IntroductionIn May 2001, Texas Comptroller Carole Keeton Rylander released the results of her school performance review of the Del Valle Independent School District. Based upon more than five months of work, this report identified 95 recommendations that could, if fully implemented, result in net savings of more than $2.9 million over the next five years. During June 2002, TSPR staff returned to assess the district’s progress in implementing the recommendations.
Improving the Texas School Performance Review
Comptroller Rylander, who took office in January 1999, consulted school district officials, parents and teachers from across Texas and carefully examined past reviews and progress reports in an effort to make the Texas School Performance Review (TSPR) more valuable, even vital, to the state’s more than 1,000 school districts. With the perspective of having served as a teacher, and later a school board president, the Comptroller has vowed to steer TSPR toward being more accountable to local school districts and the communities they represent.
Comptroller Rylander began by establishing new criteria for selecting school districts for future reviews. Priority is given to districts judged poor performing—academically or financially—and to hands-on reviews that will benefit the greatest number of students.
Recognizing that only about 52 cents of every education dollar is spent on instruction, Comptroller Rylander’s goal is to drive more of every education dollar into the classroom. In addition, no longer will school districts’ best practices and exemplary models be left buried inside individual TSPR reports. Instead, Comptroller Rylander has ordered best practices and exemplary programs to be shared quickly and systematically among all the state’s school districts, and with anyone who requests such information. There is simply no reason for a district that has solved a problem well to keep the solution to itself. Comptroller Rylander has directed TSPR to serve as an active clearinghouse of the best and brightest ideas in Texas public education. Best practices identified in the original review of MISD will be included in the Comptroller’s best practices database, A+ Ideas for Managing Schools (AIMS), which is accessible on the Web at www.aimsdatabase.org.
Under Comptroller Rylander's approach, the TSPR team and consultants works with districts to:
- ensure students and teachers receive the support and resources necessary to succeed;
- identify innovative options to address core management challenges;
- ensure administrative activities are performed efficiently, without duplication and in a manner that spurs education;
- develop strategies to ensure the districts’ processes and programs are continually assessed and improved;
- understand the links among the districts’ functional areas and determine ways to provide a seamless system of services;
- challenge any process, procedure, program or policy that impedes instruction and recommend ways to reduce or eliminate obstacles; and
- put goods and services to the “Yellow Pages test”—government should do no job if there is a business in the Yellow Pages that can do that job better and at a lower cost.
Finally, Comptroller Rylander has opened her door to Texans who share her optimism about TSPR’s potential. Suggestions to improve school reviews are welcome at any time. The Comptroller is a staunch believer in public education and public accountability.
Detailed information can be obtained from TSPR by calling 1-800-531-5441 extension 5-3676, or by visiting the Comptroller’s Web site at www.window.state.tx.us.
TSPR in the Del Valle Independent School District
On August 22, 2000, the Del Valle ISD (DVISD) Board of Trustees voted to request a performance review of the district and agreed to pay 25 percent of the $125,000 cost or up to $31,250. State Representative Terry Keel also wrote the Comptroller requesting a performance review and State Representative Glen Maxey concurred on a review of the district. On November 7, 2000, TSPR began its performance review of the district. In the final report issued in May 2001, the greatest challenges facing DVISD were inadequate financial controls and inadequate planning for the future. Student enrollment was growing by 10 percent per year, yet the district lacked plans for managing its money and building schools to meet student growth.
The Comptroller contracted with IBM, the international computer, software and consulting firm headquartered in New York, at a cost of $124,588. The team interviewed district employees, school board members, parents, business leaders and community members and held four public forums at Del Valle High School, Del Valle Junior High, Baty Elementary and Hornsby-Dunlap Elementary. The review team conducted additional focus group sessions with teachers, business leaders, site-based decision-making committees, students and parent volunteer groups. The Comptroller’s office also received letters, e-mails and phone calls from a wide array of parents, teachers and members of the community.
A total of 383 respondents answered surveys. Forty-seven central administrators and support staff; 11 principals and assistant principals; 183 teachers; and 142 parents completed written surveys. The review team also consulted two databases of comparative educational information maintained by the Texas Education Agency (TEA)—the Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) and the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS).
DVISD selected peer school districts for comparisons based on similarities in student enrollment, student performance and community and student demographics. The selected peer school districts were Bastrop, Eanes, Georgetown, Hays, Lockhart, Manor and San Marcos. TSPR also compared DVISD to district averages in TEA’s Regional Education Service Center XIII (Region 13), to which DVISD belongs, and the state as a whole.
DVISD in Profile
DVISD spans 174 square miles and serves the suburban communities of Montopolis, Frontier Valley, Sundridge Park and Pleasant Valley, and the rural communities of Garfield, Creedmoor, Mustang Ridge, Elroy, Pilot Knob, Webberville and Hornsby Bend. For 2001-02, the district served a culturally diverse population of more than 7,000 students in eight schools: five elementary schools, one middle school, one high school and one special and/or alternative education school. DVISD’s student profile is 18.8 percent Anglo, 64.2 percent Hispanic, 15.4 percent African American, 1.2 percent Asian Pacific Islander and .4 percent Native American. Economically disadvantaged students make up 70.5 percent of the district’s student population.
In 2001, four of DVISD’s campuses received a Recognized rating from TEA, and the district received and overall Recognized rating.
In 2000-01, 87.9 percent of all students passed the reading portion of the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS); 89.1 percent passed the math portion of the test; 87.6 percent passed the writing portion; and 81.2 percent of students passed all tests taken.
In 2001-02, the district employed a staff of 1,006 employees, with teachers accounting for 529, or more than 52.6 percent, of DVISD staffing. The district had expenditures of $53.4 million that same year. In 2001-02, 73.9 percent of DVISD’s budgeted revenues were generated from local taxes, and 2.5 percent came from local and intermediate sources. About 20.2 percent came from the state, while 3.4 percent came from the federal government.
In 2001-02, DVISD budgeted 50.4 cents of every tax dollar on classroom instruction compared to the state average of 52 cents.
Over the last year, significant changes have occurred in the district.
- The district completed the investigation recommended by the State Comptrollers Office into possible fraudulent activities. No evidence of fraud was identified.
- The school district’s single-member election district boundaries were redrawn based on the 2000 census, and elections have been held in three of the nine single-member districts.
- A committee of community members and district staff redrew elementary school attendance boundaries due to the planned opening of the district’s sixth elementary school. Construction has begun on the district’s second junior high school and renovations on three existing schools.
- Three national bond rating agencies—Standard & Poors, Moodys and Fitch—have upgraded the district’s bond rating to an “A.”
- The Texas Education Agency completed a District Effectiveness and Compliance (DEC) audit, which is required for all districts every five years. Preliminary findings show the district is complying with state rules and regulations and that funds are being spent according to state requirements.
While the district still has a lot of work to do, both DVISD staff and TSPR team members have a sense of steady progress. The district has implemented 71 recommendations; 21 are in various stages of progress, and three have been reviewed but not implemented. (See Appendix A for details on the recommendations' status.)
Del Valle ISD Report Card
Chapter # of Recommendations Complete In Progress Not Implemented Rejected Percent Complete/In Progress Rating District Organization and Management 9 4 5 0 0 44% / 56% Satisfactory Educational Service Delivery 15 12 2 1 0 80% / 13% Excellent Personnel Management 9 7 1 1 0 78% / 11% Satisfactory Facilities Use and Management 4 1 3 0 0 25% / 75% Satisfactory Asset and Risk Management 21 18 2 0 1 86% / 10% Excellent Financial Management 6 2 4 0 0 33% / 67% Satisfactory Purchasing and Contract Management 6 3 3 0 0 50% / 50% Satisfactory Food Service 6 5 1 0 0 83%/17% Excellent Transportation 5 5 0 0 0 100%/0% Excellent School Safety and Security 5 5 0 0 0 100%/0% Excellent Computers and Technology 9 9 0 0 0 100%/0% Excellent Overall Grade 95 71 21 2 1 75% / 22% Satisfactory Excellent = More than 80% complete
Satisfactory = 80% to 100% complete or in progress
Needs Work = Less than 80% complete or in progress
Exemplary Programs and PracticesDVISD is a school district with some notable successes, and TSPR has identified numerous “best practices.” Through commendations in each chapter, the original report highlighted model programs, operations and services provided by DVISD administrators, teachers and staff members. Other school districts throughout Texas are encouraged to examine these exemplary programs and services to see if they could be adapted to meet local needs. TSPR’s commendations include the following:
TSPR Key Recommendations
- DVISD’s Crisis Management Plan contains guidelines to ensure the safety of students and employees in the event of crises within the district. The district’s plan is a model for other districts and includes such useful tools as crisis day checklists, emergency procedures, staff assignments for securing buildings and specific plans for each type of crisis.
Since the review, DVISD has updated its Crisis Management Plan and provided each campus with a complete crisis management manual.
- DVISD has competitive salaries and benefits for bus drivers, thereby eliminating a need to recruit drivers. Most school districts experience bus driver shortages due to low wages, often without benefits, and local or regional competition from other employers. DVISD, however, provides higher salaries ($13.41 per hour on average) than the average provided in the region ($12.88 per hour) and provides benefits to its drivers. Consequently, the district consistently has more applicants than the available number of open slots.
Over the last year, DVISD has continued to review its salaries and benefits for all employees. The district increased its contribution for health insurance by $50 per month per employee in 2001-02 so it could continue paying 100 percent of the employee-only cost for all employees.
- DVISD’s campuses, particularly its elementary schools, have received numerous grants, awards and recognition. All of the elementary schools have received the Texas Successful School Award, which is a financial award for schools that have demonstrated high levels of sustained academic success. Several schools have received the award more than once. Baty Elementary has been chosen a Texas Blue Ribbon School of Excellence for 2000-01. More than $450,000 in grants has been awarded to DVISD for math, science, reading and at-risk student programs.
DVISD has been selected to participate with the University of Texas Center for Reading and Language Arts in coordination with the National Institute for Child Development to develop a nationwide model program for language development.
- DVISD developed a new cash-forecasting tool, which allows the district to manage its investment portfolio more effectively. Beginning in August 2000, DVISD made weekly cash expenditure projections and invested any surpluses during the month. This process allowed the district to maximize its investment potential.
DVISD continues to monitor its cash flow position to better manage its investment portfolio and has revised its investment policies to include benchmarks for investments.
- DVISD uses many local and statewide cooperative-purchasing organizations, which saves tax dollars through bulk and competitive bidding practices. DVISD uses these purchasing cooperatives whenever possible to obtain the best prices available and has saved more than $250,000 between 1998 and 2000.
In March 2002, DVISD joined the Texas Association of School Board’s “Buy Board” purchasing program, a statewide online purchasing program designed specifically for public schools.
- DVISD distributes comprehensive district and school-specific employee handbooks to the staff each year. The district publishes a comprehensive employee handbook for the faculty and staff annually. The handbook describes the school district’s mission statement, goals, objectives, procedures, employee conduct requirements, Code of Ethics and Standard Practices for Texas Educators and schedules of all district meetings.
DVISD continues to provide employees information about policies and procedures and is soliciting feedback from employees on ways to improve employee satisfaction. In February 2001, the district surveyed all employees and reported the results to the district administrative team and the board. Among the issues addressed in the survey was parking, which is being addressed via the last bond issue. In addition, the district has started a wellness program, and paid stipends for hard-to-fill special needs positions.
- DVISD targets at-risk students with a variety of programs. The district operates a family literacy program, Even Start, a migrant workers program, Project L.I.F.E. (Learning Involving Family Education) and a Pregnancy, Education and Parenting program.
To address the needs of students who are at -risk of failure in middle school and high school, DVISD has begun offering targeted tutoring programs and has enhanced its Secondary Improvement Plan. The district also has improved its Saturday TAAS Academies for academic core classes and has increased staffing levels and staff development at the middle school and high school.
- DVISD distributes a comprehensive Student Code of Conduct. Parents and students are required to sign an agreement form concerning the student’s conduct. The code contains detailed explanations of student responsibilities and obligations, procedures for dealing with violations and the consequences of breaking the code.
DVISD, at TSPR’s recommendation, conducted an audit of its In School Suspension (ISS) program. Based upon some of the changes that were implemented because of the audit, referrals to ISS are down by 38 percent.
- DVISD has a state-of-the-art information technology infrastructure. DVISD spent almost $3 million from its 1997 bond issue to design and develop a comprehensive districtwide network, linking individual local area networks into a high speed, high bandwidth wide area network.
To ensure the infrastructure is used to its fullest, the district has created the Management Information Systems Department (MIS) and appointed a Director of MIS.
- The DVISD child care program benefits school-age parents who might otherwise not finish school. DVISD provides licensed child care for student parents. The program enables high school teens to finish their education.
DVISD’s child care program for school-age parents continues to place a major emphasis on keeping teen parents in school.Listed below are some of the key recommendations that administrators and staff said they believe had the greatest impact on district operations. The highlighted recommendations are organized by chapter and by the area of operation contained in the original report. The comments came from district administrators during the TSPR team’s follow-up visit to the district.
District Organization and Management
Recommendation 1: Establish a system to reimburse board members and administrators for district-related expenses and discontinue the practice of issuing personal credit cards.
In October 2001, the board adopted an amended travel policy that eliminated the use of credit cards. Board members now are given cash advances, and board members return any unused cash and submit invoices for all expenses incurred. The checks and balances are solid; district administrators said that this recommendation established a strong system of financial controls.
Recommendation 6: Develop a comprehensive strategic plan that links the various existing plans and ties them to the budget.
Administrators told the review team that despite the fact that the recommendation’s implementation is still in progress, it has helped them to focus resources and attention on the district’s goals. At the beginning of the 2001-02 school year, the district moved the goal setting and planning portion of the budget process from February to November and developed a budget development timeline to guide the work of the board and the administration. All parties are using this timeline to reinforce the links between the district’s goals, budget and plans. The district also changed the superintendent’s evaluation instrument to emphasize the board-adopted goals. In February 2002, the DVISD board used the Texas Association of School Board’s facilitator to help it conduct a full-scale strategic planning process that will involve the community, the board and the administration in the long-range planning process.
Educational Service Delivery
Recommendation 10: Develop and implement strategies to ensure the vertical alignment of curriculum and instruction across grade levels and the vertical teaming of elementary, middle and secondary teachers.
The curriculum directors for both Secondary and Elementary Curriculum for the district said that by designating early release dates on the school calendar specifically as “vertical alignment days,” the district has been able to bring teachers from all grade levels together to discuss transitioning issues and develop strategies for helping students move smoothly from grade to grade. Early release days for this purpose were particularly beneficial, because teachers often have difficulty if meetings are held after school hours. This change made it possible for all teachers to participate without interruption.
Recommendation 16: Conduct a special education program review and implement internal performance measures to evaluate performance.
The superintendent said he was well aware that special education was a weak area that needed attention. Even before the release of the final TSPR report, he started a special education program review on the advice of the review team. Initially, the review was conducted internally, but the superintendent decided an external contractor would be needed and shifted about $21,000 of existing funds to this project. The initial review was completed around the time that the performance review was released in May 2001, and the contractor has continued to work with the district to implement the recommendations in that report. In the superintendent’s opinion, the district threw resources at the problem when, actually, it needed to improve the process. By implementing a number of recommendations, including a pre-referral process, he said he believed the district has significantly improved both special education services and probably avoided costly lawsuits in the process.
Personnel Management
Recommendation 25: Review and update all job descriptions for each position every three years and standardize the format.
The new director of Human Resources said this recommendation would be extremely difficult to implement, but one that she felt was critical. As she reviewed the more than 200 job descriptions, she identified not only outdated and non-existent positions, but also pay inequities and misclassifications that had to be remedied. The new job descriptions revised in May 2002 will provide the basis for employee evaluations, staff development and justifications for termination, if necessary.
Recommendation 22: Develop strategies to lower class sizes in physical education classes.
Recommendation 29: Develop staffing guidelines for all employee categories.
These two recommendations addressed an equity issue for the district, according to key administrators. About 25 to 30 people were moved between campuses because of campus-level staffing formulas, and some additional types of employees were hired, while other positions were eliminated. The administrators said that this recommendation forced them to look at equity in a way they had not done before. It has also allowed them to improve financial accountability, an issue that is particularly important for a growing district like DVISD.
Recommendation 30: Develop an employee retention plan.
The District Advisory Team formed a Human Resources Committee, which surveyed all employees to identify recruitment and retention issues. The district is using the committee’s findings to make adjustments, such as providing additional parking at some campuses, revising the sick bank policy, and giving perfect attendance awards. Employee recruitment and retention also was written into the district goals for 2002-03, and early indicators in 2001-02 show that the turnover rate has dropped to less than 10 percent, down from 23.8 percent in 1999-2000.
Facilities Use and Management
Recommendation 34: Develop a long-range facilities master plan.
When the new superintendent and business manager assumed their positions in 2000, they both said they were “behind the eight ball” as far as facilities were concerned. The issue was not about the need for brand new facilities, although some of the facilities were deteriorating badly. The issue was having enough space to house the influx of children to the district. In some cases, the schools had no more space even for portables. While work remains in progress and will be ongoing for as long as the growth in the district continues, developing a basic plan with the assistance of the community, staff and board was a critical step in gainingt the community’s trust for the passage of a bond in 2001.
Asset and Risk Management
Recommendation 57: Hire an internal auditor.
DVISD may still be too small for a full-time internal auditor, but the district’s administrators said that they are asking for funds during the next fiscal year for internal audit services because they feel that a sound internal audit program can provide a proactive approach to maintaining a strong system of internal controls. By contracting for a systematic internal audit of high-risk functions like activity funds and contract management procedures, the district can become more proactive in ensuring a strong system of internal control.
Financial Management
Recommendation 59: Develop a formal procedures manual for the business office that details day-to-day operations and use this manual to cross-train business office staff.
Developing the manual has been an eye-opening experience for both staff and board members, according to district administrators. The process has helped staff to identify areas where controls and accountability could be strengthened, and the board was able to see the processes from beginning to end and better understand how the administration was implementing board policy.
Recommendation 62: Make financial accounting information available to campus and department administrators.
The superintendent said that when he was a principal he had to maintain a separate set of books at the campus-level so he could monitor the budget. Effective August 1, 2002 access to financial information will be immediate, and campuses will be able to obtain goods or services faster because financial information and requests will be transmitted electronically.
Purchasing and Contract Management
Recommendation 65: Develop a comprehensive purchasing policy and procedures manual for all offices in the Purchasing Department, campuses and departments, and place the manual on the district’s Web page.
Like the business office procedures manual, the purchasing manual has been distributed to everyone, including members of the board, and it is posted on the district’s Web site. There are no longer any excuses for failure to follow policies or procedures.
Food Services
Recommendation 76: Develop a Child Nutrition program budget each year.
Neither the food service contractor, nor the district fully understood the financial condition of the food service fund until this recommendation was implemented. According to district administrators, they were asking how things were going and being told everything was fine. Once reports were run, the situation was found to be anything but fine. Last year, the district lost more than $142,000 in the food service fund. A budget was developed in 2001-02, and now monthly reports are distributed to the board and administration, which show the budgeted expenditures compared to actual expenditures. This system has helped the contractor and the district to better manage the operation.
Transportation
Recommendation 78: Conduct a transportation service analysis.
The Transportation director has rerouted all of the buses because the elementary boundaries were redrawn. As a result, the reimbursement that the district is eligible to receive from the state has risen from $.88 per mile to $.97 per mile. State reimbursement is based on linear density, which is the ratio of the average number of regular program students transported daily to the number of miles operated daily for those students. Routes that are more efficient mean larger reimbursements, which is what DVISD has been able to achieve. Annual reimbursements increased by $104,000 in 2001-02.
School Safety and Security
Recommendation 82: Develop a long-range safety and security plan.
A special committee began work during the summer of 2001 to develop a safety and security plan for the district. The board approved the final document and it was distributed to each campus just in time to be thoroughly tested during the flooding that occurred in the district on November 11, 2001. The plan worked. The administration highlighted the Popham Elementary School principal as a model for the rest of the district in the way she worked with the committee as well as how she has implemented the plan.
Computers and Technology
Recommendation 87: Fill the vacant technology director position.
The district promoted an individual who had filled a technical position in the district to director of Management Information Systems. This person has enhanced the district’s technology efforts and has been instrumental in ensuring that all staff is well trained.
Recommendation 92: Develop a training plan for DVISD technology staff.
Recommendation 93: Activate the technology-user committees and ensure that they meet on a regular basis.
Recommendation 94: Revise the existing Technology Plan to include specific activities and assignments, funding sources, timelines and measurable objectives.
Putting the technology committee together again and developing a technology plan that includes training, funding sources, timelines and measurable objectives has changed the way the district operated in the past. As a result, technology is now seen as a solution rather than an obstacle for administrative issues, and instructional technology is being put to better use in the classrooms.
DVISD has made steady progress in implementing TSPR recommendations. Seventy-one recommendations have been implemented, 21 are in various stages of progress and three have not been addressed. This section addresses the key areas requiring additional attention.
Personnel Management
DVISD administrators and board members have deferred action on Recommendation 28, which suggested a controlled retirement incentive plan, because they were concerned they would lose some of their best educators. An incentive plan, however, does not necessarily restrict the district from re-employing a retired participant to the extent permitted by the Teacher Retirement System (TRS) rules of employment. Consequently, if a large number of experienced teachers accepted the offer, the district would be able to rehire or contract with some of them, perhaps with more flexible schedules to encourage their continued involvement in the education of children and mentoring of less experienced teachers. TSPR encourages the district to examine all aspects of an incentive plan while considering the possible negative affects and the legal and management issues surrounding such a plan.
DVISD’s Ideas for Improving the Texas School Performance Review
The Texas School Performance Review team does not assume that its process for performing school reviews works so well that it cannot be improved. Therefore, as part of the progress report preparation, TSPR asked Del Valle ISD staff members and administrators what went right and what went wrong—and how the process could be improved.
The feedback TSPR has received from other districts led to improvements in the review process. For example, early reports did not include implementation strategies, and districts told TSPR they needed help getting started. As a result, the reports now include implementation strategies and timelines to complement the recommendations. District officials have told TSPR these blueprints are invaluable to achieving the desired results. It is important however, for TSPR staff to be mindful of those things that did not work as intended so that the review process can be improved.
Del Valle administrators and board members made the following observations:
The superintendent said one of the best parts of the review was the time the review team spent with administrators during the follow-up process. There was a great deal of “give and take,” ideas were tossed around, and suggestions were made for overcoming some obstacles to full implementation of certain recommendations. He said this kind of session might have been helpful midway through the year, rather than at the end of the year.
He also said that whether he agreed or disagreed with the report, it forced the district to look at all of the issues. And he said that some of the more difficult decisions were made possible because the recommendations came from the Comptroller. No one likes to change the way things have been done, but the report motivated them to change—even when it was not easy.
In addition, some district staff believed the review team did not always interview a wide array of people, or sometimes did not interview the right people. Consequently, some of the findings were based on the perceptions of a single person. In the future, efforts will be made to identify all of the key stakeholders in a process to ensure that all sides have been heard.
Surveys sent to board members requesting their observations about the review process were generally positive, but two areas for improvement were suggested. More realistic timelines and implementation strategies would have been helpful, and the board may not have fully understood the scope of the review at the onset.
Clearly, DVISD has had a lot on its plate over the last year, making some of the timelines unrealistic. The superintendent put it more gently when he said that the report forced officials to move more quickly than they might have without the report. If a single recommendation is looked at in isolation, the timeline might appear to be realistic. In response, TSPR staff plans to do a better job of estimating the total impact of all of the recommendations on a district when establishing suggested timelines for implementing any single recommendation.
Early on in the process, TSPR representatives met with DVISD administrators and ultimately attended a board meeting to explain the process. However, from the reaction of the board members, it appears that some of their expectations were not fully met despite these initial efforts. TSPR staff will research this issue more and seek out suggestions for better communication in the early stages of the review process to try to mitigate these issues.
