreage and then calculate an approximate staffing level.
This step of the process can include input from facilities staff and occupants, but it is really a decision the administration should make.
Making the Calculation
When service levels are applied to performance levels, an estimated staffing level can be determined. The Cleaning Calculation Worksheet on the next page shows how a school could use the data to produce a staffing level for a 75,000 square foot school where there are 7,500 square feet cleaned at a Level 1, 8,000 square feet cleaned at a Level 2, 47,500 square feet cleaned at a Level 3, 10,000 square feet at a Level 4 and 2,000 square feet at a Level 5 — equating to a staffing level of 3.45 FTEs. If the same 75,000 square feet were simply calculated at a cleaning level of three, the proper staffing level would have been estimated to 2.83 FTEs, which would have set up unrealistic expectations for attainable cleaning levels.
APPA Levels of Service for Performance
Level
1 2 3 4 5 16 |
Maintenance
Cleaning
47,220
Grounds
Grounds
per Acre per FTE
per Acre for Athletics per FTE
8,500
1.15
2.71
67,456
16,700
2.3
4.09
94,439
26,500
2.55
5.99
118,049
39,500
5.74
11.52
236,098
45,600
13.5
14.29
per Sq. Ft. per FTE per Sq. Ft. per FTE
UPDATE Magazine / Fall 2017
ARTICLE / Staffing Eyebrowfor Facilities
Cleaning Calculation Worksheet: Determining Cleaning Staffing Levels
Total Sq. Ft. Level 1 Level 2 75,000
8,500
Level 3
16,700
26,500
Level 4 Level 5 39,500
45,600
Assumptions
Square Ft. 7,500 8,000 47,500 10,000 2,000
Description of Levels Square Feet of Bathrooms and Kitchens Square Feet of Entrances and High-Vis Areas Square Feet of Classrooms and Normal Use Space Square Feet of Mechanical Rooms Square Feet of Other Spaces
Factoring in Expertise
Staffing levels are only one component to properly staffing a facilities department. With staffing reduced in many organizations due to financial constraints, duties that should be performed by trained qualified technicians have been reassigned to personnel whose core expertise is in a different field of operations, or sometimes are not performed at all. An example of this is assigning preventative maintenance duties to custodians or not performing them at all. Qualified technicians should perform this work so they can recognize minor issues before they can become major issues. This is vitally important to protecting the assets of a school district. According to the Association of Facility Engineers, proper preventative maintenance can extend equipment life by as much as 25 percent and save in utilities from five percent to 11 percent, which translates to real dollars.
Level 1 2 3 4 5
Staffing 0.88 0.48 1.79 .25 .04
Totals:
3.45
When staffing a school district it is imperative that proper concern be given to job descriptions and duties. Hiring the right personnel at the right compensation level in that job category helps ensure jobs are performed properly and cost effectively.
An Investment in Your Assets
Proper staffing of school facilities has been pushed aside by many organizations due to financial constraints. Administrators and school boards can make decisions without a full knowledge of the long-term benefits of proper staffing levels, job descriptions and hiring the right people who are properly compensated to fill these roles. Investing in proper staffing protects the largest material assets the school district owns.
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ILLINOIS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL BUSINESS OFFICIALS S OFFICIA L ES N
INOIS ILL A
IATION OC of SS
S
OL BU HO SI SC
Keep Your Leadership Development
AT THE FOREFRONT THIS YEAR The Illinois ASBO Leadership Center is expanding the number of offerings throughout the year to help school leaders build on their existing knowledge and explore new leadership concepts.
PLAN TO ATTEND LEADERSHIP CENTER OFFERINGS THIS FALL: Leadership Identity (MBTI® Framework) Academy — September 27 Trust in the Workplace Lunch & Learn Webinar — November 1 Situational Leadership Seminar — December 6
18 |
Find a full calendar of leadership events with this UPDATE and on the Illinois ASBO website!
UPDATE Magazine / Fall 2017
PERSPECTIVE / On the Profession
SCHOOL BUSINESS 101 What is your favorite interview question and what kind of response are you looking for? interview question I like to ask a candidate is, ‘What attributes do you possess that “ An you feel set you apart from any other candidate we may be considering?’ By asking this question, I am trying to solicit a more thoughtful reply instead of a canned response to help the candidate stand out.” JENNIFER KRAMER, M.S., SPHR, SHRM-CP Managing Director, Human Resources Consulting Services, Sikich, LLP
question I ask everyone is ‘Do you prefer to work alone or with a team?’ Usually, the “ Aanswer is ‘both.’ However, I ask ‘If you had to choose, which would it be?’ This gives those interviewing a better indication of how the person would fit into the position open. It also provides insight into their personality (whether they are introverted or extroverted) without being intrusive. It is an opportunity for the person being interviewed to explain group experiences he/she has had.” LINDA R. MONT, Sr. Benefit Consultant, Key Benefit Concepts, LLC
of the big questions we ask is, ‘Why do you want to work at a school?’ “ One We are hoping to hear about an intrinsic benefit, such as the desire to give back or help kids. Sometimes we get that a candidate is looking to make a difference and sometimes we get responses like, ‘I want to leave corporate and move into a stable job that I know is going to be there.’ That kind of response is ok, but not the ideal.” ELIZABETH R. SHIELDS, Assistant Director of Finance, Aurora East SD 31
we use often is, ‘Describe a time something went really wrong and how you handled “ One it.’ This question gauges the candidate’s honesty. Someone may give a poor example like, ‘Oh, I was late one day’ or something that isn’t really a big deal. What we are looking for is an honest answer about a real problem such as a big missed deadline, etc. We want to see if the candidate is able to admit they made a mistake and hear how they proactively worked to fix it.” MYRON SPIWAK, Dir./Business Services, New Trier Twp. HSD 203 www.iasbo.org
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UPDATE Magazine / Fall 2017
By Christine Mueller DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES EAST MOLINE SD 37
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the financial price tag of a bad hire is at least 30 percent of a new employee’s first year earnings. Beyond the financial cost, wrong decisions about candidate selection profoundly affect other school district staff: morale and productivity suffer while good employees grow weary of picking up the slack and, over time, may become disengaged or leave the district. Making good hiring decisions is more important now than it has ever been. Although there is no magic formula for making perfect hiring decisions every time, a well-defined recruitment and selection process can tip the odds in your favor.
WHAT MAKES A GOOD EMPLOYEE
postings and updated job descriptions are important and effective ways to communicate job requirements and responsibilities; however, they often fall short in showing applicants all it takes to be successful in your school district.
CREATIVE RECRUITMENT METHODS
Applicants generally seek meaningful work in which they see themselves as happy and successful. Consider helping them visualize themselves in a role by adding a video to the application site. Enlist the help of your staff in showing others what it looks like to be doing their job. For example, a video for custodial personnel could include a demonstration of some of the equipment used on the job. It could also feature staff working as part of a team or telling more about the type of work that they do. A video for crossing guard personnel could show the crossing guards interacting with students across a busy intersection, or include a testimonial of the challenges of the job, especially during inclement weather.
a strong onboarding
program improves
Take a few moments and think about your best employees. What makes them successful in their jobs? How do they emulate the values and priorities of your school district? Do you have a bus driver who not only safely transports students, but also realizes the value of greeting each child as they board the bus to give them a great start to their school day? Is there an administrative assistant who excels at making parents and visitors feel welcome at school, while gently and firmly ensuring compliance with all school safety rules? Culture is defined, in large part, by how people in our organization behave. As school district officials, we shape the desired culture of our school district with each new hire.
new-hire retention by
82%
and productivity by 70%
With this in mind, think about how your district recruits potential job applicants. Most districts use an online resource and their district website to post job openings and collect applications. Postings normally include a list of skills needed to do the job and may include a summary of basic job responsibilities or a job description. Online
A well-made video gives the applicant a preview of working conditions, physical requirements for a job and acts as an additional way to communicate district culture and job expectations. If the expectations of employee behavior and the demands of the job are clear in advance, applicants will be able to decide for themselves if they can meet the expectations of the job and if they should apply. The result will be a pool of applicants who understand what to expect and are still eager to talk with you about a job. Creative job advertisements can help bring in more applicants. “Come Drive with Us… We’ll Show You How!” is likely to attract more interest than “Bus Drivers Wanted.” A Twitter post in Spanish is a creative way to reach bilingual paraprofessional applicants with Spanish-speaking skills.
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District social media accounts are helpful tools in spreading the word about available jobs. Creative use of Twitter and hashtags can help connect applicants to their next great job opportunity in your district. A customized URL can serve as a communication tool as well as guide an applicant directly to your application page. There are several free resources, such as tinyurl.com, that can turn your posting into a customized link to your application website. Enlisting the help of your community can be very helpful in advertising for non-certified staff positions. East Moline School District 37 solicits requests to join their Community Partners email group to receive and share notifications of available jobs in the district. This has proven to be an effective no-cost communication tool.
STANDARDIZE THE INTERVIEW PROCESS
According to Glassdoor,1 organizations that lack a standardized interview process are five times more likely to make a bad hire than those that do have such a process. A solid, consistent selection and interview process, in which all applicants are treated equally, helps safeguard against allegations of discrimination in hiring.
INTERVIEW PREPARATION
To prepare for application screening and the interview process, define the standards against which all applicants will be measured. Consider only complete job applications submitted by the deadline indicated on the job posting. The job description and the list of characteristics of your most successful employees will assist in developing criteria for application screening and interview questions. Plan to incorporate some situational questions to dig deeper. For example, “You indicated on your application that you had experience in customer service. Why is it important to do this well?” Structure questions that allow the applicant to relax and speak candidly.
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Avoid Illegal Questions When developing interview questions, be sure to avoid illegal questions. In general, illegal questions are those pertaining to: • • • • • • •
Age Race, ethnicity or color Gender or sex Country of national origin or birth place Religion Disability Marital or family status or pregnancy
It is important that administrators involved in the screening and selection process abstain from viewing an applicant’s social media public profile. Doing so may unintentionally expose the administrator to information such as age, race, disability or other protected class information, which is not appropriate during the hiring process. A better practice is for the administrator to provide a “short list” of applicants for interview to the human resources department, so that all appropriate preliminary checks are completed. The human resources department would immediately notify the administrator of any concerns. When using an interview team, be sure to meet in advance to review each person’s role, the interview protocol and expectations. Decide in advance how applicants will be scored during their interview and communicate this with the interview team.
CONDUCTING THE INTERVIEW
When scheduling the interview, use this as an opportunity to make a personal connection with the applicant and prepare them for a successful interview. Provide more information about the position and the expectations of the job. Tell them what to expect and what not expect on the day of the interview. Answer any questions they may have and be sure to address any housekeeping items, such as where to park, where to enter, what to bring, etc.
ARTICLE / Hiring Eyebrow to Build Culture
During the interview, whenever possible, ask all of the prepared questions to each individual. At the end of the interview, be sure to thank each applicant for their time. Let them know what to expect once a decision is reached, as well as an expected timeline for the decision to be made.
POST-INTERVIEW EVALUATION
When evaluating applicants, don’t fall into the trap of allowing a high score in one area to overshadow a low score in another. Applicants should have at least an acceptable rating in all areas that were identified during the planning process. If something does not seem quite right with an applicant, or there are red flags, pay attention to your inner voice. It is far better to restart the selection process than choose someone who is not a good fit for the job. References are invaluable free resources that help prevent costly mistakes. As important as reference checks are, often they are conducted at a minimal level or are overlooked completely. Taking the time to carefully contact references and former employers is always time well spent.
SELECTION AND FOLLOW UP
Once a decision is reached, a personal phone conversation with everyone who interviewed is important. Let the successful applicant know what to expect next. Provide a gracious “decline” to those who were not offered
the job and extend an invitation to them to apply again in the future. Candidates who have a positive application experience are more likely to apply again and more likely to refer others to apply. Once the perfect applicant is chosen, the next challenge is retaining the individual. A strong onboarding program improves new-hire retention by 82 percent and productivity by over 70 percent, according to Brandon Hall Group research. Weak onboarding programs result in higher levels of employee turnover in the first year of employment. During their first days on the job, make sure new employees feel welcome, are introduced to staff, receive a tour of their work location and have the tools they need to be successful at their job. It is a good idea to schedule regular followup meetings during the first few months to make sure the employee is adjusting well and that there are no concerns. A mentor who understands the normal cycles and struggles of a job can be a helpful resource. Using creative recruiting methods which align with the values and priorities of your school district and treating applicants with fairness kindness and respect will help ensure that your district continues to be viewed as an employer of choice.
Culture is defined, in large part, by how people in our organization behave. As school district officials, we shape the desired culture of our school district with each new hire.
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THE HUMAN ELEMENT
CONNECTING HR + BUSINESS DEPARTMENTS
ARTICLE
By Laurie Campbell ASST. SUPT./HUMAN RESOURCES OAK PARK ELEM. SD 97
Dr. Alicia Evans ASST. SUPT./FINANCE & OPERATIONS OAK PARK ELEM. SD 97
RELATIONSHIPS. You hear this word in the education setting a lot. In order for a student to learn effectively, there must be a relationship between the teacher and student. The student needs to know that the teacher cares about them. Schools need to have strong relationships with parents in order to promote the successful achievement of students. School staff members foster this relationship as they connect and communicate with parents, sponsor family events and share in the support of the students. One area where this word may not always be used is in the back office departments of a school district, such as finance and human resources. As these departments support the educational institution, their relationship is just as important as the student-teacher relationship.
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FORMING A WORKING RELATIONSHIP... 1. STARTS AT THE TOP
2. EXTENDS TO ALL STAFF
According the an article in Harvard Business Review, “strengthening your organization’s capacity for collaboration requires a combination of long-term investments — in building relationships and trust, in developing a culture in which senior leaders are role models of cooperation.” This is profoundly true when it comes to the working relationship between the leaders of the human resources and business departments.
Likewise, both human resources and business office staff should work in concert. These departments are so interconnected because they rely upon each other for information. The business office needs information from human resources such as new personnel data, salary, benefits and collective bargaining. The business office also provides human resources with data such as salary schedules and staffing impacts on the budget. Therefore, inaccurate data and/or errors processed by the business office would result in lack of integrity for both departments.
3. DIRECTLY IMPACTS STUDENT LEARNING If the partnership between these two departments is not strong and healthy, the school district may suffer and student learning could be impacted. If teachers have to spend their time worrying about whether or not their salary is correct, their time off has been recorded accurately, their tuition reimbursement is paid on time or their benefits are in place, then this is time taken away from planning for the district’s most important clientele — students.
A TALE OF TWO DEPARTMENTS
In July of 2016, both Laurie Campbell and Dr. Alicia Evans began their work at Oak Park Elementary School District 97. They each came to the district with previous experience in their respective roles. Here are some of their initial thoughts on the new partnership: Dr. Alicia Evans Asst. Supt./Finance & Operations “When I started at District 97, I was concerned about the human resources department being headed by someone other than me. In my previous districts, I was responsible for the business office and human resource functions. Needless to say, I never had to worry about cooperation between departments. However, in this new situation, I knew communication, respect, trust and consideration amongst the departments was necessary. Furthermore, the collaboration had to permeate all levels of both departments. When I met Laurie Campbell, I understood she also knew about the importance of a collegial relationship. From the very beginning we began to work collaboratively to achieve departmental and district level goals.” 26 |
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Laurie Campbell Asst. Supt./Human Resources “When I met Dr. Evans, I knew I was working with not only an extremely competent CSBO but also someone with HR experience. Most districts have only one person responsible for HR. I felt so lucky to have a partner in the office who could be a sounding board and resource with HR issues that surface within an organization. It was apparent that she knew the importance of our partnership and the partnership of our two departments. Dr. Evans and I were lucky that a strong foundation for collaboration between the two departments was already in place in District 97 when we both arrived. The payroll specialist and human resources coordinator had established a strong, collaborative relationship. They partnered on salary work and could often be seen in each other’s office. This relationship, along with our relationship, has helped strengthen the partnership between the two departments.”
ARTICLE / Connecting HR + Business
PARTNERSHIP PRINCIPLES
While some may believe that there should be a line drawn between human resources and the business office, those at District 97 believe that this work is shared. In order for the partnership to work, several factors need to be present. These factors have contributed to a successful relationship between the two departments:
A COMMITMENT TO QUALITY It is important that the two departments check each other’s work. For example, leave accruals are managed in payroll. These leave accruals are provided to human resources who then uploads the data to an absence management system. If an employee has a question, a lot of information is prepared in one department and processed in a different department. HR has access and information about leaves of absence that may impact an employee’s pay. The departments also look for ways improve the flow of work. One example is the upcoming change in financial software.
COMMUNICATION
A UNITED FRONT
PATIENCE
When there are complicated issues about deductions or pay rates, the HR and business departments consult with each other prior to responding. Since both departments provide this data, they need to first talk about the issue and then come to a resolution together. Next, they determine who will communicate with the employee. Through communication, it is important to present a common message and not cast blame.
It may take a few tries for either department to get it right. They have to help each other to be successful. There have been and will continue to be times when one department forgets to consult or makes a decision that impacts the other department. When this happens, they lean on our mutual respect and communication to work through the issue.
Payroll functions are part of the finance office, but this information is provided by human resources. Salaries are one example. District 97 has a complex non-traditional compensation structure for teachers. Multiple factors go into the calculation of a teacher’s annual contract salary. HR calculates the salaries, then provides them to payroll who enters the data into the financial system to generate the paychecks for staff. In an organization where payroll generates 900 checks every two weeks, the amount of data being exchanged can be daunting and accuracy is critical. Due to the strong relationship between the HR coordinator and payroll specialist, there is a better understanding of each department’s work in the preparation of accurate paychecks. This makes both departments stronger.
MUTUAL RESPECT There is a high level of respect between the two departments. One is not viewed as more important than the other and both see the opportunities to learn from each other. When considering changes in process, they talk with each other to determine if there is a unexpected impact on the other department. Any move that HR makes that impacts a person’s pay or benefits must be discussed with payroll. Anything that does not look correct from the payroll perspective needs to be discussed with human resources.
BENEFITS COMMITTEE
Both serve on the Benefits Committee. This committee is comprised of representatives from the district’s four bargaining units and members of the board of education. The committee is chaired by HR but has a strong financial focus. This year, the Benefits Committee decided to discontinue the long-standing practice of being self-funded for insurance and joined a cooperative. As a result of the collaboration, the committee was able to think thoroughly consider the options and make an informed recommendation.
HR
BUSINESS
Examined coverage levels, options for staff and wellness programming.
Reviewed the costs to the district and employees.
CONNECTING HR + BUSINESS
As Dr. Evans and Laurie Campbell finish their year of work together, they have worked together on many projects. Here are a few examples of the many ways their department “lines” have intersected.
PAYROLL AND BENEFITS BARGAINING
In July of 2016, the district was still engaged in collective bargaining with two of its labor groups. They both sat on the bargaining team and joined the negotiations in progress.
HR
BUSINESS
Work was centered on language.
Work was centered on cost projections.
HR
BUSINESS
Administers the benefit plans including adding, dropping staff and coverage. When a change is made, there is likely a payroll impact. Therefore, they must communicate to payroll in a timely manner with documentation of the change of the costs to the district and to the employees.
Payroll checks in with human resources prior to running checks to make sure that all changes have been submitted. They need to follow the payroll calendar for checks to be processed on time.
REFERENDUM CONTINGENCY PLANNING In April of 2017, District 97 posed two referendum questions to the voters — a rate referendum and a building referendum. While Dr. Evans was extremely involved in the referendum campaign, they worked together on potential staffing cuts in the event that the rate referendum didn’t pass. This involved running scenarios and analyzing the impact to the budget both short term and long term.
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ARTICLE / Connecting HR + Business
NEW EMPLOYEE ONBOARDING AND EMPLOYEE TERMINATIONS
LEAVES OF ABSENCES
HR
BUSINESS
Meets with staff, offers benefits, sets the salary amount, completes required background checks and collects the necessary federal, state and local forms. Once the forms have been collected, human resources staff generate a data sheet with critical information for the new hire. This is provided to payroll, who uses it to enter information into the payroll system.
Determines the appropriate account number, pay codes and leave time. Conversely, when an employee leaves the organization, human resources needs to contact payroll immediately so as to prevent overpayment. Since most employee pay is annualized, there is the risk of overpayment if a staff member leaves early.
This is one of the trickiest areas to administer. When an employee is certain of the start and end dates for the absence, the process flows smoothly. However, when the leave is intermittent or a portion of it is unpaid, managing becomes more difficult. The business and HR departments have worked through this by entering all absences both paid and unpaid into their absence management system.
HR
BUSINESS
Exports the data from the absence management system into the payroll system and checks dock for unpaid days.
The payroll specialist reviews the docks and confirms them with human resources. As noted before, this becomes more difficult with annualized pay.
HR and Business worked together on reorganization of the buildings and grounds department and of the human resources department.
DEPARTMENT REORGS
Moving forward, there are many future projects that the departments will navigate together: • Exploring HR/Finance software systems. • Converting to electronic records. • Improving internal systems and processes for new hires — leveraging technology where possible. • Moving to online open enrollment. • Integration between benefits system and payroll system.
ONE YEAR IN: A PILLAR RELATIONSHIP
As Dr. Evans and Campbell navigated their first year in a new district, they have encouraged, supported and helped each other. They know that the good intentions of one another and listen with respect. Along with that, they are able to be honest in their feedback and suggestions. The strength of this relationship is ultimately supporting the staff responsible for helping students learn.
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What if someone told you that you could save your district a hundred thousand dollars a year that compounds? Alternative compensation models, whether they are a dual schedule, hybrid schedule with tiers or a total elimination of a traditional salary schedule, can lead to a win-win scenario for both administration and teachers. Learn from two districts that have re-written the rules at a significant savings to their districts.
MANY STORIES TO SHARE In 2013, Bloomingdale School District 13 eliminated their salary schedule during contract negotiations. Coinciding with the TRS Tier II rule change, Township High School District 113 initiated a second-tier schedule for those starting after July 1, 2011. These are just two of many great stories Illinois ASBO members have to share. Countless others have shared their stories at Illinois ASBO professional development events and online. Simply search the term “salary schedule” on the peer2peer Network and you’ll find many conversations and resources from your peers!
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By Barry A. Bolek
ARTICLE
ASST. SUPT./FINANCE TWP. HIGH SCH. DIST. 113
Adam P. Parisi ASST. SUPT./FINANCE & OPERATIONS MT. PROSPECT SD 57
BREAKING TRADITION: BLOOMINGDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT 13 In 2013, Bloomingdale School District 13 had a semi-traditional salary schedule with lanes and steps. Prior to the salary schedule being created around 30 years ago, District 13 utilized merit pay as an incentive for their teachers. This was also at a time when the licensed staff in the district were not unionized. Part of the unionization impact was to create a salary schedule with steps and lanes in an attempt to treat all members fairly. However, because of merit pay, salaries in the lower, right quadrant were not standard and several teachers were artificially placed on the salary schedule. This artificial placement caused a large variance in salaries in certain steps and lanes. At the beginning of the negotiations process, the board of education begun having the conversation around the schedule, the cost of the steps and the inequities the schedule had caused. During a compressed negotiations schedule, the board of education’s team and the teacher’s bargaining team agreed on some common themes: • Starting competitive salary
• Overall increases must take into consideration step movement
• Lane advancement should remain a priority
Both teams settled the contract close to the end of the school year. Total raises of five, four and four percent respectively were given. Moving forward, there was no longer a salary schedule printed as part of the contract. In addition, six percent retirement enhancements were eliminated. LESSONS LEARNED The cost savings over time for District 13 eliminating both the salary schedule and six percent enhancements were substantial. However, there were a handful of items that given a second chance could have negotiated differently:
Flat stipends for lane advancements At almost the 11th hour, when an agreement was reached, not much attention was placed on how to calculate lane advancements. It is highly recommended to provide flat dollar amount stipends for lane advancements.
Education reward backlash Part of the rationale for deviating from the salary schedule was to adopt a new way of thinking. Rewarding teachers for obtaining degrees made sense to the board and the administrative team. However, obtaining additional dollars for taking courses just to gain hours past a degree in classes that do not improve student learning did not sit well with most.
Careful with comparisons Often, both sides get too bogged down in using comparative districts prior to negotiations. In using comparatives, make sure both sides agree on the criteria being used. EAV, low-income percentage and instructional cost per pupil should be factored into the equation. Just because a district is your next-door neighbor and feeds into the same high school doesn’t necessarily mean they are your district’s “comparable.”
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MOVING TO A TWO-TIERED SYSTEM: TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT 113 With the new TRS rules in place, District 113 realized that in July of 2011 a newly hired teacher (age 22) in Tier II TRS would be at the top of their schedule with the highest pay for 25 years (based on the 67-age rule in Tier II). This rationale led District 113 to switch to a two-tiered system. The initial offer was an entirely new schedule with the same starting salary and the same ending salary. The goal was to place everyone on the step closest without losing money as a starting point for negotiation. Steps were moved to one percent increments; lanes had a static dollar amount and the schedule naturally moved from 20 steps to 44 steps. Many variables were brought into the equation: • The current negotiating team had five more steps on the current salary schedule to get to top salary. • New Tier II members had a capped salary. • There are many other unknowns for Tier II members, who are currently paying more into TRS actuarially than their benefit will pay them and will need a correction at some time.
Long story short, the current teachers did not want to give up their step raises and negotiated for the current employees. Tier II schedule teachers do have several additional benefits that Tier I teachers do not have available: • Matching $2,000 403(b) after they reach tenure to offset the lower pay. • Higher life insurance value. (This is a set up for Tier I teachers to ask for in future negotiations.) • Double the professional growth dollars. The thinking behind this is that this incentive allows them to move over on the lanes with more support. In the end, the new schedule over time has saved exponential dollars for District 113 while providing fair and equitable salaries. The current contract ends in 2019; it will be entertaining to say the least to see what happens with the next contract.
ALTERNATIVE BENEFITS TO CONSIDER In many cases, a district increases another benefit to invest in the long-term savings of changing a schedule. Education is key to your board of education so you have support when you are questioned or receive complaints from teachers. Some enhancements include but are not limited to: • • • •
Increased retirement incentives Healthcare Salary increases for first year Tuition reimbursement
• • • •
High deductible healthcare money Personal days Stipend increases VEBA
• • • •
Matching 403(b) Sick days Life insurance Option of cashing in unused personal days
YO U — A LWAYS C OST O UT W HAT RA A RE GIVIN G A N D LOO K FO RETU RN ON IN VEST M ENT.
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/ Alternative Compensation Models
THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX When approaching your next negotiations, it is important to think outside the box to see where you may alter or change your approaches. The following chart outlines some key variables you can review within your current contract in your district. Traditional Schedule
Two-Tier Salary Schedule (SD 113 Example)
STEPS Usually 20+ values can be as high as 6-7%. The least number of steps puts a teacher at highest pay for the longest period.
Old schedule was 24 steps (3.5% value).
LANES Movement is the gift that keeps giving salary increases to a teacher. Some lane changes can be valued as high as 9%.
Eliminated Schedule
Factors to Consider
Steps no longer exist and you are in total control of future raises.
Analyze your schedule to determine if you want to grant a step. Some consider this the reward for living another year and not getting fired or released.
Both schedules have lanes, which vary on value. Moving to a Master's lane has a value of 5.6%.
A static dollar amount is set to honor the value of an additional degree or professional development approved by the district.
As educators, we value professional development. Having more control of rewarding appropriate PD that has a direct impact on students is nice.
LIFETIME EARNINGS The least number of steps increases the lifetime earnings.
Old 24-step schedule has 25% more lifetime earnings than the new model with a Tier II TRS employee.
Each member’s lifetime earnings are individualized. If merit pay is initiated, those who excel earn more.
Now a Tier II TRS member must work until age 67 or receive penalties.
PLACEMENT OF NEW HIRES The traditional model has the best equity. Most districts have a max step granted for newly hired teachers.
This can create controversy among staff. When a new hire is on the Tier II schedule, a teacher on the old schedule will have larger salary increases. This is transparent in the hire process but can be lost in short term memory when tenure is reached.
Most districts keep a “placement schedule” in their agreement to have a starting salary for new hires. Being transparent to new hires is key. It is suggested that the new hire even SIGN a memorandum of understanding that they know about the agreement with no schedule.
Depending on the financials of a district, one may need to spend more time on this decision so that it is transparent and future negotiations are not hampered with teachers stating that it was an unknown.
New schedule went to 44 steps (1.2% value).
ACHIEVING A WIN-WIN SCENARIO EVERY DISTRICT IS DIFFERENT. Gather all the details of your contract and know that you may have to take “baby steps” to get movement in a schedule modification if that is one of your goals. Have multiple options calculated out with where YOU as an SBO would like to go and where you think you board of education wants you to go in the final contract. TEACHERS ARE EDUCATION’S BIGGEST RESOURCE. They are in the business for the students and have the same goals as administration. It is the responsibility of the SBO to manage that relationship in a fair and equitable manner. ILLINOIS ASBO IS YOUR FOUNTAIN OF KNOWLEDGE. Experience and sharing is what Illinois ASBO does best and there are many districts that have taken on this challenge and found a “win-win” for both the teachers and the district.
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ARTICLE
By Trevor Holmes ASSOCIATE FRANCZEK RADELET P.C.
Plan Document Requirements
The main change that the IRS imposed with the new 403(b) rules in 2009 is the requirement that school districts maintain a plan document that spells out the specific terms and important features of the plan. That requirement further requires a plan sponsor to ensure that the plan is operated consistent with the terms that are reflected in the district’s plan document.
As new and younger public education employees face reduced pension benefits under Illinois state pension plans, 403(b) retirement saving plans are an increasingly important option to allow both new and longer serving employees to save additional money for retirement. Indeed, younger teachers and district employees are often eager to manage their own investments in a portable retirement savings plan. A well-run 403(b) retirement savings plan can be an integral part of a school district’s overall benefits package that districts are increasingly using to attract and retain employees. At the same time, the IRS has increased the compliance obligations for school districts that maintain these retirement savings programs. Final rules that the IRS made effective in 2009 have required that school districts (also referred to as “plan sponsors”) take a more active role in ensuring that their savings programs comply with federal rules. Much like their private sector peers that sponsor 401(k) savings plans, the final rules make school districts effectively responsible for all aspects of plan compliance. There are many key compliance issues that school districts should consider in light of these enhanced compliance obligations. By addressing those compliance issues, school business officials can maintain a quality retirement program for district employees. 34 |
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There are certain required provisions that all 403(b) plan documents must contain, but the plan document must also describe optional 403(b) plan design features that the school district offers to participants. For example, all 403(b) plan documents must detail: • Who is eligible • Types of contributions that participants can make • Limitations on the amount and types of contributions • A description of the time and form of distributions from the plan Optional plan features, such as plan loans, Roth deferrals (the option to defer money on an after-tax basis), hardship distributions and the ability to move account balances to another plan or IRA through a rollover (or receive account balances from other tax qualified retirement savings plans), if provided by a school district’s plan, must also be appropriately reflected in the plan document. The bottom line is that almost all material changes in how a school district operates its plan must be adopted by a written plan amendment that is approved either by the school district’s board of education or a school business official with appropriate authority to make plan changes. For example, school districts may offer participants the opportunity to designate employee contributions as Roth contributions. If the plan document does not contain specific provisions governing Roth contributions, the plan must be amended to allow participants to make those types of contributions. In most cases, an amendment to implement optional plan changes must be adopted before the end of the plan year to which the change relates.
ARTICLE
By Author TITLE SD/COMPANY
Author TITLE SD/COMPANY
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Managing Employee Eligibility
Code section 403(b) plans are required to make the "option to defer money to the plan available to almost all employees at their school district" under what the IRS calls the “universal availability” requirement. While this requirement seems as if it would be simple to administer, school districts often either intentionally or inadvertently exclude certain classes of employees from plan eligibility. A 403(b) sponsor may elect to exclude non-resident aliens and employees scheduled to work less than 20 hours per week (or 1,000 hours per year). For purposes of a school district, the universal availability requirement means that it cannot exclude broad categories of employees such as bus drivers, cafeteria workers or other individuals who work in roles supporting the core mission of the school if those employees are working more than 1,000 hours in a plan year. Administrators need to have a system in place that allows them to track which employees are eligible to participate in the district’s plan.
Monitoring Plan Contributions
For 2017, IRS guidance allows 403(b) plan participants to defer to their 403(b) account up to the lesser of either (1) 100 percent of their compensation for their most recent full year of service or (2) $18,000. Combined employer and employee contributions cannot exceed $54,000 in a given plan year. IRS rules require that contributions stay below these limits, to the extent that an employee is participating in the district’s 403(b) savings program for the full duration of the plan year. Careful record keeping, either internally at the district’s payroll department or with a third-party administrator, is critical to ensuring that these limits are not exceeded.
Utilizing Outside Service Providers
Monitoring plan contributions, keeping the plan document up to date, ensuring that all eligible employees are given the opportunity to participate and the myriad other compliance responsibilities that school districts must manage require significant resources. These responsibilities can be managed in a school district’s human resources and payroll department, but a school district needs adequate staff along with robust internal controls to ensure ongoing plan compliance. 36 |
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A school district can outsource some or all of this responsibility to an outside service provider. Some school districts administer most of their plan compliance functions in-house and use a common remitter organization tasked with collecting contributions from the school district and remitting those contributions to the various investment vendors on behalf of the district. A common remitter may also assist the district in monitoring IRS contribution limits. A school district may go further and retain a third party administrator which performs both the common remitter functions along with most other administrative and record keeping tasks on behalf of the school district. With this type of arrangement in place, a school district can limit its administrative burden to ensuring that the accurate amount of salary deferrals and employer contributions are remitted to the third party administrator. Regardless of the level of service the outside organization provides, the school district remains responsible for plan compliance under IRS rules. Accordingly, it is critical that the school district carefully negotiate the scope of the services and the appropriate legal terms to ensure that the outside administrator takes responsibility for errors related to the services that it provides. This is important in ensuring that the district does not have to bear the financial costs of any mistakes that the outside administrator makes.
Fixing Mistakes
Even with the best intentions and robust internal controls, mistakes in administering a 403(b) plan are inevitable. With the aim of encouraging employers to continue sponsoring workplace retirement savings, the IRS created a compliance program to assist plan sponsors with the correction of operational and plan documentrelated mistakes. This program, which is called the Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System (EPCRS), allows employers to correct certain errors on their own or prepare an application to the IRS to voluntarily to correct mistakes related to their plans. EPCRS is an optional program but it can be worthwhile as it gives business officials peace of mind that they will not have to address the issue and ultimately not have to pay significant audit penalties should the IRS discover a compliance issue during a formal plan audit.
ARTICLE ARTICLE // 403(b) EyebrowRetirement Savings Plans
If the error is insignificant and the employer fixes the problem within a certain period of time, EPCRS allows employers to self-correct the problem without filing a formal application to the IRS. Generally, an error is insignificant if the amount of money involved and number of participants affected is small relative to the size of the plan. A final determination as to whether an error can be corrected through the self-correction option without preparing a formal application to the IRS depends on the type of error and a careful review of the relevant facts. For example, a school district that inadvertently allows an employee to defer more than the annual $18,000 limit can generally self-correct the mistake within a two-year window by refunding the money to the participant. EPCRS requires that plan sponsors submit formal applications to the IRS for larger errors. For example, if a school district inadvertently excludes a large number of employees from the plan or fails to maintain a plan document, the school district should consider preparing a written application to the IRS to avoid significantly larger penalties during an IRS audit. The process can be costly
depending on the scope of the error as the plan sponsor is required to pay an IRS application fee in addition to the other costs related to the correction. Those additional costs might include the preparation of the correction application and, depending on the correction, the payment of additional money to participant account balances adjusted for earnings. There are a number of formal corrections that the IRS lays out in EPCRS, but the IRS is accommodating when novel mistakes arise and will often take a cooperative approach to assist employers.
Ongoing Compliance
Compliance is an ongoing responsibility. Even in situations where a school district has outsourced most of its plan’s administrative functions, the district has an obligation to continue to monitor whether that service provider is administering the plan properly. Outside professionals can be brought in to assist school business officials with plan compliance by ensuring that plan documentation and plan administration is consistent with IRS guidance.
Catch-up Contributions
As older employees begin to think more seriously about impending retirement, many of those employees are seeking additional ways to put money away for retirement. School districts can accommodate those employees approaching retirement by allowing two types of catch-up contributions. The first standard catch-up contribution allows employees aged 50 and-over to contribute an additional $6,000 (for 2017) in elective deferrals beyond the $18,000 limit set forth under IRS rules.
50+
+$6,000 >$18,000
A second “special� catch-up contribution allows employees with at least 15 years of full-time service at the same school district to make an additional $15,000 of salary deferrals (no more than $3,000 per year).
15 + yrs
+$15,000 $3,000
The second "special" catch-up contribution is more difficult to administer as it has a number of limitations and requires the school district to engage in careful record keeping to ensure that the employee is eligible to make additional deferrals. Both types of catch-up contributions are optional. A school district does not have to give employees the option to make these additional contributions.
Delegating Leadership
Late one Sunday evening
you receive an unexpected phone call. On the other end of the line is the payroll manager with some terrible news. Her mother unexpectedly passed away. She needs to fly to Florida and will be out for at least two weeks. After you express your condolences and hang up, panic sets in. She is the only person who knows how to run the payroll from start to finish. She knows all the intricacies of working with the human resource department, making the liability payments, running Positive Pay and the list goes on and on. You take a deep breath‌ Now what? The scenario above is all too familiar in school districts. The business office often has positions that require a high degree of training and expert level of knowledge. Many times it is not until a situation like this occurs that business officials realize they need to develop work instructions for key processes.
Getting Started Writing everything down and having a back-up plan for every single school business office process is not only impossible, but will overwhelm employees. Start with a “bug me� list. Depending on your role, you may want to do this individually or with another key administrator. Spend about ten minutes listing key topics, systems and questions that frequently cross your desk. It is important that you are honest with yourself and the others helping you develop your list. You may think a process has been defined, but if a topic is frequently revisited more refinement is necessary. After you have a complete list, work with a larger group of stakeholders to determine which defined processes will have the greatest impact on your organization. After completing a similar exercise in Barrington CUSD 220, it was agreed that onboarding and offboarding employees, two key processes in any school district, needed attention and focused leadership in order to give our employees a positive first impression and respectful departure.
As you begin to document processes, stakeholder input is key. For example, although the human resource department leads onboarding activities in Barrington CUSD 220, input from the business office, technology department, buildings and other stakeholders is necessary. It was important to determine an onboarding leader to curate all feedback and distribute the determined process.
Documenting the Process 1 Determine the Scope. Determine the scope of the process you want to define. Develop a title and short introduction about the process, when it is to be used, etc. Providing context is key.
Who is Involved? List all individuals involved in the process by job title and define their roles.
Make an Outline of Activities. Brainstorm all activities needed to complete the process.
Get Organized. Organize the activity list into sequential steps.
Format Your Working Document. Format the document to include bullets, heading and tables. Use visual tools, like screenshots and/or screencasts. A flowchart might be a helpful representation and can be created with an online tool such as Lucidchart.
Test Your Process. Test the process by sharing it with the employees who are defined in the document and asking them to provide feedback.
Reevaluate and Update. Put a system in place that allows for continual process updates.
ARTICLE / Eyebrow
By LeeAnn D. Taylor DIR./FISCAL SERVICES BARRINGTON CUSD 220
Sharing Procedures through Working Documents A key topic on the Barrington 220 CUSD “bug me” list was summer school logistics. In the past, multiple district departments would reach out to summer school administrators regarding important summer school information (hiring, paying employees, budget, technology, rostering students, etc.). In efforts to streamline communication and minimize contradictory processes, a memorandum titled “Summer School Staffing and Coordinating District Departments” was shared as a working document. Within the last decade, collaborative tools such as Google Docs and Office 365 have changed the way we interact with colleagues and share information. Many times printed manuals and static documents require revisions as soon as they are published. If one summer school principal or administrative assistant asks for clarification on the document, information can be added to the document immediately, highlighting changes and notifying all summer school constituents.
Balancing Standardization and Innovation The manufacturing industry is known for its focus on efficiencies and standard work processes. A recent conversation with a friend in the industry served as a reminder that standardized work is a never-ending process. Even after the definition of processes, it is important to honor adaptation and improvement. Each individual that plays a key role in the business office will bring his or her own strengths and ideas to the organization. In his book, Toyota Kata: Managing People for Continuous Improvement, Adaptiveness and Superior Results, Mike Rother reminds readers that Toyota’s success relies on adopting “more of a do-it-yourself problem solving mode” (p. 7).2 When applying Rother’s thoughts to a school district, it is important to find the balance between honoring the process that has been defined by the group and allowing
for individual problem solving. As an individual finds more efficient ways to tackle a procedure or task, he or she has the responsibility of sharing these updates with others that are impacted by the change in procedure.
Go and See Business office administrators
can help facilitate documentation and communication by scheduling a “Go and See,” another tool used by leaders in the manufacturing industry. A “Go and See” facilitates a conversation between the manager and team around some key questions:
• What process/topic should be discussed? • What is the current state? • Are there any obstacles? • What are the next steps? • When is a good time for management to come back and revisit the topic?
Times of Transition In addition to creating increased productivity, greater efficiency and clear communication, documented work processes serve as a valuable training tool. During times of employee transition, a school district may have an opportunity to allow for overlap between the exiting employee and the replacement employee. If this opportunity does not exist, clearly documented processes that define procedures and clarify roles serve as a valuable starting point. Business office administers can guide the new employee towards the prepared instructions yet encourage the Toyota Kata method of do-it-yourself problem solving.
The Power of Process
First and foremost, schools exist to provide a healthy safe environment that allows for student growth and opportunity. By embracing an environment that documents essential processes, principals, teachers, support staff and ultimately our greatest asset, students, will benefit.
Footnotes: 1. What is Process Documentation. (2017, June 05). Retrieved June 18, 2017, from https://www.lucidchart.com/pages/process-documentation 2. Rother, M. (2010). Toyota kata: managing people for continuous improvement, adaptiveness and superior results. New York: McGraw-Hill.
www.iasbo.org
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THE
IMPORTA Hiring to Reflect
T
eachers are responsible for creating a positive learning environment that challenges the student to grow and mature.1,2 They have the obligation to carry out the mission of the local, state and federal agencies related to academic standards and student performance. Among their many duties, a teacher has the task of encouraging the development of his or her students, which is why a diverse workforce is so crucial.3 Much has been written about diversity in education programs and how to prepare pre-service teachers for diversity in race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, language and class.1 The NEA reports on diversity and writes that there is a need to recruit more teachers of color, analyze best practices for retaining minorities that encourage high academic achievement and advocate for state and federal policies that focus on recruiting and retaining diverse teaching staff.4 The growth in the U.S. population is mainly due to the distribution of Hispanic students, which has risen from nine percent to 16.4 percent from 1990 to 2010.5 This has changed the way world languages are viewed and the type of teachers needed to teach a growing ethnic group that is expected to be the numerical majority by 2035 in the K-12 education system.6
By Sherry L. Reynolds-Whitaker, Ed.D.
ARTICLE
BUSINESS MANAGER LYONS ELEMENTARY SD 103
ANCE OF BEING DIVERSE Changing Student Populations
NOT ALL ABOUT RACE Class or socioeconomic status (SES) is another form of diversity and has concerned educators because of the connection to poor academic achievement. The majority of school districts that have low-SES students are known to use outdated materials and have unqualified teachers throughout the system.1 It is imperative that teacher education prepares pre-service teachers for diverse classrooms by incorporating knowledge of the student into culturally responsive curricula to honor students for what they know.7 This requires teachers to have sociocultural consciousness to know and understand the students they teach.1 THE NEED FOR ROLE MODELS Diversity has to be integrated; there is no one-size-fitsall because students come from different backgrounds with global experiences.1 It is a problem when students of color do not have a teacher of color as a role model3 and with the state of the teacher workforce demographics, it is important to seek out quality teachers who specialize in implementing culturally responsive curricula.7
Wells-Wilbon and Holland’s PROJECT 2000 tested social learning theory amongst a group of 55 African American students participanting in a mentoring program. Mentoring programs and/or volunteer programs such as PROJECT 2000 can add value to the experience of African American males within the K-12 system.8 This mentoring program gave some great insights on what such a program can do for a small group of students.
Inner-city black male students in primary Peter Sheppard also studied the impact of HISPANIC STUDENTS ARE and secondary education need positive mentoring and tutoring amongst African EXPECTED TO BE THE male role models in their daily lives to American males. He commented about NUMERICAL MAJORITY become academic achievers. Over the mentoring programs, “Merging the experience IN THE K-12 EDUCATION last few years, the number of African of African American males and curriculum SYSTEM BY 2035.6 American males incarcerated has can be done seamlessly with meaningful, increased while the number of them unprejudiced dialogue among those with graduating from college has declined. This may lead some vested interest in the advancement of African American to believe that the state of African American males is a males’ academic performance.”9 remnant from the U.S.’s dark past in segregated education. Politics and discrimination definitely played a role in the way Hughes’s (2010) study also mentions this needed education was structured and funded in the past. These relationship between faculty and students. This study can absolutely play a role in excluding a minority group if observed students with high academic achievement and supported by the law of the land today. discovered those who do well and continue to do well have a network of mentors who range from teaching faculty to administrators. This suggests that African American male mentoring relationships are crucial to their success and achieving favorable scores in school.10 STUDENTS WHO DO WELL AND CONTINUE TO DO WELL HAVE A NETWORK OF MENTORS WHO RANGE FROM TEACHING FACULTY TO ADMINISTRATORS. www.iasbo.org
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DIFFERENT PATHS TO TEACHING There are many ways to become an educator and potentially develop the next generation of leaders in the K-12 system. At a minimum, an educator has to take five steps to become a teacher:11 1. Obtain a high school diploma regardless of how one becomes a teacher. 2. Obtain a bachelor’s degree. 3. Complete a teacher education program during college or after completing a bachelor’s degree. 4. Complete teacher credential exams. 5. Complete state specific requirements. The path to becoming an educator is exhibited in Diagram A. The path that some minority teachers take, specifically African American males, is Diagram B. Diagram B highlights that teaching isn’t necessary the first choice; most start their careers in other areas and then substitute teach before pursuing teaching as a career.
DIAGRAM A
Alternative: for non-education majors
u
2. Obtain a bachelor's degree (other interests first)
u
u
u
1. Obtain a High School Diploma
3. Complete a teacher education program during college or after bachelor's
u
Student teaching & practicum
4. Complete
u teacher credential u exams
5. Complete state specific requirements
u Additional: Obtain master's degree (some states)
DIAGRAM B
u
u
3. Complete a teacher education program during college or after bachelor's
Sub
u
u
Sub 2. Obtain a bachelor's degree (other interests first)
u
1. Obtain a high school diploma
Alternative: for non-education majors Student teaching & practicum
Alternative Certificate Programs: Teach for Chicago Full-time provisional Teach for America Full-time based sub Sub
4. Complete
u teacher credential u exams
5. Complete state specific requirements
u Additional: Obtain master's degree (some states)
Regardless of the path to become a teacher, some will have to be willing to teach in public schools in urban and high-poverty areas where there are many challenges such as poorly funded facilities as well as outdated material and equipment.1 Alternative-route programs may help with diversifying the teaching staff,12 specifically for minority males who may be looking for a chance to improve public education in the areas that need them the most, mentoring minority students as the classroom leader.
Long-time sub
AN ACTIVE PURSUIT While continuing to positively promote the field of education, HR staff must actively pursue minority and diverse groups to support the growing number of minorities in K-12 public schools. How to do that in the area where there is already a shortage of supply and funds will be the challenge.
FOOTNOTES 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Angus, R., & de Oliveira, L. C. (2012). Diversity in secondary English classrooms: Conceptions and enactments. English Teaching: Practice and Critique, 11(4), 7-18. Boser, U. (2014). Teacher diversity revisited: A new state-by-state analysis. Washington, DC: Center for American Progress. Boser, U. (2011). Teacher diversity matters: A state-by-state analysis of teacher of color. Washington, DC: Center for American Progress. National Education Association. (2014b). Time for a change: Diversity in teaching revisited. A background paper. Washington, DC: Author. Snyder, T. D., & Dillow, S. A. (2012). Digest of education statistics 2011 Washington, DC: Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. Beasley, J., Gartin, B., Lincoln, F., & Penner-Williams, J. (2013). Teacher efficacy and practice in meeting the needs of diverse learners: How do partnerships support teachers? SRATE Journal, 22(2), 107. 8. Gay, G. (2002). Preparing for culturally responsive teaching. Journal of Teacher Education, 53(2), 106-116. 9. Wells-Wilbon, R., & Holland, S. (2000). Social learning theory and the influence of male role models on African American children in project 2000. The Qualitative Report, 6(4), 1-16. Retrieved from http://www.nova.edu/sss/QR/QR6-4/wellswilbon.html 10. Sheppard, P. (2006). Prospective teachers’ experiences teaching mathematics to African 11. American males. Education, 13(2), 226-231. 12. Hughes, R. (2010). Engaging African American males. Gifted Child Today, 32(2), 55-60. Illinois Report Card (2014). Retrieved from http://www.illinoisreportcard.com/District. aspx?districtId=24047308026 13. Ahmad, F. Z., & Boser, U. (2014). America’s leaky pipeline for teachers of color: Getting more teachers of color into the classroom. Washington, DC: Center for American Progress. 14. Constantine, J., Player, D., Silva, T., Hallgren, K., Grider, M., & Deke, J. (2009). An evaluation of teachers trained through different routes to certification (NCEE 2009-4043). Washington, DC: Department of Education.
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UPDATE Magazine / Fall 2017
RESOURCES Trust: The Cornerstone of Leadership On My List The Trust Edge By David Horsager
Overview: In The Trust Edge, David Horsager reveals the foundation for genuine, longlasting success — trust. A practical read that is built on research, The Trust Edge shows that trust is quantifiable and brings about dramatic results in relationships and business. Dive into the ultimate guide to building, maintaining and rebuilding trust. Take away a new appreciation for the incredible impact that trust makes in every business.
What is the most valuable asset for a leader to possess? There are a bevy of options to choose from, but in his book, The Trust Edge, David Horsager makes a compelling case that trust is the cornerstone of leadership and relationships. The main focus of the book is to help the reader grow trust in their own relationships. He argues that when you are able to change yourself, you have the best chance of affecting your organization, family and even your world. The Pillars of Trust Gaining trust takes work, but just knowing that you need to work on it is not enough. Building trust requires doing the little things on a daily basis to earn it. Horsager presents a trustbuilding guide in his book that he calls THE EIGHT PILLARS: 1. CLARITY 2. COMPASSION 3. CHARACTER 4. COMPETENCY 5. COMMITMENT 6. CONNECTION 7. CONTRIBUTION 8. CONSISTENCY These eight pillars build a foundation of trust-building skills for any leader. Horsager also discusses practical ways to begin putting each of the pillars into action.
The Impact of Trust Cultivating trust is the most fiscally responsible undertaking a business leader can pursue. In a climate of trust, people are more creative, motivated and productive. Research has proven that there is a link between employees’ trust in leadership and firm performance; as trust increases, performance increases. Horsager informs the reader that trust, not money, is the currency of business and life. He sites research into buyer-seller relationships in the automaker industry. This research into automakers’ transactions found that costs were five times higher for the least trusted supplier that with the most trusted supplier. Truly, trust has an incredible impact on business.
Trust is the natural result of thousands of tiny actions, words, thoughts and intentions. It doesn’t happen by accident, nor does it happen all at once. www.iasbo.org
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The Human Element
Resources that Connect People and Business
Building Your District Culture pg. 20-23 Hiring for Attitude by Mark Murphy Success for any organization starts with finding people who will thrive within the company culture. Gain insights from relatable examples that will give you tools to recruit the right talent for your organization while minimizing your risk of mis-hires.
For sale at Amazon.com The True Cost of a Bad Hire by Madeline Laurano 95 percent of organizations of all sizes admit to making bad hires every year. How can companies become smarter about their hiring decisions? This report will help organizations understand what is behind bad hiring decisions and key recommendations to mitigate these costs.
www.iasbo.tools/costlyhires
Document Your Processes pg. 38-39 Lucidchart’s Documentation Process A process document outlines steps necessary to complete a task. It is a document that outlines the steps of the task as it occurs. A business office is a group of interrelated processes, and if these processes are not able to be carried out, breakdowns will occur.
www.iasbo.tools/processdocumentation Toyota Kata by Mike Rother Go behind the curtain of Toyota’s game-changing management practices. Gain insight and practical guidance for leading and developing people in a way that makes the best use of everything they have to offer.
For sale at Amazon.com
RESOURCES
The Importance of Being Diverse pg. 40-42 Time for a Change Understand the compelling need to hire and retain teachers from many different ethnicities and socioeconomic backgrounds. See recommendations and learn best practices in the recruitment and retention of minority teachers that support high student achievement.
www.iasbo.tools/diverseteachers Culturally Responsive Teaching by Geneva Gay This article makes the case for improving success rates of ethnically diverse students through culturally responsive teaching. Learn the importance of preservice education programs that imbue the necessary knowledge, attitudes and skills for teachers to be culturally responsive.
www.iasbo.tools/responsiveteaching
Diversity in Secondary English Classrooms Dive into a case study that looked to discover specific instructional strategies that teachers used with their diverse student populations. This study breaks down the strategies used, their effectiveness and the importance of pre-service diversity training.
www.iasbo.tools/diversitystudies
Illinois ASBO members can find all of these resources on the peer2peer Network online community under UPDATE Resources.
www.iasbo.org
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THE FINAL WORD SPEAKING UP ABOUT HUMAN RESOURCES BETH A. REICH Business Manager Grant CHSD 124
We work together to handle all the major areas related to HR. We are a small district, so the superintendent, principal and myself are all acting as the director of HR at different times. We work together to handle all the major areas for certified and non-certified such as staffing, compensation, benefits, discipline, professional development, etc. This is in addition to the traditional functions of the business office.
The connection between human resources and district success is two-fold. From the financial standpoint, schools are not in the business of making widgets and selling them for a profit; we are in the business of people. Typically, 80 percent of our expenses are salaries and benefits, so knowing what those costs are and planning well for them is key to financial success. From the educational view, hiring the right people and offering competitive salaries and benefits so that they stay is key. These are the teachers that will engage and challenge students to have everything they need to succeed and be college and career ready. It all starts and ends in the classroom, so finding the best engaging, hard-working teacher is key.
There are many legislative issues that could change how we do business. In Illinois, the change to the school funding formula, property tax freeze and any pension changes will significantly change the way we do business — what we can offer in compensation and benefits. ESSA is also going to play a big part in what we look at for programs, teachers and how we best serve our students.
Two ways to bridge school district HR and business departments‌ This may seem trivial, but communication between the two departments is really important. Knowing what to ask, when to ask and who to ask as well as recognizing that communication is a two-way street. If you do not keep the lines open, bigger problems will result. Keeping accurate staffing counts by implementing a position control process where each position is accounted for is also key. Inaccurate staffing counts can create a financial issue that rapidly gets out of control. 46 |
UPDATE Magazine / Fall 2017
EMPOWER YOUR SCHOOL OFFICE STAFF
For the Valuable Work They Do Every Day
What Were You Thinking? Critical Thinking Skills to Get Ahead in Your Job and Your Life. Featuring Kristin Arnold, MBA, CPF, CSP Award Winning Author and Speaker
Discover five biases that may be keeping you from making the best decisions – as well as practical techniques that will allow you to overcome these biases. Learn how to quickly analyze and evaluate information in order to make the best possible decision for you, your team and your organization.
Get full event details at www.iasbo.tools/supportcon2017
2017 REGIONAL CONFERENCES
Specifically designed for districts south of I-80!
The Illinois Association of School Business Officials (IASBO) and the Illinois Association of School Personnel Administrators (IASPA) are excited to partner together to bring you full-day professional development opportunities this fall!
DECATUR
October 25, 2017
MT. VERNON October 26, 2017
SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE: Superintendents, business managers, human resources directors and office support staff can learn about a variety of school business, human resource and community engagement topics.
REVIEW THE SESSIONS, SCHEDULE AND REGISTER AT: WWW.IASBO.TOOLS/REGIONAL_CONFERENCES
IASPA Illinois Association of School Personnel Administrators