PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT
This chapter examines San Angelo Independent School District's (SAISD's) personnel management functions in five sections:
- A. Organization and Management
- B. Recruiting and Hiring
- C. Employment and Retention of Personnel
- D. Salary Administration
- E. Training and Staff Development
A. ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT
SAISD's Personnel Department is responsible for carrying out personnel management policies and procedures for the recruitment, employment and retention of more than 2,000 employees. Exhibit 4-1 summarizes SAISD's 2000-01 budget and shows that payroll makes up 78 percent of the district's budget.
Exhibit 4-1 Source: TEA, Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS), 2000-01.
SAISD Budgeted Expenditures
2000-01
Expenditure Category Budgeted Amount Percent of Total Payroll Costs $77,129,538 78% Contracted Services $4,074,600 4% Supplies & Materials $5,631,243 6% Capital Expenses $4,910,498 5% Other Expenses $1,926,905 2% Debt Service $5,046,135 5% Total $98,718,919 100% The assistant superintendent of Personnel oversees the Personnel Department with a staff of 11 administrative and support personnel. SAISD delegates responsibilities for human resources management among four areas, including Support Staff Services, Elementary Certified Personnel, Secondary Certified Personnel and Employee Benefits. The Personnel Department and the assistant superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction jointly coordinate staff development and training. Exhibit 4-2 showsthe current organization structure of the Personnel Department.
Exhibit 4-2 Source: SAISD Personnel Department.
Personnel Department Organization
2000-01The goals and objectives of the department for 2001-02 are:
- Align teaching and support staff with declining enrollment;
- Complete and utilize position control system;
- Provide appropriate support and mentoring for new teachers;
- Provide the most comprehensive benefits package possible for the least cost to district and employee;
- Increase opportunities for employee recognition;
- Continue teacher scholar program;
- Expand technology training for Personnel Department staff; and
- Maintain departmental "library" of manuals and information.
Exhibit 4-3 displays the responsibilities of human resource management within SAISD.
Exhibit 4-3 Source: Interviews conducted with SAISD staff, April 2001.
SAISD Personnel Management Responsibilities
Responsibility Department Recruiting staff Personnel Hiring staff Personnel, board, superintendent, all departments Background checks and physical examinations Personnel Certification verification Personnel Reference checks Personnel Salary determinations Personnel, superintendent, Business and Finance Employee contracts Personnel, board, superintendent Salary adjustment calculations Personnel, superintendent, Business and Finance Compensation and classification Personnel, Business and Finance Records maintenance and retrieval Personnel Attendance monitoring (employees) Personnel Benefits administration Personnel Employee safety General Administrative Services, Personnel Pay management Personnel, Payroll Office Employee grievances and complaints Personnel, superintendent, board New teacher orientation Personnel Training/staff development Curriculum and Instruction, Personnel Termination Personnel, board, superintendent Planning for staffing levels Board, superintendent, Personnel, assistant superintendents, principals, all departments The operating budget of the Personnel Department for 2000-01 is $1.9 million, of which $1.7 million, or more than 87 percent, is for salaries (Exhibit 4-4).
Exhibit 4-4 Source: SAISD Personnel Department, April 2001.
Budgets for SAISD Personnel Department
1998-99 through 2000-01
Expenditure
Categories1998-99 1999-2000 2000-01 Salaries $976,173 $1,494,005 $1,728,236 Contracted Services 2,567 12,550 93,859 Supplies & Materials 12,455 11,498 42,297 Other Operating Expenses 45,273 63,775 95,288 Capital Outlay 10,967 17,115 18,837 Total $1,047,435 $1,598,943 $1,978,517 The budget has increased significantly since 1998-99, due to the addition of the Subfinder system, TEA Regional Education Service XV (Region 15) expenses and all communications and public relations expenses.
FINDING
The Personnel Department has developed internal quality control processes, standard operating procedures and cross-training procedures for its staff that have resulted in improved efficiency and morale within the department. The department also has undergone significant changes in the way it manages its resources since 1997-98, including upgrading the skills of staff, developing clearly written standard operating procedures for human resources and training all staff to follow the procedures.
In October 1998, the Personnel Department contracted with Human Resource Solutions, a San Angelo-based consulting firm, to review and make recommendations for some of its major personnel and operational systems. Some, but not all, of the recommendations were implemented by the department.
A competent, dedicated, skilled and experienced staff is needed to perform the various duties of the Personnel Department. The department maintains detailed procedures handbooks that include step-by-step descriptions of each process and procedure used to deliver services, including applications, posting of positions, recruitment, job interviews, adding or reassigning staff, evaluations, transfers, payroll and records retention. Copies of all forms used in the process are included in the handbooks. The handbooks are updated on a regular schedule, and the assistant superintendent of Personnel reviews the procedures with staff so that improvements can be made as part of the overall quality control system within the department.
SAISD's Personnel staff is well trained and assists one another during peak periods. A number of Personnel staff have been with the district for more than 10 years. Some of the current employees of the department have served as teachers, campus personnel and principals. Staff is cross-trained to perform other duties during absences or vacancies. They strive to serve internal as well as external customers efficiently and effectively.
COMMENDATION
SAISD's Personnel Department has well-developed internal quality control processes, standard operating procedures and cross-training procedures for its staff.
FINDING
SAISD's student enrollment decreased by nearly 7 percent from 1997-98 to 2000-01, but staffing increased by more than 3 percent as shown in Exhibit 4-5.
Exhibit 4-5 Source: TEA, AEIS, 1997-98 through 1999-2000 and PEIMS 2000-01.
Student Enrollment versus Staffing
1997-98 through 2000-01
1997-98 1998-99 1999-2000 2000-01 Percent Change
1997-98 to 2000-01Student Enrollment 17,240 16,730 16,405 16,101 (6.6%) Staff 2,081.1 2,123.5 2,177.7 2,149.5 3.3% Student/Staff Ratio 8.3:1 7.9:1 7.5:1 7.5:1 (9.6%) Teachers 1,104.4 1,083.5 1,115.4 1,059.6 (4.1%) Student/Teacher Ratio 15.6:1 15.4:1 14.7:1 15.0:1 (3.8%) The staff-to-student ratio decreased from one staff member per 8.3 students to one staff member per 7.5 students from 1997-98 to 2000-01. The district's enrollment has declined by 1,139 students, but staffing has increased by 68.4 positions during the same time period. This means that the district hired one additional employee for every 16.7 students lost. With a declining enrollment and budgetary shortfalls, this is neither a prudent nor fiscally responsible action.
In an October 2000 letter, TEA asked the district to provide quarterly updates of its progress with a cost reduction plan through August 31, 2002. The agency noted in the letter that the personnel management component of the district's cost reduction plan would be of special interest. In February 2001, TEA again requested the cost reduction plan. By March 2001, the district reported that the reduction plan still was in the developmental stage. Exhibit 4-6 demonstrates the district's lack of attention to declining enrollment in terms of staffing until the 2000-01 school year.
Exhibit 4-6 Source: TEA, AEIS 1997-98 through 1999-2000 and PEIMS 2000-01.
SAISD Student and Staffing Trends
1997-98 through 2000-01The number of employees peaked at approximately 2,178 during 1999-2000. SAISD staffing trends are shown in Exhibit 4-7.
Exhibit 4-7 Source: TEA, AEIS, 1997-98 through 1999-2000 and PEIMS 2000-01.
SAISD Staffing Trends
1997-98 through 2000-01
1997-98 1998-99 1999-2000 2000-01 Percent Change
1997-98 to 2000-01Number Change
1997-98 to 2000-01Teachers 1,104.4 1,083.5 1,115.4 1,059.6 (4.1%) (44.8) Professional Support 139.1 159.4 166.4 184.1 32.4% 45.0 Campus Administrators 45.4 46.0 53.3 54.0 18.9% 8.6 Central Administrators 7.0 11.9 9.0 15.0 114.3% 8.0 Educational Aides 177.7 193.0 163.3 180.9 1.8% 4.3 Auxiliary Staff 607.5 629.7 670.3 655.9 8.0% 48.4 Total Staff 2,081.1 2,123.5 2,177.7 2,149.5 3.3% 68.4 The number of teachers declined from 1,104 to approximately 1,060 from 1997-98 to 2000-01, but the number of professional support staff increased by 45 positions. Professional support staff includes librarians, counselors, speech pathologists and educational diagnosticians.
While the district uses staffing formulas for teachers, campus secretaries and clerks, and educational aides, it does not use formulas for all categories of staff to ensure that staff levels are appropriate in terms of the number of students enrolled in the district.
Recommendation 25:
Implement a staffing allocation formula for all staffing categories and reduce staffing.
Implementing a staffing allocation formula for all staffing categories to reflect differences in enrollment between schools will allow SAISD to staff schools more efficiently. This will allow the district to allocate more budget resources to the classroom after thoroughly assessing each school's requirements using an equitable allocation formula.
Exhibit 4-8 presents the targeted student-to-staff ratios the district should strive to meet. Most are in line with the ratios in place in 1997-98. The district reported that it had 16,101 students enrolled at the end of 2000-01. Therefore, this number was used in calculating the number of required staff districtwide.
Exhibit 4-8 Source: Gibson Consulting Group, Inc.
SAISD Proposed Staffing Levels
2001-02
Classification
of StaffProposed
RatiosProposed
Staffing LevelCurrent
StaffingTeachers 15.8:1 1,018.5 1,059.6 Professional Support 125.6:1 128.2 184.1 Educational Aides 98.3:1 163.8 180.9 Auxiliary Staff 28.1:1 572.4 655.9 Totals 8.6:1 1,882.9 2,080.5 IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES AND TIMELINE
1. The superintendent implements a hiring freeze. Immediately 2. The superintendent and cabinet develop a staffing allocation formula for considering enrollment and the unique needs of each school. September 2001 3. The board approves the staffing allocation formula and freezes hiring for any overstaffed positions and transfers personnel appropriately pending full implementation of the staffing allocation formula in the 2002-03 school year. October 2001 4. The superintendent implements the staffing allocation formula in the 2001-02 budget process. November 2001 FISCAL IMPACT
If the district reduced its staffing ratios to the recommended student-to-staff ratios, it would eliminate 41 teaching positions, 56 professional support positions, 17 educational aide positions and 83.5 auxiliary positions. Other recommendations for staffing changes to campus and central administration, and other auxiliary positions are included in other chapters.
The average salary ranges for the positions eliminated are:
Teachers $36,559Based on benefits of 6 percent plus $2,352 per position eliminated the fiscal impact is estimated as follows:
Professional support $44,828
Auxiliary staff $16,858
Educational aides $14,505
- eliminating 41 teacher positions at an average salary of $36,559 is $1,685,305 ($36,559 plus benefits of $4,546 per staff x 41);
- eliminating 56 professional support positions at an average salary of $44,828 is $2,792,720 ($44,828 plus benefits of $5,042 per staff x 56);
- eliminating 83.5 auxiliary positions at an average salary of $16,858 is $1,688,454 ($16,858 plus benefits of $3,363 per staff x 83.5); and
- eliminating 17 educational aide positions at an average salary of $14,505 is $301,359 ($14,505 plus benefits of $3,222 per staff x 17).
Staff reduction are assumed to take a full year to implement, with attrition and the hiring freeze allowing the district to realize one-half of the savings in 2001-02.
Recommendation 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 Implement a staffing allocation formula for all staffing categories and reduce staffing. $3,233,919 $6,467,838 $6,467,838 $6,467,838 $6,467,838 FINDING
Compared to its peer districts, SAISD employs a high number of staff in its Personnel Department compared to the total number of district employees. Exhibit 4-9 compares personnel staffing at SAISD and peer districts.
Exhibit 4-9 Source: TSPR Survey of peer districts, May 2001.
Personnel Staffing Levels
2000-01
District Number of
HR StaffTotal Number
of StaffRatio of HR
Staff to Total StaffAbilene 8 2,880 1:360 Ector County 15 3,492 1:233 Midland 11 2,775 1:252 Waco 12 2,300 1:191 San Angelo 12 2,150 1:179 Peer Averages 11.5 2,862 1:259 The staffing level of SAISD's Personnel Department compared to overall staff is one to 179. General staffing in industry calls for one human resources staff member for every 200-300 employees. The district is staffed well above this ratio.
Compared to its peer districts, SAISD ranks highest in the average ratio of personnel staff to the total number of employees. While human resources management varies from district to district, the basic duties of recruiting, hiring, classification and compensation, benefit administration, training and development, and performance evaluation remain essentially the same. Of the peer districts surveyed, all personnel departments are responsible for recruiting, hiring, classification and compensation, and benefit administration. Ector County ISD's personnel department is not responsible for staff development and training; the other three peer districts' human resources departments do have that responsibility. SAISD placed the director of Staff Development and 1.5 FTE support staff under the department of the assistant superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction to provide staff development services for the district.
Exhibit 4-10 compares the total number of students enrolled, total district staff and number of personnel staff from 1997-98 to 2000-01.
Exhibit 4-10 Source: TEA, AEIS 1997-98 through 1999-2000 and PEIMS 2000-01.
SAISD Employee Statistics
1997-98 through 2000-01
1997-98 1998-99 1999-2000 2000-01 Number of Students Enrolled 17,240 16,730 16,405 16,101 Number of Total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 2,081.1 2,123.4 2,177.7 2,149.5 Ratio of Students to FTEs 8.3:1 7.9:1 7.5:1 7.5:1 Number of FTEs in Personnel 12 12 13 12 Ratio of Personnel Employees to Total Staff 1:173 1:177 1:168 1:179 In the Texas School Performance Review conducted for SAISD in 1995, one of the recommendations made was:
Restructure the Personnel Department by reclassifying the position of assistant superintendent of Personnel, eliminating the position of personnel accountant and centralizing the department to include personnel sources of all SAISD employees.The purpose of the restructuring recommendation was to provide more efficient services to the district. The recommendation cited the duplication of efforts and the paperwork generated due to a lack of online computer capabilities. The district installed an automated system (Pentamation) to streamline manual processes and decrease paperwork.
SAISD restructured its personnel organization in 1997-98, consolidating all individual departments' personnel duties into the central Personnel Department as recommended by TSPR. The district did not reclassify the position of assistant superintendent of Personnel, nor did it eliminate the position of personnel accountant as TSPR recommended in its 1995 report.
As part of the Personnel Department reorganization, the position of director of Support Services was moved to the Personnel Department, along with the one clerical staff position who worked for that director. Personnel files of staff were consolidated, eliminating duplication of personnel files that also were maintained in the office of Business and Operations. The Personnel Department began serving as the central location for all human resource duties, including handling vacancies for positions, filing and maintaining applications and employee evaluations, and verifying employee qualifications and performing background checks.
In 1999-2000, a director of Employee Benefits position was added to the Personnel Department. Other positions remained the same.
In 2000-01, one of the secretarial positions was eliminated in the Employee Benefits Division when the position became vacant.
The responsibilities of each of the functional areas and the office of the assistant superintendent of Personnel are presented in Exhibit 4-11.
Exhibit 4-11 Source: SAISD Personnel Department, April 2001.
Personnel Responsibilities
2000-01
Department Staffing Major Areas
of ResponsibilityOffice of the Assistant Superintendent of Personnel Assistant superintendent of Personnel and one secretary Personnel management, direction and guidance; policy and procedure development; oversees recruitment, classification and compensation, support staff services, employee orientation Director of Secondary Certified Personnel Director, secretary (shared with director of Elementary Certified Personnel) Oversees compensation and classification, employment certification, employee records and human resources information management systems, records management and retrieval, compliance with federal, state and local reporting requirements for secondary principals and staff, workforce planning, staffing, recruitment; hiring; coordination of physical examinations and background checks Director of Elementary Certified Personnel Director, secretary (shared with director of Secondary Certified Personnel) Oversees compensation and classification, employment certification, employee records and human resources information management systems, records management and retrieval, compliance with federal, state and local reporting requirements for elementary principals and staff, workforce planning, staffing, recruitment; hiring; coordination of physical examinations and background checks Employee Benefits Director, payroll deductions clerk, Personnel accountant, employee benefits secretary Oversees employee benefit administration, payroll deductions, school nurses, district health issues Support Staff Services Executive director, substitute clerk, secretary Oversees food services, maintenance, transportation, custodial services, grounds, special projects, employee safety, substitutes, paraprofessionals (teacher aides) As enrollment has declined in the district, staffing levels for SAISD have not been reduced by the same ratios. The Personnel Department has five director or higher positions and seven support staff. Most personnel departments have ratios of support-to-director level staff of five to one or higher.
Recommendation 26:
Eliminate one director position in the Personnel Office.
The responsibilities within the Personnel Department should be redistributed so that one director-level position can be eliminated. If the district eliminates one of the five director positions and reassigns job tasks among staff, it could direct those resources towards the classroom. The district also should reassign tasks for the remaining staff.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES AND TIMELINE
1. The assistant superintendent of Business and Finance determines how to redistribute staffing assignments. September 2001 2. The assistant superintendent of Business and Finance seeks board approval to eliminate one director level position and reassign the duties of that position. October 2001 3. The assistant superintendent of Business and Finance redistributes the duties of the eliminated position evenly across the remaining staff in the office. November 2001 FISCAL IMPACT
The director's position was not included in staff reduction calculations in the previous recommendation or in recommendations in the District Organization and Management chapter of this report.
Eliminating one director position in the Personnel Department would save the district $28,471 in 2001-02, and $56,942 in each of four subsequent school years. The lowest-paid director's salary is $51,500, with benefits of $5,442 (6 percent of salary plus $2,352). The annual savings would be $56,942. The savings have been prorated for 2001-02 ($56,942/2 equals $28,471 for six months savings).
Recommendation 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 Eliminate one director position in the Personnel Office. $28,471 $56,942 $56,942 $56,942 $56,942
