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Chapter 4
PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

This chapter reviews the personnel management of the Rockwall Independent School District (RISD) in the following sections:

A. Organization and Management
B. Staffing Formulas and Salary Administration
C. Recruitment, Hiring Activities and Retention
D. Staff Development
E. Grievances and Appraisals

E. GRIEVANCES AND APPRAISALS

RISD employees are encouraged to discuss problems or complaints with their supervisors or an appropriate administrator at any time. RISD has a formal grievance process that provides all employees with an orderly process for prompt and equitable resolution of grievances. Staff members can access this information in the employee handbook and see the detailed policy on the RISD Web site (www.rockwallisd.com).

According to Local Policy DGBA, "A grievance must specify the individual harm alleged." Initiation of a grievance begins at Level One and continues on if not resolved. Exhibit 4-34 shows the multiple levels in the process.

Exhibit 4-34
RISD Grievance Process
Summer 2002
Level Participants Process Conference
Timing		 Response
Deadline
Level One Employee and principal or immediate supervisor Employee submits the grievance in writing on a specified form that must be filed within 15 days to the time the employee first knew or should have known of the event or series of events about which the employee is complaining. Conference is held within seven days after receipt of written request. Seven days following the conference.
Level Two Employee and superintendent or designee Employee requests meeting in writing on a district-provided form within seven days following receipt of a response. Conference is held within seven days after receipt of written request. Seven days following the conference.
Level Three Employee and board Employee requests meeting in writing on a district-provided form within seven days following receipt of a response. Superintendent or designee informs employee of date, time and place and makes an audiotape record of the proceedings. Up to and including the next regularly scheduled board meeting.
Source: TASB policy DGBL (L); RISD Employee Handbook, undated.

Exhibit 4-35 describes all complaints that reached Level II (superintendent review) or Level III (Board of Trustees review) for 2001-02 and 2002-03.

Exhibit 4-35
RISD Level II Complaints
2001-02 through 2002-03*
Date Position Bringing Complaint Reason for Complaint End Result
March 2003 Auxiliary position Questioned termination due to job abandonment In progress
February 2003 Teacher Principal's evaluation/harassment Resolved at Level II
January 2003 Principal Questioned teacher's lack of ethical conduct toward principal Resolved at Level II
September 2002 Teacher Elimination of teacher's part-time position Resolved at Level III
June 2002 Teacher Administrative management Resolved at Level II
February 2002 Teacher Contract non-renewal Resolved at Level II
Source: RISD assistant superintendent for Human Resources and Operations, March 2003.
*Through March 2003.

If the grievance concerns the appointment, employment, evaluation, reassignment, duties, discipline, or dismissal of the employee bringing the grievance, the RISD board may hear it in a closed meeting.

RISD's superintendent has assigned the assistant superintendent of Human Resources and Operations to be the designee for Level Two Grievances.

RISD board policy specifically states that all employees be appraised annually and Chapter 21 Subchapter H, sections 352 and 354 of the Texas Education Code (TEC) requires an appraisal at least once during each school year for administrators and teachers.

According to the assistant superintendent of Human Resources and Operations, completed appraisals for professionals and paraprofessionals are kept at central administration and auxiliary appraisals are kept in the office of the director of the specific department. Administrators and supervisors receive verbal and written reprimands for not conducting appraisals.

RISD uses different appraisals for the following categories:

  • office and technical staff, bus drivers, custodial staff, Food Service staff, Maintenance staff teacher aides;
  • counselors, librarians, nurses; and
  • specialists and managers in the Child Nutrition Department.

FINDING

RISD does not evaluate school or district administrative staff performance. Failure to provide these appraisals placed RISD in violation the Texas Education Code and its own board policy. TEC Section 21.354 requires each school district to appraise each administrator annually and states that an administrator may not be paid with district funds if he or she has not been evaluated in the preceding 15 months. RISD policy DNB (Legal) specifically cites the TEC reference and indicates that RISD adopted this policy in October 1998.

In interviews, district administrators said that they either did not have regular appraisals or had never had an appraisal themselves. Some administrators mentioned informal discussions where they discussed their goals and accomplishments.

According to the assistant superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, RISD initiated an effort to develop appraisal instruments for campus administrators in September 2001. A team consisted of four campus administrators, one central office administrator and one assistant principal. It began with a standard instrument, evaluated its contents and developed content appropriate to the district. Following feedback from other school administrators, in spring 2002, the superintendent approved an extensive instrument that includes a self-appraisal, an intervention plan and a comprehensive tool based on the district's mission statement and aligned with state standards. The district has not yet used this instrument. Future plans include modifying this instrument for district administrators. The superintendent does receive an annual evaluation from the board.

San Antonio ISD (SAISD) formally evaluates all district employees at least once a year. The procedures for evaluating each category of employee are contained in a manual entitled The SAISD Employee Appraisal Systems. The manual provides procedures for evaluating all employees, except teachers and principals. Procedures for evaluating teachers and principals are contained in separate manuals.

A personnel officer in the Human Resources Department, who oversees and monitors the appraisal system, sets schedules and deadlines for completion of appraisals. All employee appraisals (an original copy) are returned to Human Resources. The personnel officer is responsible for making sure each employee is evaluated.

Cedar Hill ISD created a workshop to address the need for administrators to clearly understand and be able to communicate standards of performance for employees. Managing Employee Performance - A Workshop for School Administrators, first delivered May 30, 2000, covers effective hiring, documenting performance, progressive discipline, elements of good written warnings and an outline of materials covered in the workshop.

Recommendation 27:

Conduct annual campus and district administrator performance appraisals using a standard tool clearly understood by reviewers.

Supervisors who receive training on conducting a performance appraisal need to receive follow up by HR on the quality of the appraisals they conduct. Ongoing feedback to employees is vital and so is ongoing feedback to supervisors. Standards for measurement often change. New ideas and methods of conducting feedback permit supervisors to improve their own skills. Through ongoing training of supervisors, employees realize the importance a district places on performance as the primary mechanism connecting organizational strategies, goals and results.

IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES AND TIMELINE
1. The superintendent directs the assistant superintendent for Human Resources and Operations to work with the administrative leadership team to make necessary changes in the proposed performance appraisal for campus administrators for use by district administrators. June 2003
2. The assistant superintendent for Human Resources and Operations compiles the information from the previous training program to create a manual that clearly communicates the district's policy on conducting appraisals. July 2003
3. The assistant superintendent for Human Resources and Operations and the assistant superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction arrange a training program for all staff that will be conducting these appraisals. August 2003
4. Supervisors of campus and district administrators meet with their staff to clearly identify the appraisal process and set expectations for the review. August 2003
5. School and district administrators receive a performance review. January 2004
and Ongoing
6. New supervisors receive training along with those needing a refresher. Ongoing

FISCAL IMPACT

This recommendation can be implemented with existing resources.