Appendix A
Status of Recommendations and Savings
Rec. # Recommendation Implementation
StatusTSPR
Projected
Five-Year
Savings (Costs)Actual
Savings
(Costs)
to DateFive-Year
Savings
(Costs)
EstimateComments Chapter 1 - District Organization and Management 1 Conduct additional board training in financial management and ensure that each board member has taken the required hours of overall training. p. 32 Complete ($1,250) $0 $0 In 2001-02, the board attended financial management training and team building training provided by Region 15. In December 2002, the board attended ethics training. The district received the training at no cost. 2 Explore ways to televise all board meetings, and write more detailed meeting minutes. p. 34 In Progress $0 $0 $0 The district has done some preliminary investigation of televising board meetings. The board has not begun televising meetings because it feels that board meetings are conducted in an open atmosphere now. The district does not have the funds for the initial costs and does not have the expertise to operate the system. In 2001-02, the district began making audio recordings of all meetings. Copies of minutes and the voice recordings are available for review by anyone who requests it. The public information officer places a board summary on the district's Web site after each regular board meeting. 3 Use timed agendas to consolidate discussions and reduce the number of special and called board meetings. p. 38 In Progress $0 $0 $0 At the time of the review, board meetings ran between five and six hours, and the board repeatedly called special meetings that would run two and three hours long. The board investigated using timed agendas but felt it did not work well. In 2001-02, the board made a conscious effort to reduce meeting time. The board begins each regular meeting at 5:30 p.m. and usually finishes board business by 7:30 p.m. In addition, the board has called fewer special meetings and limits executive sessions to 30 minutes, if one is necessary. In the past, the board had an executive session with each regular and special meeting and these sessions would last between two and three hours. 4 Modify the board's public input policy to ensure equitable opportunities for public input at board meetings. p. 39 Complete $0 $0 $0 The board originally proposed Update 68 BED (Local) to allow greater individual input to board meetings in July 2002 and adopted the policy in November 2002. 5 Develop an executive reporting format that includes an analysis of the fiscal impact of issues facing the district. p. 41 Complete $0 $0 $0 The district added a financial impact statement for each agenda item to its board reporting format in 2001. 6 Adhere to district policy on how board members shall respond to complaints from the public and prepare procedures for the handling of citizen requests and complaints. p. 42 Complete $0 $0 $0 The district adopted standard operating procedures on October 17, 2002. 7 Institute strict controls over superintendent expenses. p. 47 Complete $110,000 $99,400 $497,000 The district stopped paying for the superintendent's expenses but added $600 to superintendent's salary by vote of the board on October 16, 2001. The district handles all reimbursements for the superintendent as it would for any other employee and requires complete receipts for each and every transaction. 8 Streamline central and campus administration and reorganize the district to reflect a more logical grouping of related functions. p. 54 Complete $4,413,483 $2,002,876 $10,014,380 The district eliminated the deputy superintendent position, assistant superintendent for personnel, as well as several staff and administrator positions. SAISD also completely reorganized its management structure, placing all instructional functions under the assistant superintendent for Educational Support Services and all support functions under the assistant superintendent for Support Services. 9 Include specific measures in the superintendent's performance evaluation. p. 58 Complete $0 $0 $0 The new superintendent's contract included specific performance measures that relate to the superintendent's job description. The board evaluated the superintendent's performance in December 2002 using the new performance measures. The performance measures include improving student performance, working with the board, developing the district improvement plan, managing the district effectively and efficiently, promoting staff development and education and a dozen other objectives. 10 Document administrative procedures. p. 59 Complete $0 $0 $0 The district had completed documenting most of its administrative procedures by the time of the site visit and was in process of completing the remaining procedures. The district plans to load the procedures on the district's electronic portal and make them available to district personnel in January 2003. The district continues to add procedures as they are revised. 11 Establish policy for the use of outside counsel, monitor billings by law firms and move legal fees back to the central administration cost center. p. 61 Complete $490,000 $209,674 $402,235 The district established a policy for using its external counsel and now monitors the fees for which it is billed. As part of this policy, the district changed the contract with its attorney from January to December billing to September through August billing. This places the counsel's billing cycle on the same schedule as the school year and the fiscal year. 12 Refine the district's strategic plan to include enrollment and financial projections and annually make modifications as needed. p. 67 In Progress $0 $0 $0 The district hired a demographer and a financial consultant to make demographic projections on a five-year basis and financial projections on a three-year basis. The district began work on this recommendation in 2002-03. The district released an RFQ for developing a facilities long-range plan based on demographics in January 2003. Totals - Chapter 1 $5,012,233 $2,311,950 $10,913,615 Chapter 2 - Educational Service Delivery 13 Develop and institute a multi-year schedule, including cost estimates, for the development or acquisition of all SAISD subject area and course curriculum guides. p. 83 In Progress ($167,450) $0 $0 The district formed committees that wrote standards for math, science and reading/language arts. Under the direction of the new superintendent, the district reviewed and studied the standards. The new superintendent, who is very curriculum oriented, devised a plan to develop new curriculum guides that follow the state curriculum, TEKS, and are horizontally and vertically aligned. In September and October 2002, the district trained all administrators to use the Curriculum Audit model. The Educational Support side of the district is locating all written curriculum, placing all written curriculum in one location, rating each guide and then developing new guides. The district will train curriculum writers prior to writing, and they will follow a common format for all guides. 14 Revise the schedule and budget estimates needed to complete the planned training in reading instruction by 2003-04. p. 88 In Progress $0 $0 $0 SAISD was in the process of organizing reading training prior to the review visit. During 1999-2000, district staff submitted a proposal to the superintendent to use accelerated reading instruction grant funds to train the district curriculum specialist and reading specialists in Rigby's Developing Literacy First course. Next, the district submitted a proposal to begin replicating this training with teachers from Kindergarten to grade 2. By December 2002, the district had trained 200 teachers. During the spring 2002-03 semester the district is training 20 more teachers in this course. In addition, the district provides literacy training with the grade 3 teachers to support and reinforce what they learned during the summer in the reading academy. Teachers in grade 4 will attend the reading academy in the summer of 2002-03. In 2003-04 the district will provide literacy training to teachers in grades 4 and 5. 15 Revise the job descriptions of Curriculum and Instruction personnel to ensure that all job titles are clearly defined and reflect current division organization. p. 91 Complete $0 $0 $0 SAISD adopted a new organizational structure in July 2002. Staff developed new job descriptions in line with the new organizational structure. Staff will go through their first performance reviews using the new standards included in the descriptions at the end of 2002-03. 16 Revise the high school course catalog to include accurate course descriptions, titles, prerequisites and curricula of offered courses in grades nine through 12. p. 94 Complete $0 $0 $0 The district revised the course catalog, called Pathway to Success, in 2001-02 and again in 2002-03. The revised catalog includes detailed information about course descriptions, course prerequisites, location, credit hours and grade determination. 17 Increase student participation in and offerings of high school advanced placement courses. p. 96 In Progress $0 $0 $0 The assistant superintendent of Educational Support Services instructed secondary teachers, counselors and administrators to inform all students about the state and federal Advanced Placement (AP) examination fee assistance. Counselors made presentations in each AP class concerning AP testing and funding sources. These presentations included: procedures and guidelines for registration; fee exemptions and fee waivers; explanation of the benefits of testing; and possible other funding sources. Administrators used school staff meetings to encourage teachers to promote the AP exams with students in their classrooms. 18 Transfer management of Medicaid reimbursements to the Business and Finance Office and explore alternative methods to increase reimbursements. p. 102 Complete $68,515 $9,566 $47,830 The district recognized the need to increase reimbursements but chose a different approach to solve this problem. The Special Education Department has worked closely with a Medicaid claims company for several years to develop procedures for submitting claims for School Health and Related Services (SHARS). Because this portion of the reimbursement process involves claims for specific children who are being served by Special Education, someone who is familiar with special education records submits the claims. In August 2001, the president of Medicaid Claims Solutions met with all SAISD special education staff involved in the process. He trained the staff to complete the claim forms, answered questions and gave suggestions for ways that the district could increase its claim reimbursements. 19 Bill participating districts for projected Regional Day School for the Deaf costs prior to the start of the school year. p. 103 Rejected $0 $0 $0 SAISD acts as the receiving district for students who are deaf and reside in small districts outside San Angelo. Region 15 is the fiscal agent for Regional Day School for the Deaf funds. The Regional Day School funds that the state provides are insufficient to fund the program that SAISD must provide. This forces SAISD to use a significant amount of local funds to supplement the program. Districts who send students to a regional program such as Brownwood ISD or Del Rio CISD agree to pay a portion of the excess costs associated with this program. The current process, according to the district, allows for a one-time bill and payment process and is considered by all parties to be efficient and agreeable. 20 Use TAAS data to identify student and teacher needs and to improve performance of economically disadvantaged students in grades 7 through 10. p. 110 Complete $0 $0 $0 The district uses TAAS data to identify student and teacher needs and to improve performance of economically disadvantaged students in grades 7 through 10. The district gave principals test data in numerous forms before the start of 2001-02 and 2002-03. In addition, the district is also sending all principals and 26 teachers to a Margaret Kilgo training on data analysis and assessment. 21 Develop a five-year strategic plan for Career and Technology Education that includes rationale for course offerings, staff allocation, timelines, and costs and reevaluate staffing at junior high schools. p. 117 Complete $0 $0 $0 The district reviewed all CATE course offerings and class pre-registration numbers in fall 2001. Because of small enrollment numbers the district decided not to hire one junior high construction teacher and to split a teacher currently on staff between the two schools. This maximized course loads at both schools. The SAISD technology department and curriculum committee discussed distance learning opportunities. 22 Create a five-year plan including grant funding and budget reallocations to improve library programs to meet the state standard of ÒacceptableÓ or higher. p. 119 In Progress ($778,620) ($500,000) ($500,000) SAISD completed a study on the current status of all libraries in January 2002. None of the secondary schools were acceptable by TEA standards. Only one elementary school was not acceptable. The district developed and funded a plan to use fund balance for the next two years to move all secondary schools to the acceptable level. Also the two Title I secondary schools allotted money for librarians. The district spent Title VI innovative funds on secondary librarians. The campus allocation for 2002-03 required all campuses to have a specific amount for library materials. 23 Use grant funding, community partnerships and caseload reassignments to streamline services to better meet student health needs. p. 122 Rejected $0 $0 $0 The district chose to continue using RNs instead of replacing them with LVNs because of the specific medical needs of some SAISD students. LVN's are Licensed Vocational Nurses trained in a 12-month certificate program at a community college. They give basic skilled care to patients in a structured health care setting. The scope of their practice is not equal to an RN; LVNs cannot make judgments based on assessment and must work under the direct supervision of an RN or higher medical professional. Totals - Chapter 2 ($877,555) ($490,434) ($452,170) Chapter 3 - Community Involvement 24 Reorganize the various community programs into one Parent and Community Involvement Department. p. 136 Complete $0 $0 $0 SAISD no longer has Career Education, Community Education, or Student Service departments. Under the present organization, the district has a coordinator of parental involvement who oversees Family Services. Principals supervise the School Service worker at their school. Totals - Chapter 3 $0 $0 $0 Chapter 4 - Personnel Management 25 Implement a staffing allocation formula for all staffing categories and reduce staffing. p. 146 Complete $29,105,271 $5,821,054 $29,105,271 SAISD implemented staffing allocation formulas for all staffing categories. The district used these formulas to eliminate 211 positions in 2001-02. 26 Eliminate one director position in the Personnel Office. p. 151 Complete $256,239 $91,312 $456,562 SAISD eliminated two directors' positions and reduced the assistant superintendent position to executive director. 27 Track recruiting efforts by event to measure effectiveness. p. 155 Complete $0 $3,483 $17,417 District recruiting begins in February each year. The district developed and uses an applicant tracking form. Recruiting staff compiles a report at the end of the recruiting season to measure the effectiveness of the recruiting efforts. 28 Proactively recruit more experienced teachers to fill vacancies. p. 159 Complete $0 $0 $0 The percentage of teachers hired with three or more years of experience increased in both elementary and secondary positions. 29 Track the reason for teacher turnover and develop a formal turnover reduction plan based on the results. p. 160 Complete $0 $0 $0 The district uses a form in exit interviews to determine reasons employees leave the district. Staff compiles reasons for leaving into a spreadsheet. SAISD reviews the data at mid-year and at the end of the fiscal year. The district will create a formal reduction plan by the end of 2002-03. The use of this data, in conjunction with eliminating block scheduling and a reduction in force because of a drop in attendance, has effectively eliminated the teacher turnover problem. 30 Establish policies and procedures that address excessive absences, and provide incentives for teachers with good attendance. p. 162 Complete $0 $0 $0 Schools have initiated incentive plans to encourage better teacher attendance. Each school developed its own retention plan. Incentives include gift certificates for food, manicures and clothing; dress down days; getting a half day off at no charge to leave balances; a free breakfast or lunch; cash (provided by PTO fund raising); and coming in late or leaving early. 31 Consolidate salary schedules. p. 169 In Progress $0 $0 $0 The board chose to eliminate salary schedules for administrators and replace them with salary ranges in 2001. The district made additions and revisions to other schedules as needed. TASB will conduct a board-approved salary study in 2002-03. The district is hoping to implement the results of the TASB study in 2003-04. 32 Coordinate training efforts with Region 15 and eliminate duplicate in-house staff development training sessions when Region 15 can provide the same training. p. 173 Complete $0 $0 $0 SAISD uses Region 15 for most staff development. The district has eliminated duplication of training. Region 15 has been very supportive and has taken a leadership role in assisting the district in getting the training its staff needs. Totals - Chapter 4 $29,361,510 $5,915,849 $29,579,250 Chapter 5 - Facilities Use and Management 33 Develop a comprehensive long-range facilities master plan. p. 184 In Progress $0 $0 $0 The board created a committee to develop a comprehensive, long-range facilities master plan. The district issued a request for quotations (RFQs) for a facilities study in January 2003. Fifteen firms responded and central office administrative personnel conducted an evaluation of the proposals. The RFQ committee selected six firms to be interviewed by the administration. The administration narrowed the list to three firms for the board to interview. The board conducted the interviews on February 26, 2003 and February 27, 2003 but postponed a decision until March 17, 2003. In March 2003 the board decided to conduct a facilities planning workshop before making any final decisions. 34 Close one elementary school and adjust attendance zones to allow enrollment at other smaller elementary schools to be increased. p. 188 Complete $721,372 $360,000 $1,800,000 The district closed Day Elementary in fall 2002. The district projects savings from the closure at $360,000 per year. The district has also leased the old school to a Head Start program, which results in monthly rental fees to the district of $5,500. 35 Develop and maintain educational capacities and utilization rates for each classroom and grade level at each school. p. 190 Complete $0 $0 $0 The facilities director completed this study and is continually updating it. 36 Establish a district policy governing the use of portable classrooms. p. 192 In Progress $0 $0 $0 The district has not established a formal policy yet. It sold four portables in 2001-02 and is working toward eliminating the use of portables entirely. The development of a policy and an approach to portable use is part of the uncompleted facilities study. The decline in the number of students each year is also impacting the use of portable buildings by the district. 37 Establish a procedure to engage professional consultants to evaluate the suitability of potential building sites before purchasing and improving them. p. 193 In Progress $0 $0 $0 A procedure is in place for acquiring and developing future school sites. This recommendation was in response to a specific incident where the district spent $500,000 on developing a site that it later abandoned. 38 Develop a board policy stating that companies owned by district employees are not eligible to participate in any construction projects funded by the district. p. 194 In Progress $0 $0 $0 No sample policies are available from TASB for this recommendation. This recommendation stemmed from a single incident that the district has subsequently corrected. The district has been unable to find a policy that deals with the problem of local companies working for the district when they have relatives also working for the district. The district is continuing to look for an example of a policy that also recognizes that local conditions sometimes require them to use a local company with ties to district employees. 39 Develop a procedure that clearly defines how construction services consultants are to be engaged, the scope of services expected and the range of fees based on the scope of work. p. 195 In Progress $0 $0 $0 The district follows procedures outlined in the Financial Accountability System Resource Guide, Update 10, and Board Policy (CV Legal and Local) for procurement of services to be sure that the district follows proper bid procedures in selecting qualified consultants. SAISD prepares RFPs and RFOs and follows guidelines for each category when selecting all consultants and services. The district will specify scope of services in the bid documents and will adhere to the scope in the selection process. The district requests a fee schedule prior to engaging the services of an individual or company. 40 Use local construction cost data and historical school district construction costs when preparing construction budgets for a bond program. p. 196 Complete $0 $0 $0 The district no longer does construction projects internally. Board policy states that all construction projects should be bid out locally. The district is not doing any construction because they continue to lose students. 41 Renegotiate the contract between SAISD and Angelo State University for the use of San Angelo Stadium. p. 197 Not Implemented $20,000 $0 $0 The district and ASU have a five-year contract that they signed prior to the release of the report. The agreement expires in summer 2006. The district is considering some changes for the future, but it has chosen not to renegotiate the contract at this time. 42 Hire an energy manager. p. 208 Not Implemented ($222,642) $0 $0 The district could not afford to hire an energy manager after the reductions to employee budgets. 43 Continue to partner with SECO to develop energy conservation projects beneficial to the district. p. 209 In Progress $0 $0 $0 The district gives SECO materials to each school annually. The current RFP for facilities plan includes the development of an energy plan. 44 Involve schools in energy conservation. p. 211 In Progress $36,500 $0 $0 SAISD sent introductory WATTEAM information to all school administrators in November 2001. The district instructed each school to select school contact persons. The school contact person establishes school teams, training, disseminates future information and literature and provides the maintenance department with monthly reports and updates regarding the specific energy conservation activities. The district distributed information packets to each school in January 2002. Shortly after the implementation of the WATTEAM Program, the deregulation of the electric companies took place. Prompt billing and billing irregularities became the norm. The maintenance department was no longer able to provide the campuses with accurate energy conservation data. School participation started to decline as correct data became more difficult to provide. The program was put on temporary hold in June of 2002. The district re-activated the WATTEAM Program in 2003. Totals - Chapter 5 $555,230 $360,000 $1,800,000 Chapter 6 - Asset and Risk Management 45 Restructure the compensating balance agreement and sweep daily bank balances into overnight investments. p. 220 Rejected $72,490 $0 $0 San Angelo National Bank refigured this recommendation three ways for the district. The bank found only insignificant differences between the proposed changes and the district's current money management practices. The board voted to keep its existing money management practices. 46 Centralize the activity fund accounting and combine all 36 activity fund bank accounts into one account. p. 223 Rejected $9,975 $0 $0 The board rejected this recommendation because schools need to have daily access to these funds. The district comptroller will implement uniform procedures and accounting systems at all schools. 47 Document a procedure to place all cash receipts into the fireproof safe until picked up either by the armored car or deposited in the bank. p. 225 Complete $0 $0 $0 The district completed documenting a procedure in July 2002, according to district comptroller. The district now stores all cash in a locked fireproof safe if the cash remains in the district overnight. 48 Develop and implement cash flow forecasting policies and procedures to portray the district's cash position monthly, quarterly and annually. p. 226 Complete $0 $0 $0 The spreadsheet that the district was using in 2000-01 was from TEA's Web site. The district only enhanced it by adding the object codes. The monthly projections of revenue and expenditure are on it now and the district adjusts them with actual figures monthly. 49 Establish a committee to review the state health plan and devise a plan of action. p. 235 Complete $0 $0 $0 SAISD formed an Employee Benefits Committee in 2001-02 to consider information and provide feedback on the employee health plan. The superintendent reviewed all committees and their structures in the summer and early fall of 2002 and developed a communications model that combined all employee committees into one. This committee then developed a plan of action concerning the state plan. 50 Create a workers' compensation task force to identify cost saving measures. p. 237 In Progress $0 $0 $0 The status of the workers' compensation program is being communicated to the superintendent and board through the Superintendent's Friday Facts. The superintendent reviewed all committees and their structures in summer and early fall 2002 and developed a communications model that combined all employee committees into one. The first committee meeting was in November 2002. The committee will develop ways to reduce workers' compensation claims, which had previously totaled $1 million annually. 51 Dedicate sufficient staff to manage the district's fixed assets and increase accountability. p. 240 Complete $0 $0 $0 In summer 2000, SAISD assigned one of the personnel within the existing distribution staff the responsibilities of fixed assets. The district then transferred that position to the purchasing department. 52 Assign principals and department heads individual custody for fixed assets. p. 241 Complete $0 $0 $0 After SAISD developed the fixed asset procedures, staff trained school administrators in August 2002 concerning their responsibilities and requirements for fixed assets at their locations. 53 Complete all the data fields on the fixed asset system to properly account for all the district's fixed assets. p. 242 In Progress $0 $0 $0 The district is evaluating how to integrate the three software packages it has and assessing what kind of software upgrade they need to do to complete this recommendation. The district expects to have specifications developed by late spring 2003. 54 Perform a physical inventory to determine the value of the district's property, plant and equipment. p. 243 Complete $0 $0 $0 The district hired a company to perform the inventory in summer 2001. The district developed procedures for updating the inventory and continues to update the inventory as changes occur. 55 Train all principals and department heads to conduct their own inventories of fixed assets using the bar coding system. p. 244 Complete $0 $0 $0 SAISD developed procedures that allow principals to conduct their own inventories. The district is hosting training sessions during the school year. This will allow for a more accurate and timely accounting of the assets. The district also plans to upgrade its system for using bar codes in 2002-03. 56 Conduct a monthly reconciliation of the fixed asset system to the general ledger. p. 246 Complete $0 $0 $0 The district comptroller reconciles the fixed asset system to the general ledger monthly. Totals - Chapter 6 $82,465 $0 $0 Chapter 7 - Financial Management 57 Establish a general fund balance management policy and require reports to the board. p. 261 Complete $0 $0 $0 The district maintains the TEA's optimum fund balance. The Comptroller provided training for the board on issues related to managing a fund balance. The board established designations of fund balance in October 2002. SAISD's fund balance in 2001-02 was 15.4 percent. 58 Prepare monthly projections of revenues, expenditures and cash flows and compare to budgeted amounts. p. 262 Complete $0 $0 $0 This is being done on the Cash Flow Worksheet that the district uses. This recommendation is linked to Recommendation 48. 59 Provide the board's Finance Committee with detailed financial reports every month. p. 267 Complete $0 $0 $0 The district has provided detailed financial reports since 1997. The district provides interim financial statements to the external auditor. 60 Include the Finance Committee report as an agenda item at every board meeting. p. 268 Complete $0 $0 $0 The superintendent gives financial reports to all board members through Friday Facts. The Finance Committee report is included on all board agendas. 61 Ensure that audit adjustments are made in the general ledger and audited fund balances are used to formulate budgets. p. 269 Complete $0 $0 $0 The district added the audited fund balances as soon as the board adopted the audit in 2000-01. SAISD repeated this same process in 2001-02. 62 Implement performance-based budgeting and provide training to district staff. p. 270 In Progress ($3,800) $0 $0 SAISD provided training on program budgeting to district staff in February 2003. 63 Eliminate the annual auto allowance for the assistant superintendents. p. 272 Complete $90,000 $0 $90,000 The district eliminated the auto allowance at the beginning of 2001-02. No district employee receives an auto allowance anymore. 64 Use the full capabilities of the financial accounting system's position control module. p. 273 Not Implemented $0 $0 $0 The district had set up training for October 2002, but the module does not provide the expected functions. Other districts that use this software confirm that the Position Control module does not work. Pentamation is aware of this and is working on new developments. In speaking with other districts, SAISD found that districts using this software had to dedicate a full-time programmer to keep the software working. 65 Update the Business and Finance Department's accounting procedures manual. p. 277 In Progress $0 $0 $0 The district is soliciting input from its employees and the employees of other school districts. The district hopes to create an efficiently documented procedures manual. The district is working toward putting the accounting procedures on line through the Harvest Portal. 66 Reconcile all district bank accounts and make necessary corrections within 30 days following receipt of bank statements. p. 278 Complete $0 $0 $0 The district reassigned this task to a different staff member who now performs the reconciliations on a monthly basis. 67 Restrict Accounts Payables ability to create new vendors in the district's financial accounting system. p. 279 Complete $0 $0 $0 The district revised its procedures and included them in the purchasing manual. The Purchasing Department sets up all new vendors in the accounting system; accounts payable no longer can set up new vendors. 68 Require all checks above $5,000 to be approved by the assistant superintendent of Business and Finance and randomly select checks for review by the comptroller. p. 280 Complete $0 $0 $0 The district eliminated the position of assistant superintendent for Business and Finance and assigned the approval function to the director of Financial Services. The district comptroller randomly reviews documentation for checks exceeding $5,000. 69 Require accounting staff to test all revisions and upgrades to software prior to installing the upgrades in the district's financial accounting system. p. 281 In Progress $0 $0 $0 Implementation has been difficult because of time constraints. The district is working on a workflow process for implementation. The district created the position of Support Services Technology Specialist to expedite technology change in the district. 70 Institute bi-weekly staff meetings for the Business and Finance Department and circulate minutes. p. 282 Complete $0 $0 $0 The entire Support Services Department meets weekly on Mondays at 2 pm. The meeting includes 13 department heads, has a weekly agenda and lasts 30 minutes. 71 Provide training to accounting staff and assign a full-time technology support staff member to the accounting system. p. 283 Complete ($3,600) $0 $0 The district assigned a technology staff member to the Business Office. This staff member conducts ongoing training for the Business Office. 72 Redistribute duties between the accounts payable clerks including receptionist duties. p. 285 Complete $0 $0 $0 The district reorganized its Finance Department in February 2001 to increase the department's efficiency. The department redistributed duties. The district eliminated the receptionist position during its reduction in force efforts. The review team included the savings associated with the position in its staff reduction recommendation. 73 Distribute updated account code listings to all staff that use account codes. p. 286 Complete $0 ($1,200) ($1,200) The district gave updated listings to all staff who use account codes during budget training. The district sent its accounting staff to training at Region 15. TASBO gave the staff coding training in November 2002. 74 Provide access to the payroll module to only staff authorized to make changes to the data. p. 288 Complete $0 $0 $0 The district redistributed job duties between Personnel and Payroll to ensure proper internal controls. Now only staff authorized to make changes to the data have access to the data. 75 Hire an internal auditor that reports directly to the Board of Trustees. p. 290 Not Implemented ($233,576) $0 $0 Due to staff reductions, this item is not currently feasible under budget constraints. Totals - Chapter 7 ($150,976) ($1,200) $88,800 Chapter 8 - Purchasing and Warehouse 76 Prepare competitive bids for goods and services acquired for $25,000 or more in the aggregate per year, and hold budget heads and the Purchasing Department responsible for compliance with competitive bidding provisions of the Texas Education Code. p. 302 In Progress ($7,505) $0 $0 The district provided training on the purchasing procedure manual to purchasing staff in August 2002. Almost all district managers attended the training. The district now routinely prepares a list identifying purchases that exceed $10,000 in aggregate to ensure compliance with bid regulations and laws. 77 Develop a purchasing procedures manual and provide training to all district staff on purchasing policies, procedures and practices. p. 305 Complete $0 $0 $0 The district developed its purchasing manual and trained staff on August 28 through 30. The district will repeat the training annually. 78 Implement a procurement card system that has adequate controls over expenditures. p. 307 In Progress $0 $0 $0 In 2001-02 the district collected all credit cards from district staff. The interim superintendent collected 60 MasterCard cards. The district is investigating options for a procurement card system that staff could use at multiple vendor sites. BuyBoard company has a card the district is going to pursue more information about. The district implemented a procurement card system in November of 2002 for the purchase of grocery items from HEB. The district will establish guidelines and provide training for all personnel that use the cards. 79 Develop a travel manual that clearly explains travel policy guidelines for both state and local funds. p. 309 In Progress $0 $0 $0 The district has not developed the manual but has distributed the updated information. The district developed a written policy to address this issue. The district will include a travel policy in the new budget manual, which it will complete in spring 2003. 80 Eliminate the use of Òcall-inÓ purchase orders. p. 311 Complete $0 $0 $0 The district eliminated the Òcall-inÓ purchase orders and altered the approval levels to provide quicker access to purchase orders. With the exception of purchase orders for technology, the district approves purchase orders within one day. 81 Centralize purchasing under the director of Purchasing and transfer the Distribution Center clerk to the Purchasing Department. p. 312 Complete $0 $0 $0 The district closed the warehouse in the first quarter of 2003. The district transferred the fixed assets coordinator to the Purchasing Department. The district eliminated three positions in the warehouse. The district moved the fixed assets function to Purchasing, transferred the warehouse supervisor into a safety and compliance position and reassigned the two remaining positions to assist Food Service and Maintenance. 82 Participate in more purchasing cooperatives. p. 313 Complete $0 $0 $0 The board approved interlocal agreements with TASB, Buy Board, TBPC, TCPN, HGAC and Multi-Regional Co-op in August 2002. 83 Eliminate the district's central supply service and order supplies on a just-in-time (JIT) basis. p. 317 Complete $405,163 $210,816 $597,094 The district eliminated the central supply service in February 2003. SAISD also eliminated a supervisor, a secretary and two clerks for an initial savings of $96,102 and a five-year savings of $480,510. The district reduced selected inventory while piloting the JIT program. The district has only successfully tested small groups with limited funds. Starting in 2002-03, the district is using Office Depot online ordering and direct shipping. The district will be adding a similar procedure with Concho Business Solutions. The remaining savings are the result of JIT purchasing savings. Totals - Chapter 8 $397,658 $210,816 $597,094 Chapter 9 - Computers and Technology 84 Establish a committee to evaluate the connectivity option for the district's elementary schools and integrate an improvement plan into the 2002-04 technology plan and budget. p. 329 Complete $0 $194,000 $436,000 The board chartered a Technology and Learning Steering Committee (TLSC) in 2001. The TLSC developed and published a comprehensive plan, Connecting Learning with Life, which outlines the district improvement opportunities to enhance learning for all children in all schools. The board approved the plan through 2004. The district also established an Internet Task Force (ITF) to identify connectivity options for Internet filtering. The outcomes of both the TLSC and ITF were to connect all of the elementary schools in the district to the district's metropolitan area network using wireless-wide-area network (WWAN) technology. The district used a Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund Board Special Grant to begin this implementation. The district is implementing WWAN connections at six elementary schools during 2003. 85 Allocate instructional computers to schools based on desired student-to-computer ratios. p. 332 Complete $0 $0 $0 The district's educational technology goals for 2003 were to have a minimum of four multimedia computers (1 teacher, 3 students) in every classroom and it has achieved this goal. The Connecting Learning with Life roadmap aligns the district's educational technology and learning goals with the Texas Long-Range Plan. The district roadmap outlines a strategy to have a 1:1 student-computer ratio by 2008 across grades 1 to 12. 86 Consolidate SAISD's telecommunications planning, budgeting, operation and maintenance support and assign these responsibilities to the Technology Department. p. 333 Complete $0 $0 $0 The district consolidated all technology functions into the Technology Department in August 2002. 87 Review telephone line usage and install a more efficient telephone system with enhanced capabilities. p. 334 In Progress $301,150 $21,600 $108,000 SAISD budgeted funds to begin this process. The Technology Department has piloted a more cost-effective and efficient voice communications solution for the entire district. The pilot was successful and fully demonstrated the cost-reductions for the school district. The district also eliminated all pagers and most cell phones. 88 Hire a full-time grant writer to focus on pursuing grants to expand technology capabilities. p. 338 In Progress $1,575,000 $750,000 $750,000 The district retained grant-writing services through June 2002. The grant-writer aided the district in securing two Telecommunication Infrastructure Fund grants for 16 schools. The district administration has elected to retain grant-writing services on an as-needed and programmatic basis, so it cannot estimate future grants. 89 Identify funding strategies to enable full funding of the district's long-range technology goals and dedicate money obtained through the E-rate and other grants to this end. p. 340 In Progress $0 $0 $0 The Technology Department is working with curriculum and federal program administrators to advance and evolve the technology and learning programs of the district. Currently, the district is using all monies discounted or refunded from E-Rate eligible services to enhance and support the district's technology infrastructure. 90 Form a technology instructional planning group for each school level to establish instructional technology priorities. p. 341 In Progress $0 $0 $0 This recommendation is connected with Recommendation 85. District-level planning is complete. Implementation and monitoring of the district technology plan is underway. Schools are modeling their technology plans on the Texas Campus STaR Chart and the district technology plan. Each school addresses its technology planning as a component of the School Improvement Plan. 91 Establish a mandatory technology training certification program. p. 344 In Progress $0 $0 $0 The resources identified to implement this as recommended no longer exist. The district is reviewing and expanding this recommendation to meet the No Child Left Behind legislation requirements for professional development and educator preparation. The district is also planning to train 40 teachers through Intel Teach. Totals - Chapter 9 $1,876,150 $965,600 $1,294,000 Chapter 10 - Transportation 92 Develop incentives to reduce absenteeism. p. 357 Complete $49,815 $9,963 $49,815 The district distributes a monthly employee newsletter. The district acknowledges employees with perfect attendance for a 30-day period in the newsletter. At the end of the school year, the employees with the least amount of absenteeism for the school year will receive a reward of a perfect attendance pin or a gift certificate. The savings relate to the reduced need for substitutes. 93 Formalize the dispatch operations, including procedures and add a dispatcher. p. 359 Complete ($68,490) ($3,572) ($17,860) The district added a dedicated dispatcher to the Transportation Department. Due to budget constraints, a substitute driver filled the position. The dispatcher works from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. The district updated phone and radio logs to keep track of departmental traffic. When the dispatcher must drive a bus due to lack of substitute drivers, the office staff covers the dispatching duties. 94 Develop goals, objectives and performance measures to support the department's mission. p. 361 In Progress $0 $0 $0 Beginning in August 2002, any driver who has an accident receives mandatory retraining. The district has also established several performance indicators but has not gathered sufficient data to establish their effectiveness or accuracy. 95 Stagger bell times to improve the performance of SAISD regular bus routes. p. 365 Complete $399,135 $79,827 $399,135 SAISD implemented a three-tier bell system at the beginning of 2002-03. Because of this system, the district will save $399,135 in staffing costs over a five-year period. Regular bus route attendance has increased from 1,800 students per day to 2,500 students per day. The three-tier bell system enables the district to be more flexible when transporting elementary students. SAISD currently has ten 77-passenger buses that service only secondary schools. Staggered bell times increased ridership most significantly at the junior high level. 96 Automate Transportation routing and scheduling. p. 367 Complete ($3,445) ($12,900) ($32,900) The district upgraded its existing Edulog system to the new Edulog NT system on October 10, 2002. The Transportation Department began using the program on March 3, 2003. 97 Implement an extracurricular trip policy to manage extracurricular resources effectively. p. 370 Complete $370,159 $5,400 ($27,000) The district discourages local extracurricular trips during peak hours, which are from 6:30 to 8:30 a.m. and from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. SAISD moved all junior high athletics transfers from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. and assigned each junior high a bus for these transfers. Coaches drive these buses. The district also discourages elementary travel on Friday because of the large number of athletic events. 98 Develop an extracurricular trip management program to automate trip requests, automate trip scheduling and track the actual costs of extracurricular trips. p. 373 Complete $0 $0 $0 SAISD uses a Trip Tracker System. The Trip Tracker System tracks all in-town and out-of-town trips for co-curricular and extracurricular travel. The Technology Department has developed a trip request program that uses the SAISD Web site. School administrators will have the capability to request transportation electronically. Staff must use this system to request bus transportation. 99 Develop a more aggressive preventive maintenance program that includes the general service fleet. p. 376 In Progress $0 $0 $0 The district will institute the Q-quest program pending technology support. Q-quest is a maintenance program that tracks repairs, preventive maintenance and schedules. The district will also attempt to attach it to its fuel program to track mileages and schedule vehicle service. 100 Adopt a vehicle replacement plan that reduces the spare ratio and commits funds to the plan annually. p. 379 In Progress $439,140 ($315,000) ($1,575,000) Pending the board's annual approval, the district will begin replacing vehicles after 14 years of service. The district's use of staggered bell times has reduced the number of spare buses by five units while enabling the district to add three new routes. The cost of this recommendation represents reducing the age of all buses by replacing them earlier than originally called for with a 17-year replacement plan. 101 Modify the motor coach vehicle replacement schedule and implement a capital revolving account to replace the motor coaches every 15 years. p. 382 Complete $62,400 ($490,000) ($490,000) Current motor coach replacement schedules are at 20 years with unlimited mileage. The district feels the 20 years would be more cost effective than 15 years due to the up front cost of the coaches. The district bought five later model coaches in 2002-03 to replace older models. With a 20-year replacement cycle, this district will replace coaches again in 2010. The district chose this approach to solve the problem rather than establishing a capital revolving account. 102 Investigate coordinating with other districts in Tom Green County to provide expanded driver training and retraining. p. 385 Complete $0 $0 $0 The district applied to the Texas Association for Pupil Transportation (TAPT) for a chapter affiliation. The Regional Chapter will incorporate counties and school districts in Region 15. TAPT provides all school districts with up-to-date information pertaining to national, state and area laws and regulations regarding the operation of buses on Texas Highways. TAPT also provides training on TEA rules and regulations regarding operation of buses. SAISD has been a member of TAPT for more than 15 years. Totals - Chapter 10 $1,248,714 ($726,282) ($1,693,810) Chapter 11 - Food Services 103 Develop strategies to increase the identification of eligible students for free and reduced-price meal benefits. p. 403 Complete $703,424 $33,396 ($378,972) The district used the following strategies to identify students who are eligible for free and reduced-priced meal benefits: new Horizon software to track eligibility from year to year; implemented the use of Direct Certification; scheduled additional media appearances and conducted a mailing to households; and coordinated efforts with school administrators and at-risk coordinators to assist in obtaining meal applications from students who qualified based on previous year eligibility. These alternate strategies produced a 1 percent increase in free and reduced eligibility despite enrollment declines in 2001-02. A current analysis for the 2002-03 school year reveals a decline in eligibility counts of 3.64 percent, but enrollment declined 5.1 percent since 2000-01. The new efforts did increase the awareness of the importance of identifying all students eligible for meal benefits and the impact this identification has on compensatory funding. The projected losses in compensatory funding could have been greater if the district had not begun using these strategies. 104 Increase overall breakfast participation at all campuses through implementation of innovative strategies. p. 406 Not Implemented $47,124 $0 $0 The district is evaluating this recommendation. Barriers to overcome before the district can implement this recommendation include site schedules; inadequate facilities and storage space at schools sites and the Food Service Warehouse; lack of personnel to implement an expansion program; and loss of enrollment. 105 Develop and implement a comprehensive nutrition program for SAISD students.p. 407 Complete $0 $0 $0 TEA conducted Nutritional Analysis Audit in December 2001. The audit found all areas it reviewed to be in compliance with USDA standards. The district distributes nutritional information to students monthly through the school menus. A partnership with Tooned-In Menus provides colorful, professional type menus for all elementary students at no expense to the district. This partnership has been in place since 1996-97. Each menu provides a nutritional activity or lesson. 106 Install a point-of-sale cash register system and provide training to cafeteria staff. p. 410 Complete ($144,625) ($71,919) ($71,919) All 20 elementary schools began operating a point-of-sale system in fall 2002. The district has scheduled all junior high schools and high schools to be operating point-of-sale systems by May 2003. 107 Compile and distribute accurate and detailed campus-specific financial and performance reports to cafeteria managers on a quarterly basis that agree with actual accounting records. p. 412 Complete $0 $0 $0 The accounting period changed to follow financial cycles of accounting department in 2000-01. The accounting cycle for all Food Service reports will reflect data for September through August. The district distributes a report to cafeteria managers once a month. 108 Allocate an equitable share of building utilities and maintenance to Food Services operations each month. p. 414 Complete $662,970 $244,797 $611,985 The district charged utility expenses to the Food Service budget in 2000-01 and continues this practice in 2002-03. The review team based the actual savings estimates on the expenditures posted to the Food Service budget as of August 31, 2002. 109 Update the equipment and replacement plan based on priority and Food Services fund availability. p. 416 Complete $0 ($140,276) ($140,276) The district completed all purchases from the original plan as of August 2001. The district completed an inventory for all sites and implemented a tracking system for equipment repairs. Totals - Chapter 11 $1,268,893 $65,998 $20,818 Chapter 12 - Safety and Security 110 Establish a discipline management committee to review incident data routinely and develop a strategic plan to combat escalating occurrences. p. 428 Complete $0 $0 $0 SAISD established a discipline management committee to meet on each referral to the discipline alternative campus. The district collects discipline incident data and disaggregates it each six weeks broken down by level of discipline and types of infractions. The district established a Title IV Advisory Committee to examine drug and violent offenses. The committee has met, and committee members registered their attendance on sign-in sheets. The Texas Behavior Support Initiative has a staff person training a committee of staff people on each campus on intervention techniques. The committee is comprised of administrators, teachers, counselors and police officers. It works to combat escalating occurrences. This committee studies the discipline reports and makes plans for amelioration. In addition, principals discuss their campus discipline report at their semi-annual accountability meetings. After examining the district discipline reports, the director of Pupil Services convened a districtwide committee to revamp the SAC and Carver policies. The district added these changes to the Code of Conduct in 2002-03. 111 Formalize the relationship with area law enforcement by developing a memoranda of understanding (MOU) with the police department and written contracts specifying police officers' duties. p. 432 In Progress $0 $0 $0 By agreement of both entities, they will not sign a formal MOU during 2002-03. The district is still investigating this arrangement. Officers who currently work in the district informally automatically become police officers as soon as they note criminal activity. The district pays the officers $15 an hour, a significant cost savings to the district. 112 Instruct the Building Maintenance Department to conduct a facilities audit to determine safety and security weaknesses and prepare a long-range plan to eliminate unsafe conditions. p. 433 Complete $0 $0 $0 The district included this in the RFP for facilities plan. The Building Maintenance Department addresses safety issues within a 24-hour period depending on the degree of the safety issue. Totals - Chapter 12 $0 $0 $0 TOTAL $38,774,322 $8,612,297 $42,147,597
San Angelo ISD Progress Report
July 2003
July 2003