Personnel Systems and Benefits

The School District of Hillsborough County has developed and maintained effective personnel and benefits systems. With some improvements in technology, implementation of accountability measures, and an increased focus on non-instructional personnel, the district can achieve an efficient, well-rounded and effective Human Resources program. Conclusion The School District of Hillsborough County (SDHC) recruits and hires qualified personnel, evaluates employee salaries and benefits regularly, has a comprehensive staff development program for instructional personnel and formally evaluates its employees to improve performance and productivity. The district does not, however, evaluate its personnel practices or efficiently use technology to enhance personnel management and record keeping. Outdated technology and historically low human resources staffing levels have limited the district s ability to consistently use data to meaningfully evaluate many aspects of the Division of Human Resources. One major area of concern in the Human Resources Division and Staff Development Department is the lack of attention to non-instructional personnel. Non-instructional personnel comprise 41 percent of the district s total permanent staff, however, no staff member in Human Resources is dedicated primarily to overseeing or assisting with the recruitment and retention of non-instructional personnel. Several management training programs exist for instructional personnel and some are required for instructional administrators. Non-instructional supervisors are not required to receive management training or development courses. There is no districtwide mechanism in place for non-instructional supervisors to effectively communicate performance expectations to non-instructional employees. New teachers receive a multi-day orientation program that covers not only benefits and safety issues, but also addresses district policy and procedure and includes specific professional development and training in preparation for their job. Non-instructional employees receive the benefits orientation and safety training and may receive specific job training depending on their department. No other standard orientation is offered. During the course of this review, Gibson Consulting Group, Inc. identified a number of district accomplishments in the personnel systems and benefits, some of which are included in Exhibit 7-1 below. Exhibit 7-1 The District Has a Number of Notable Personnel Systems and Benefits Programs The district performs comprehensive background checks on all employees and has a system in place to identify and investigate criminal and misconduct allegations against current employees. The district has made comprehensive benefits information available online. Employees may also complete annual enrollment and make enrollment changes online. The district supports teachers pursuing National Board of Professional Teaching Standards certification through fee support and training and development programs. The district has an efficient, effective and comprehensive substitute placement and training system. The district use of staff health professionals to review claims saves $500,000 annually in consulting fees. Gibson Consulting Group, Inc. Page 7-1

The district revised its Workers Compensation Claims Management process in 1997 saving $4.5 million over the past four years. In 1999 the district became the first school district in Florida to conduct employee benefits enrollment on the Internet. Source: The School District of Hillsborough County. Overview of Chapter Findings Gibson Consulting Group, Inc. reviewed the district s personnel systems and benefits using the Best Financial Management Practices and associated indicators adopted by the Commissioner of Education. The consulting team employed several methodologies to develop chapter conclusions and action plans. For instance, Gibson Consulting Group, Inc. conducted on-site interviews with district level managers and gathered information on the personnel systems and benefits activities. This data included reviewing previous consultant reports, internal reports on recruiting, benefits, evaluations, workers compensation, staff development, teacher certification, and investigations. To receive additional input, Gibson Consulting Group, Inc. also held focus groups with assistant principals and teachers. An overview of chapter findings is presented below. Personnel Processes 1. The district has effective, although manual and sometimes cumbersome, processes for recruiting and hiring qualified instructional personnel. The effectiveness and efficiency of the process for recruiting and hiring qualified non-instructional personnel varies by department. (Page 7-6) 2. The district uses competitive salary and benefit packages to maintain its workforce but does not monitor recruitment and retention of non-instructional staff. (Page 7-12) 3. The quality and comprehensiveness of staff development programs to achieve and maintain high levels of productivity and employee performance among non-instructional employees varies by department. (Page 7-20) 4. The district offers a comprehensive staff development program for instructional employees that advances high quality instruction and high levels of student achievement. (Page 7-23) 5. The district provides staff development programs and mentoring opportunities for school-based administrators. (Page 7-27) 6. The district s system for formally evaluating employees is designed to improve and recognize excellent performance and to identify and address performance that does not meet expectations. (Page 7-28) 7. The district ensures that employees who repeatedly fail to meet the district s performance expectations or whose behavior or job performance is potentially harmful to students are promptly removed from contact with students and that the appropriate steps are taken to terminate the person s employment. (Page 7-31) Managing Human Resources 8. The district has several means of communicating with employees. (Page 7-33) 9. The district has efficient and cost-effective policies and practices for providing substitute teachers and other substitute personnel. (Page 7-35) 10. The district maintains personnel records in accordance with Florida Statutes and board policy; however, a heavy reliance on hard copy records is inefficient. (Page 7-37) 11. The district uses cost-containment practices for its Workers Compensation Program. (Page 7-38) 7-2 Gibson Consulting Group, Inc.

12. The district has implemented mechanisms to ensure the performance, efficiency, and effectiveness of the human resource program in limited areas. (Page 7-41) 13. The district periodically reviews the organizational structure and staffing levels of the Human Resources Division to identify reorganization and budget reduction options. (Page 7-44) 14. The district periodically evaluates its personnel practices and adjusts these practices as needed to improve efficiency and service. (Page 7-46) 15. For classes of employees that are unionized, the district maintains an effective collective bargaining process. (Page 7-47) Fiscal Impact of Recommendations One of this chapter s recommendations has a direct fiscal impact the recommendation to downgrade the general director of Employee Relations position. Exhibit 7-2 details the fiscal impact of this recommendation. Downgrading the general director position, eliminating the supervisor position and adding a personnel analyst position will bring the district more in line with its peers and balance spans of control in the division. Based on the actual salaries of those who currently hold the positions, the mean salaries for the new positions, and a benefits rate of 27.65 percent, the district could save $279,230 over five years. Exhibit 7-2 One Personnel Systems and Benefits Action Plan Recommendation Has a Fiscal Impact Recommendation Five Year Fiscal Impact Downgrade the general director of Employee Relations position to director level with the title of Chief Negotiator. Eliminate the supervisor position and add a personnel analyst position. Source: Gibson Consulting Group, Inc. The assistant superintendent may choose to add a different support position, or more than one support position, however, the consultant has used the addition of one personnel analyst for the purpose of calculating the fiscal impact of the change. The general director of Employee Relations position is currently paid $92,219 with benefits of $25,499 ($92,219 x 27.65% benefits rate) for a total annual cost of $117,718. The midpoint salary for a director is $82,799 with benefits of $22,894 ($82,799 x 27.65% benefits rate) for a total annual cost of $105,693. The annual cost savings of downgrading the position would be $12,025 ($117,718 $105,693). The supervisor of Employee Relations position is currently paid $81,102 with benefits of $22,425 ($81,102 x 27.65% benefits rate) for a total annual savings of $103,527. At least one personnel analyst position would need to be added to accommodate workflow. The midpoint salary for a personnel analyst position is $41,912 with benefits of $11,589 ($41,912 x 27.65% benefits rate) for a total annual cost of $53,501. The total savings for this recommendation would be $31,026 [($12,025 + $103,527 $53,501)/2] for 2002-2003, and $62,051 ($12,025 + $103,527 $53,501) per year for 2003-2004, 2004-2005, 2005-2006 and 2006-2007. The five-year savings would be $279,230. Gibson Consulting Group, Inc. Page 7-3

Background The personnel systems and benefits function is critical to the smooth operation of a school district. The Division of Human Resources in SDHC is responsible for recruiting and hiring qualified, competent staff; collective bargaining and employee relations; employee and retiree benefits; employee safety and risk management; and ensuring compliance with district policy and state and federal employment laws. The Instructional Division is primarily responsible for all staff development, and payroll is coordinated with the Division of Business and Information Technology Services. The Human Resources Division serves 20,826 permanent employees and 7,215 temporary and substitute employees. The Human Resources Division is divided into four departments. The Human Resources Department is responsible for processing vacancies, screening applications, placements, and employment status changes; salary and records administration; and employee evaluations and performance issues. The Human Resources Department is also responsible for contacting and procuring substitutes, ensuring that instructional employees are properly certified, and qualifying non-instructional applicants for positions. The Professional Standards Department is responsible for performing misconduct investigations, monitoring non-instructional employee performance issues, instructional recruiting, and processing all new hires, which includes performing background and fingerprint inquiries. The Employee Relations Department is responsible for negotiating and administering collective bargaining agreements, handling grievances and employment lawsuits, evaluating pay equity, responding to Equal Opportunity Employment matters, and other employee relations issues. The Employee Benefits and Risk Management Department is responsible for employee and retiree health insurance, retirement and optional benefit programs, the self-funded workers compensation program, and liability and property insurance. The department also includes the district s safety personnel and all environmental and safety activities, including drug testing in addition to administering the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) and the Omnibus Transportation Employee Testing Act (OTETA). Exhibit 7-3 presents the organizational structure of the district s divisions. Exhibit 7-4 presents the organizational structure of the Human Resources Division. 7-4 Gibson Consulting Group, Inc.

Exhibit 7-3 SDHC is Composed of Seven Divisions Superintendent Instructional Support Instruction Division of Human Resources Division of Operations Division of Business and Information Technology Services Division of Instruction Division of Administration Division of Supportive Services Division of Technical, Career & Adult Education Department of Governmental Relations Department of Public Affairs Source: The School District Of Hillsborough County District Level Organization Charts. Gibson Consulting Group, Inc. Page 7-5

Exhibit 7-4 The Human Resources Division is Composed of Four Departments Supe rintendent Deputy Superintendent Instructional Support Assistant Superintendent Human Resources Administrative Secretary (1) Receptionists (2) General Director Employee Relations Exec. Secretary (1) Supervisor (1) Place ment Specialists (3) Network Computer Specialist (1) Computer Support Technician (1) General Director Human Relations Exec. Secretary (1) Supervisors (5) Secretaries (3) Clerks (3) Clerks (3) Personnel Analyst (1) Admin. Resource Teacher (1) Senior Customer Service Representatives (3) Customer Service Representatives (17) General Director Professional Standards Exec. Secretary (1) Head Custodian (1) Custodians (2) Senior Investigator (1) Investigators (2) Security Officer (1) Supervisors (2) Manager (1) Secretaries (4) Director, Employee Benefits & Risk Management Exec. Secretary (1) Risk Mgmt Supe rvisor (1) Analyst (1) Manager (1) Sr Personnel Analyst (1) Secretaries (2) Clerk (1) Retirement & Benefits: Sr Customer Service Rep (1), Customer Service Rep (4), Personnel Aides (2) Customer Service Safety: Safety Specialists (6), Safety Representatives (2) Coordinator (1), Safety Technician (1) Clerks (2) Occ. Health Nurse (1), Claims Rep. (1) Source: The School District Of Hillsborough County Human Resource Division Organization Charts. Personnel Processes 1 The district has effective, although manual and sometimes cumbersome, processes for recruiting and hiring qualified instructional personnel. The effectiveness and efficiency of the process for recruiting and hiring qualified non-instructional personnel varies by department. The district has policies and procedures for advertising positions and qualifying applicants. The first step in the hiring process is the advertising of a vacancy. Hiring managers, which may be principals, assistant principals or non-instructional supervisors, can request that positions be advertised. When a request is made the Human Resources Department or a personnel placement supervisor, or a customer service representative for non-instructional personnel, determines if the department or campus has unit availability. Unit availability is the verification that the campus or department has been allocated 7-6 Gibson Consulting Group, Inc.

the position and the funds to pay for that position. The personnel placement supervisor or customer service representative verifies unit availability by checking rosters and a self-contained database program for position control. If the unit is available, the position is advertised on the district s website, on the instructional or non-instructional job line, and through the administrative bulletin. The administrator or supervisor may review the appropriate pool of cleared, active applicants and then interview candidates. Before a teacher application is ruled active, a personnel placement supervisor and a member of the teacher certification staff verify that the applicant meets state requirements for qualified instructional personnel and that all appropriate documentation is on file. This documentation would include transcripts or teaching certificates and references. Non-instructional personnel are pre-certified for different classes of positions and can only apply for positions for which they certify. All applications request the disclosure of criminal history, and applicants must certify that all information provided on the application is true and correct and understand that failure to disclose information could lead to discharge. The Office of Professional Standards must clear a disclosure of criminal history before the application is ruled active. Some applicants may not be cleared based on the seriousness of the offense and the disposition of the criminal charges. During new hire processing, criminal background checks through an online connection with local authorities are conducted immediately. New hires are also fingerprinted, and the fingerprints are submitted to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a complete criminal history. Investigations of criminal history and misconduct are discussed in more detail in section 7. In cases where personnel placement supervisors determine that a teacher is teaching out-of-field, those teachers are referred to teacher certification staff that maintain documentation and track the teacher s progress towards attaining certification in their field through an internal database program. Out-of-field teachers are also noted on the district s mainframe. Teachers who meet the standard for qualified non-certificated staff are not considered out-of-field but experts in field. These teachers are not tracked by teacher certification, but documentation is maintained in the teacher s personnel file to support the qualified non-certificated status. The review team met with personnel placement supervisors, customer service representatives, teacher certification staff and department directors to discuss these issues. The team also simulated the hiring process and reviewed out-of-field tracking instruments. The Human Resources Division does not have a formal process to efficiently and systematically update job descriptions and make them easily accessible to personnel. Job descriptions are maintained in three ring binders in the Human Resources Department. One binder contains instructional positions, and one binder contains non-instructional positions. The Office of Professional Standards also keeps a copy of non-instructional job descriptions. A review of the job description binders verified that no formal process exists to routinely update job descriptions. For example, several of the job descriptions for Human Resources positions were dated July 1987, and instructional job descriptions dated 1977 or earlier were also observed. The job descriptions are not in electronic format, and paper copies have to be requested by employees or supervisors from the Human Resources Department or the Office of Professional Standards. The general director of Human Resources said that job descriptions are created for new positions and updated as positions are reclassified. Job descriptions are also reviewed for reasonable accommodation for workers compensation and light duty reasons, but these reviews do not always translate into the job description being updated. The lack of periodic review for physical requirements for necessity and clarity Gibson Consulting Group, Inc. Page 7-7

opens the door to potential district liability with regard to the American s with Disabilities Act. Individual departments are encouraged to keep their job descriptions updated to avoid employee complaints and grievances based on outdated job descriptions, but no control exists to ensure that updates occur. Job requirements and salaries for all positions are not available in all postings. Job postings on the Internet and in the administrative bulletin do not always include information on education, knowledge, skills and abilities and compensation. Some of the instructional and professional positions in the administrative bulletin and on the website did include education and certification requirements, and the principal and assistant principal website includes prerequisites. Salary schedules for teachers are available online but must be requested for any other position. All non-instructional positions are posted on a bulletin board at the Velasco Student Services Center, where all new employees must go for processing. Postings at the Velasco Center include job descriptions with detailed education, experience and knowledge, skills and abilities requirements. Salary schedules are also available, and salary ranges are provided on the postings. The application process is time consuming and confusing. Most applications must be processed through the Velasco Student Services Center. While the staff at the center is friendly and willing to help, the application process is one of the most criticized functions of the Human Resources Division. Teaching position applications are currently the only ones available on the Internet. Most other applications have to be mailed or retrieved from the Velasco Student Services Center, but applications for custodial and transportation positions can be picked up from those departments. Applicants have to be certified for positions, which often entails testing or detailed review of transcripts and certifications. Applicants also have to be cleared by Professional Standards if any criminal history has been disclosed. During peak hiring times in the summer and before the second semester, application processing takes longer due to the dramatic increase in the number of applicants. The district creates applicant pools of prescreened individuals who have been certified as qualified for positions and initially cleared by Professional Standards. Some basic information is available to supervisory staff online. Applications for specific individuals can be reviewed at ROSSAC for instructional personnel and Velasco for non-instructional employees. Currently, applicants must call to get the status of their application. The district is working on automating the entire application process, which would include a function for checking the status of an application online. At the time of the review, however, the district had only completed the online application for instructional personnel and has not tied that application to the database being developed to track and display instructional applicant information. The district has developed recruitment plans to address critical shortage areas among instructional personnel, but does not have formal goals and evaluative mechanisms in place to measure program effectiveness. The district is currently suffering critical shortages in the following educational areas: exceptional student education, math, chemistry, physics, technology and industrial education, family and consumer science, orchestra and string music, and reading majors. In the summer of 2001, the district was released from a desegregation order and granted unitary status. The district has confirmed its commitment to hire a diverse staff. Exhibit 7-5 details teaching staff versus student enrollment ethnicity. The district s recruiter compares these numbers periodically, and, as 7-8 Gibson Consulting Group, Inc.

a result, is adjusting the recruiting strategy to focus on not only finding more African-American but also more Hispanic candidates. Exhibit 7-5 Teaching Staff and Student Enrollment Ethnicity 78.3% 48.6% 12.5% 26.5% 8.2% 22.4% 0.6% 2.2% 0.4% 0.3% White Black Hispanic Asian Indian Teachers Students Source: SDHC Ethnic Distribution of Teachers, November 2001 and SDHC Enrollment Counts and Ethnic Percentages, School Year 01-02. The district has several initiatives in place that may help address the shortage areas. These initiatives include a paraprofessional to educator program in conjunction with the University of South Florida, an emphasis on the Florida Future Educators of America and Teachers of Tomorrow programs, the Transition to Teaching: Teach for Hillsborough seminar, and an ongoing relationship with University of South Florida s minority teacher intern group. In addition to these, the recruiter usually visits historically black colleges and universities including Florida A&M University, the Tuskegee University, and several colleges in Alabama. The district uses pre-contract binders, which guarantee a teaching position in the district, for especially promising candidates. Costs for recruiting trips are tracked in addition to the number of interviews and pre-contract binders issued for each recruiting trip. The department does not formally calculate the cost per recruit of each trip to determine which trips are yielding the most candidates for the best price. It does, however, informally assess the value of each trip based on cost and the quality and number of candidates, with extra weighting given to candidates that represent one of the critical education areas or under-represented minority groups. The recruitment plan details its purpose and gives background on the current teacher shortage and underrepresented minority groups. The plan also has 21 objectives, which include developing a recruitment team and recruiting guide booklet, intern visitation programs, on-campus recruitment, a housing relocation program and pre-contract binders. The plan details how each of those objectives might be accomplished and who will participate in the programs. The 1999-2000 proposed budget for the recruitment plan was $60,258. The recruiter planned to use business partnerships and the education foundation where possible to offset the costs of some of the objectives, and these were not included in the budget request. The plan does not include concrete goals with measurable outcomes for each objective or a mechanism for reviewing and evaluating the strategies. Gibson Consulting Group, Inc. Page 7-9

The Human Resources Division does not actively participate in the recruitment of noninstructional personnel. Non-instructional departments are responsible for their own recruiting efforts. Interviews with several human resource personnel and non-instructional supervisors indicated that bus drivers and student nutrition workers are experiencing difficulty in recruiting sufficient numbers of candidates. The Transportation Department uses bus driver referrals, the Human Resources and Transportation websites, the administrative bulletin, the non-instructional job line, and local newspapers to advertise positions. The Transportation Department requested that the Human Resources Division do a salary survey of local competitors for bus drivers to determine if salaries were appropriate. The Student Nutrition Services director indicated that she was having difficulty in recruiting and retaining workers and that the Human Resources Division did not provide enough support and assistance in recruiting efforts. During salary negotiations with the Blue Collar Union, which represents most non-instructional employees, student nutrition services workers salaries were evaluated for equity and raised to be equal to those of custodial workers. The newly negotiated salaries have been ratified by the union and approved by the school board. Recommendations We recommend that the district develop a process for periodically evaluating and updating all job descriptions. The district should make job descriptions for all positions available on the district s Intranet. We recommend that Internet and internal job postings refer applicants to corresponding job descriptions and salary schedules. We recommend that the Human Resources Division continue to develop online job applications for all positions and provide an online tracking mechanism for applicants. We recommend that future recruitment plans include measurable goals and a mechanism for evaluating objectives against those goals. Action Plan 7-1 provides the steps needed to implement these recommendations. Action Plan 7-1 Update Job Descriptions Periodically Strategy Action Needed Develop a process for periodically evaluating and updating both instructional and noninstructional job descriptions. The district should make job descriptions for all positions available on the district s Intranet. Step 1: The general director of Human Resources (or designee) develops a standard job description format. Step 2: The general director of Human Resources (or designee) develops a timeline for updating both instructional and non-instructional job descriptions. The timeline should be broken down by class of employee or by department and should include assignment of responsibility to a specific person for completion of the updates by the deadlines. Step 3: The general director of Human Resources distributes the timeline to all responsible employees. Step 4: Designated employees begin evaluating and updating job descriptions according to the timeline. 7-10 Gibson Consulting Group, Inc.

Step 5: Job descriptions are submitted by the responsible employees to the Human Resources Department to ensure consistency of format and content. Step 6: The Human Resources Department submits division job descriptions to the appropriate assistant superintendents for approval. Step 7: The assistant superintendents approve the job descriptions. Step 8: The Human Resources Department submits job descriptions to the superintendent for final approval. Step 9: The Human Resources Department requests that the updated job descriptions are made available on the district s Intranet. Step 10: The Human Resources Department updates both instructional and noninstructional job descriptions on at least a tri-annual basis. Who Is Responsible General Director of Human Resources Time Frame March 2003 Fiscal Impact This recommendation can be completed with existing resources. Make Job Descriptions and Salary Schedules Available Online Strategy Action Needed Link Internet and internal job postings to corresponding job descriptions and salary schedules. Step 1: The general director of Human Resources provides job descriptions and salary schedules to the supervisor of Web Services. Step 2: The supervisor of Web Services places the job descriptions and salary schedules on the Internet. Step 3: The general director of Human Resources reviews the job descriptions and salary schedules for accuracy and then approves the web pages. Step 4: Web Services makes the web pages live and adds the appropriate links to other pages. Step 5: The general director of Human Resources ensures that all job postings in the Administrative Bulletin refer interested applicants to the job description and salary schedule web pages. Who Is Responsible Supervisor of Web Services Time Frame May 2003 Fiscal Impact This recommendation can be completed with existing resources. Develop Online Applications for All Positions Strategy Action Needed Continue to develop online job applications for all positions and provide an online tracking mechanism for applicants. Step 1: The supervisor of the application center uses the teacher online application as a guide to develop online applications for other district positions. Step 2: The Technology Department integrates the new applications into the application database. Step 3: The Technology Department makes the applications available online. Step 4: The supervisor of Application Center ensures that Internet accessible computers are available in the Application Center, and at other locations applicants frequent, so that most applicants can complete electronic versions of the application. Who Is Responsible Supervisor, Personnel Placement Application Center Time Frame March 2003 Fiscal Impact This recommendation can be completed with existing resources. Gibson Consulting Group, Inc. Page 7-11

Develop Goals for Recruitment Plan Strategy Action Needed Develop goals and evaluation mechanisms for future recruitment plans. Step 1: The supervisor of Teacher Recruitment develops and states mechanisms for evaluating each strategy in the recruitment plan. Step 2: The supervisor of Teacher Recruitment formalizes and states goals for each recruiting strategy in the recruitment plan. Step 3: The supervisor of Teacher Recruitment implements the strategies found in the plan. Step 4: The supervisor of Teacher Recruitment evaluates each strategy according to the evaluation method and compare results to stated goals at least annually. Step 5: The supervisor of Teacher Recruitment reports the success of each strategy based on the attainment of goals to the general director of Professional Standards, the assistant superintendent of Human Resources, and the Recruitment and Retention Committee. Step 6: The assistant superintendent of Human Resources reports the success of each strategy to the superintendent and the board. Step 7: The supervisor of Teacher Recruitment revises the recruitment plan based on the success of strategies and input from the general director, assistant superintendent, and Recruitment and Retention Committee. Who Is Responsible Supervisor, Teacher Recruitment Time Frame December 2002 for Steps 1 and 2 October 2003 for Steps 3 through 6 Fiscal Impact This recommendation can be completed with existing resources. Source: Gibson Consulting Group, Inc. 2 The district uses competitive salary and benefit packages to maintain its workforce but does not monitor recruitment and retention of noninstructional staff. The district develops competitive salary and benefits packages for all employees. The general director of Employee Relations periodically surveys other districts and private and public sector employers in the area to maintain competitiveness. The latest comprehensive salary comparison was done in May 1999. The district surveyed the seven largest school districts in the state and four contiguous county school districts. Teacher salaries were compared for average salary paid and four benchmark steps: beginning, step 6, step 13 and maximum. The survey included principal and assistant principal positions at elementary, middle and high schools. Ten non-instructional support positions were also ranked. The results of the survey are shown in Exhibit 7-6. The rankings represent highest (#1) to lowest (#11) salary levels by position. 7-12 Gibson Consulting Group, Inc.

Exhibit 7-6 The District Uses Salary Comparisons to Maintain Market Competitiveness Position/Level Average Salary Hillsborough Rank 1998-99 (out of 11) Hillsborough Rank 1996-97 (out of 11) Average teacher salary $34,459 7 Beginning Teacher Salary $26,252 4 9 Step 6 $27,300 9 9 Step 13 $31,546 7 8 Maximum $44,311 4 7 High school Principal $75,305 5 3 Middle School Principal $68,504 5 3 Elementary Principal $65,391 4 4 Assistant Principal High School $59,611 3 2 Assistant Principal Middle School $50,368 9 1 Assistant Principal Elementary School $43,686 11 10 Custodian $18,096 6 4 Bus Driver $15,915 2 3 Teacher Aide $14,227 2 3 Bookkeeper $24,522 2 2 Food service $11,139 7 7 Electrician $38,236 3 4 Mechanic $28,396 6 3 Secretary $28,699 2 1 Clerk Typist $20,787 2 4 Nurses-LPN/RN $23,536 8 7 Source: The School District of Hillsborough County Salary Comparisons, May 1999. In the spring of 2001 the district conducted a salary survey that compared the salaries of four noninstructional positions to the salaries of similar positions in five surrounding school districts, two other public sector employers in the county, and five private sector employers. These positions-- bus driver, student nutrition assistant, custodian and secretary I-- were selected for comparison because they are typically hard to fill positions in the district. The results of that survey are shown in Exhibit 7-7. Exhibit 7-7 The District Also Compares Non-Instructional Salaries Locally Bus Driver SNS Assistant Custodian Organization Min Max Min Max Min Max Secretary I Min Max Hillsborough $9.02 $16.98 $6.75 $12.72 $7.08 $13.35 $7.81 $15.02 Manatee $10.20 $15.95 $8.19 $12.62 $8.66 $13.35 $9.39 $14.64 Pasco 1 $7.80 $12.75 $6.35 $8.90 $6.35 $11.40 $6.45 $11.90 Pinellas $9.94 $14.28 $7.96 $11.43 $7.96 $11.43 $8.02 $13.44 Polk $9.00 $13.82 $6.80 $11.23 $7.30 $12.82 $7.05 $15.09 Sarasota $9.97 $14.16 $7.03 $9.98 $8.82 $12.53 $9.80 $13.92 Hillsborough County 2 $8.05 $12.10 NA NA $7.38 $11.09 $8.93 $13.42 City of Tampa NA NA NA NA $8.33 $11.88 $10.14 $14.42 Hartline $9.50 $14.00 NA NA NA NA NA NA Greyhound $15.67 $18.44 NA NA NA NA NA NA Gibson Consulting Group, Inc. Page 7-13

Bus Driver SNS Assistant Custodian Secretary I Organization Min Max Min Max Min Max Min Max Caspers 3 NA NA $5.50 $7.25 $8.50 $10.50 Varies Piccadilly 4 NA NA $6.00 $15.00 NA NA NA NA Tampa Electric NA NA NA NA NA NA $10.06 $12.58 1 Experience credit given one step for every two years experience through Step 5 start on Step 6. 2 Mini-bus Driver 3 Custodians work only overnight hours. 4 Servers and cooks start at $6.00; Servers can reach $8.00 and cooks can reach $15.00. Source: Hillsborough County Schools Salary Comparison, Spring 2001. The district s director of Employee Benefits and Risk Management and other human resources administrators participate in a number of committees designed to compare benefit packages. These include the district Employee Benefits User Group, Florida Education Risk Management Association, and a local Professional User Group comprised of Hillsborough County public and private sectors organizations. These groups compare benefits packages and provide training on a number of subjects such as negotiations with health carriers. In June 2001 health insurance costs were compared to five other school districts. The Tampa Bay Area Governmental Employers sponsored a comparison of benefit costs to Pinellas schools, Hillsborough County, City of Tampa, and City of Clearwater. An independent broker prepared this comparison. The district is participating in a statewide heath insurance initiative sponsored by Florida Education Risk Management, a group that includes the unions, the Florida Association of District School Superintendents and the Florida Association of School Administrators. The results of these comparisons are used to guide the development of salary schedules and benefits packages. These results are not linked to turnover information by positions that would help the district determine if the salaries offered by the entities adequately address employee turnover issues and concerns. The salary comparisons did not include technology positions that have been identified by other divisions as especially difficult to recruit and retain. The district takes actions to recruit and retain teachers but has not formally evaluated the results of its efforts. The district has implemented a number of strategies designed to retain teachers. The district provides a 201-day work year for a teacher that is one of the longest in the state. The district participates in the state funded retention program in which eligible teachers receive $850 if they meet certain criteria. The district also encourages teachers to pursue National Board of Professional Teaching Standards certification, a voluntary certification process. The state of Florida provides financial incentives to National Board certified teachers who meet certain requirements and additional financial incentives to National Board certified teachers who mentor other teachers. In 2000-01 the district had 82 National Board Certified teachers. The District uses a Teacher Retention/Recruitment Committee to address teacher hiring and retention. This 38-member committee meets eight times a year and is composed of principals, administrators, teachers, union representatives, and community and business representatives. During the year, the committee chairs established subcommittees to identify main issues and tasks needed on the issues identified below. In 2001-02 the committee will focus on teacher retention issues. Issues explored during 2000-01 included the following: Contracting out recruiting efforts 7-14 Gibson Consulting Group, Inc.

Paraprofessional recruitment College recruitment/pre-contract binders Management of applicants at school site Review of the application process Teacher interview day Staffing issues options for continued shortages Review of the hiring cycle Recruitment incentives Beginning teachers teaching assignments Certification issues/preparing New Educators program Expansion of the alternative certification program Expansion of reciprocal agreements Review of the interview and hiring process The Human Resources Division also regularly requests input from the Principals Council regarding hiring barriers. Recent suggestions from principals include: Allowing principals earlier access to lists of previous temporary teachers and allowing earlier hiring of high performing temporary teachers. Improving currency of teacher applicant lists by purging the applicant pool of candidates who are no longer interested or available. Limiting teacher transfers to the end of nine weeks/semester periods. Generating a list of Do s and Don ts for principals with respect to professional practices in hiring, transferring and providing references. The district has not yet begun to monitor or evaluate the results of its efforts to recruit or retain teachers. By not monitoring the results of their efforts the district may not identify the activities that produce the best results or are most cost efficient. The district is in the second year of an initiative to help paraprofessionals further their education and become teachers. The first year was spent in planning and development of partners. The district has been working with the University of South Florida (USF) and Hillsborough Community College (HCC) to develop a seamless program for employees interested in the teaching profession. Both the state and the universities will offer financial assistance. The district is currently completing a survey of noninstructional employees at all sites that is designed to determine employee interest and preferences as to where, when and how to attain this additional education. For example, employees are being asked to express preferences on the type of institution; whether classes should be taken at the work site, on the college campus or via computer distance learning; and on night or weekends. Interested employees will be invited to a meeting where representatives for USF and HCC will provide information about educational opportunities. The Human Resources Division does not monitor efforts to recruit or retain noninstructional staff. Recruiting and retention of non-instructional employees is performed by the individual departments and varies significantly from department to department. Some departments such as Transportation perform Gibson Consulting Group, Inc. Page 7-15

their own recruiting and also mentor and support candidates throughout the hiring process. This department maintains detailed information regarding attendance and turnover. Other departments such as Student Nutrition do their own recruiting but do not provide support to candidates during the application process. This department also does not maintain turnover information on its positions. The district could incur increased costs by not monitoring the recruitment and retention of noninstructional staff at the district level. Recruiting efforts can be both time-consuming and costly in terms of advertising. The district may continue efforts that do not produce sufficient candidates or the candidates may not be successful in their new jobs. High turnover rates result in increased training costs and often indicate salaries that are not competitive or may indicate personnel or management problems. By not monitoring efforts to recruit or retain non-instructional staff at the district level the district may have difficulty ensuring compliance with state laws and regulations or district policy. The district rewards performance in selection of supplemental pay positions. Principals appoint subject area team leaders and mentors from teachers who demonstrate high instructional performance. This process is specifically provided for in the teachers contract, which requires the posting of vacant supplemented positions and allows ten working days to interview interested teachers (Teacher Contract 1998-2001, section 19.1.5). Exit interviews are limited to teachers. The district implemented its own exit interview process with teachers in February 2000 and began participating in the state mandated exit interview program with the 2000-01 school year. Based upon results presented in the state mandated program, 718 teachers left the district in 2000-01, representing 7.1 percent of total teachers in the district. Exhibit 7-8 compares Hillsborough to its peer districts identified for this study. Information from Broward was not included in our analysis due to incomplete information. State teacher exit information indicates that Hillsborough teachers separate at a slightly higher percentage than the state as a whole (7.1 percent compared to 5.2 percent for the state). The district s separation percentage is slightly less than two of its peers (Orange and Pinellas) but more than the other peers (Duval and Palm Beach). The average experience of teachers leaving Hillsborough was identical to the state average. The percent of teachers leaving for salary reasons, lack of opportunity, or for positions outside of education were less than those of other districts except for Pinellas (salary and opportunity) and Orange (salary only). 7-16 Gibson Consulting Group, Inc.

Exhibit 7-8 The District s Teacher Exit Information indicates turnover rate of 7 percent. Number Employed October 2000 Average Years Experience Percentage leaving for Salary Reasons Percentage Leaving for Lack of Opportunity Percentage Leaving for Employment Outside of Education School District Number Separated Percentage Separated Duval 6,573 228 3.5% 7.0 11.3% 6.6% 18.9% Palm Beach 8,364 456 5.5% 11.4 10.8% 1.1% 11.0% Hillsborough 10,102 718 7.1% 9.3 5.6% 0.9% 10.4% Orange 8,126 601 7.4% 8.8 5.0% 1.2% 11.5% Pinellas 6,684 548 8.2% 12.2 4.8% 0.6% 11.7% State 135,683 7,117 5.2% 9.3 7.4% 1.6% 9.5% Note: This is the initial year of reporting teacher exit information statewide. Information may be incomplete or inaccurately reported in some districts Source: Florida Department of Education, Teacher Exit Interview Information, 2000-01. The district also uses an internal exit review process that is more detailed than the state survey. The timing of the internal review, February 2000 to February 2001, does not correspond to the initial reporting dates for the state reporting, July 1, 2000 to June 30, 2001. The district internal report included only 138 exit surveys and did not include involuntary separations or separations due to retirement. If the district decides to continue the internal reporting, it should consider revising the reporting timeline to match that of the state. The district should also reconcile the two reports to ensure accuracy of reporting. The district has distributed information on exit interviews to each school for review and necessary action but has not formally analyzed the information at the district level to identify unfavorable trends or possible personnel problems at a school or groups of schools. By not analyzing the exit data across the district the district is overlooking the opportunity for the timely identification of retention issues. Once identified, the Teacher Retention/Recruitment Committee or the Human Resources Division could then address these issues. Exit interviews are not routinely conducted for non-instructional staff and the information is not analyzed at the district level. Exit interviews provide valuable information to the district including reasons for leaving such as dissatisfaction with pay levels, barriers in the work place or possible supervision problems. By not conducting exit interviews the district may not recognize or correct problems in a timely manner or may allow the district to be exposed to litigation. Internal equity reviews are not routinely performed. The district does not periodically analyze or compare major classes of positions within the district for internal equity. The last major position review was in 1994 when the district analyzed all clerical positions. Positions are analyzed based upon individual requests by divisions. Effective in January 2002 the beginning salaries of student nutrition personnel will be adjusted to that of beginning custodians. Recently nurse and physical therapist positions were changed to allow the acceptance of experience credits for placement on the respective salary schedules. Interviews with non-instructional administrators indicated dissatisfaction with starting salaries and frustration with the lack of promotion opportunities for their employees. The ability of the district to Gibson Consulting Group, Inc. Page 7-17

recruit and retain technology positions using traditional promotional processes and the inequity of student nutrition salaries at all levels were cited as examples. By not conducting periodical internal equity comparisons the district may create inequities between departments and develop situations where departments are unable to retain staff due to transfers between departments. The lack of analysis also encourages a climate where the perceptions exist that certain positions are favored over other positions. Recommendations We recommend that the district collect turnover information on all major groups of employees in hard to fill positions to determine if the salaries are adequate and to identify job conditions that affect retention of employees. We recommend that the district expand Human Resources Division s role and responsibilities to include monitoring and evaluation of recruiting and retention efforts for non-instructional personnel. We recommend that the district evaluate the State of Florida Teacher Exit Information, identify needed improvement, and address needs in an action plan. We recommend that the district develop a plan to analyze the internal equity of major classes of positions over a three to five year period. Action Plan 7-2 provides the steps needed to implement these recommendations. Action Plan 7-2 Collect Turnover Information for Hard to Fill Positions Strategy Action Needed Develop a process to collect and evaluate turnover information on all major groups of employees in hard to fill positions. Step 1: The general director of Employee Relations develops criteria to determine hard to fill positions based upon quantifiable analysis of vacancies and information provided by non-instructional administrators. Step 2: The general director of Employee Relations identifies all major groups of employees in hard to fill positions including supervisory and technical positions. Step 3: The general director of Human Resources develops exit interview questions designed to determine reasons for leaving and any job related problems that contributed to the decision. Step 4: The general director of Human Resources implements a process to conduct and document exit interviews with all employees leaving specified positions. Step 5: The general director of Employee Relations includes representative positions in an annual salary survey of public and private sector employers. Step 6: The general director of Employee Relations distributes the results of the survey to all non-instructional administrators and solicits feedback and suggestions. Step 7: The Human Resources Department staff analyzes the responses form the salary surveys and exit interviews and administrators comments to determine how the district might alter its salary schedules or hiring practices to better fill these vacancies. 7-18 Gibson Consulting Group, Inc.