Recruiting and selection processes for school district personnel

Rio Linda Dist. Recruiting & Hiring

Review of Personnel Recruitment and Selection Processes within the Rio Linda School District

This study focuses on reviewing current recruiting and hiring practices, under California law and within school board policy, of the Rio Linda Union School District. The study reviews state, school board, and school district policies on recruitment and hiring of education personnel, analyzes the effectiveness of present recruitment and hiring practices within the Rio Linda Union School District, and makes suggestions for improvement of practice.

State Law, School Board and District Policies Governing Recruitment and Hiring

California law pertinent to recruitment and selection processes within school districts states:

Recognizing the importance of teacher effectiveness in improving student achievement, the Governing Board desires to recruit, hire and train teachers who possess the subject matter knowledge and teaching skills required by the federal No Child Left Behind Act in programs for educationally disadvantaged students and for students in core academic subjects (cf. 4112.2

Certification; cf. 4112.21 - Interns; cf. 4112.22 - Staff Teaching Students of Limited English Proficiency; cf. 4112.23 - Special Education Staff)

Further, according to California law, all teachers newly hired to teach core academic subjects in a program supported by Title 1 funds shall be "highly qualified" 20 USC 6319, 7801; 34 CFR 200.55; 5 CCR 6100-6115) as defined by federal law and the State Board of Education (cf. 6171 - Title 1 Programs).

California law further requires that all teachers teaching in core academic subjects shall be "highly qualified" not later than the end of the 2005-2006 school year (20 U.S. Linda C. 6319, 7801; 34 CFR 200.55; 5 CCR 6100-6115).

Overview of the Rio Linda Union School District's Recruitment and Selection Processes.

Recruitment and selection. The goal of the Rio Linda Union District's recruitment and selection processes, according to board policy, is to:

Employ the most highly qualified and appropriate person available for each open position in order to improve student achievement and efficiency in district operations." (BP4111) Recruitment of candidates for open positions is based on assessments of district needs for specific skills, knowledge and abilities. Toward that end the District requires creation and posting of "Job descriptions that accurately describe all essential functions and duties" (BP4111) and the dissemination of job announcements by means that "ensure a wide range of candidates" (BP4111).

Job posting requirements. Job postings must appear at the Personnel Office and at the school. Other sites include department sites; personal contact; and employee referrals. Publications in which job postings are advertised include: Ed Cal; CASBO; Arcadia; NewsADVANCE; and California Job Journal.

Job fairs at which job postings are advertised include: CSUS; UC Davis; CSU Chico; Chapman; National; Counties [P]lacer/San Joaquin); and Cal Expo (Barker, October 17, 2005).

Hiring processes, procedures, and requirements. Personal interviews are required of all job candidates. Processes, procedures, and requirements for personal interviews of job candidates include: (1) establishing an interview committee; (2) ranking job candidates; (3) recommending finalists; and (4) maintaining confidentiality. Websites at which job openings must be posted are: (1) the Rio Linda Union School District; (2) Ed Join; (3) Craigslist; and (4) Pipeline (Barker, October 17, 2005).

Selection of candidates. Selection of candidates for each position is based on: (1) screening process; (2) interview(s); (3)0bservation(s) (as appropriate); and (4) recommendations (Barker, October 17, 2005).

Screening. Screening processes and procedures include: (1)application on district form; (2) verification that applicant holds or qualifies for appropriate certificates, licenses, diplomas, credentials; (3) verification of official transcripts and experience; (4)evidence of passing proficiency test(s); (5) direct references; and (6)screening interview (as appropriate) (Barker, October 17, 2005).

Recommendations for employment. Recommendation by superintendent of designee for board approval is based upon: screening, interviews, recommendations; (2) equal opportunity guidelines; and (3) specific needs and best interest of the district (Barker, October 17, 2005).

Description of the Current System: Rio Union School District Personnel Selection and Recruitment Policies

Numerous policies are currently in place, within the Rio Linda Union School District, for personnel recruitment and selection. Rio Union School District Board Policy 4111 (BP 4111), on Personnel Recruitment and Selection, Certificated Appointment, states: "Certificated personnel shall be appointed by the Governing Board upon the recommendation of the Superintendent or designee, and properly placed on the adopted certificated salary schedule, subject to all approved rules and regulations." Board Policy 4111 (BP 4111) further states that: "Because an important factor in student achievement is the quality of the teaching staff, the Board desires to employ the most highly qualified and appropriate person available for each open position."

Moreover:

The Superintendent or designee shall recruit candidates for open positions

Based on an assessment of the district's needs for specific skills, knowledge

And abilities. he/she shall develop job descriptions that accurately describe all essential and marginal functions and duties of each position, and shall disseminate job announcements to ensure a wide range of candidates.

A cf. 4119.3/4219.3/4319.3 - Duties of Personnel)

Teacher recruitment for low-performing schools. Rio Linda Union School District policy further states, with reference to recruitment of teachers for low-performing schools:

The Superintendent or designee may participate in the Teacher

Recruitment Program as established by Project Pipeline Northern California Teacher Recruitment Center.

The Superintendent or designee may provide incentives grants to attract

And retain credentialed teachers in low performing schools, defined as schools ranking in the bottom half of the Academic Performance Index. Such incentives may include, but are not limited to, teacher compensation, improved work conditions, signing bonuses, or housing subsidies.

Certificated Personnel Board Policy 4112.2 CERTIFICATION (cf. 4112.2 - Certification), states:

The Superintendent or designee shall develop selection procedures that Identify the best possible candidate for each position based on screening processes, interviews, observations, and recommendations from previous employers. No inquiry shall be made with regard to the age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, medical condition, disability or sexual orientation of a person seeking employment. During job interviews, applicants may be asked to describe or demonstrate how they will be able to perform the duties of the job. Inquires to assure employment eligibility shall be made in accordance with the law. (Certificated Personnel Board Policy 4030

Nondiscrimination in Employment; cf. 4032 - Reasonable Accommodation)

Legal References include, from EDUCATION CODE 200-262.4 - Prohibition of discrimination on the basis of sex: BP 44066 - Limitations on certification requirement; BP 44259 -Teaching credential; exception; designated subjects; minimum requirements; BP 44735 Incentive grants for recruiting teachers for low-performing schools; BP 44750-44754.5 -Regional teacher recruitment centers;

BP 44830-44831 Employment of certificated persons; BP 44858 - Age or marital status in certificated positions; BP 44859 -Prohibition against certain rules and regulations re residency; and BP 52051- Academic Performance Index.

Additional legal references include GOVERNMENT CODE (GC)12900 - Unlawful employment practices; GC 12940-12956 - Discrimination prohibited; unlawful practices; UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 8, 1324(a)(b) - Immigration and Nationality Act; UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 42 2000d-2000d-7; Title VI, Civil Rights Act of 1964 2000e-2000e-17; Title VII, Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended 2000h-2-2000h-6; Title IX, 1972 Education Act Amendments

-12213 Americans With [sic] Disabilities Policy RIO LINDA UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT [adopted: September 21, 2001 Rio Linda, California].

Analysis of the Effectiveness of the Current System

Many school districts, in California and elsewhere, have their own human resources departments. The Rio Linda Union School District, however, has no human resources department. That, according to Betty Barker, Assistant Superintendent of Personnel for Rio Linda Union School District (Interview, October 17, 2005) is one fact that distinguishes the district from other districts, and left over from the days before some schools began moving toward decentralization.

More specifically, the Rio Linda Union School District is not decentralized, because previous superintendents wished to maintain one standard for hiring. However, in recent years, many districts besides Rio Linda Union have moved from personnel or human resources-centered hiring, to decentralized hiring, where recruitment and hiring is done by individual sites. A principal, for instance, will advertise on Ed Join for, say, a third grade, second grade or whatever opening he or she has, screen and hire the candidates, and then notify Personnel.