District Policy
1100 - Filling Positions
Personnel Administration Washington County School District - Adopted 11/11/97; Revised 3-9-99; Revised 2-13-01; Revised 4-16-02; Revised 11-11-03; Revised 1-13-04; Revised 8-10-04; Revised 2-8-05; Revised 1-12-10; Revised 8-9-11; Revised 3-5-13; Revised 3-4-14; Revised 3-7-17; Revised 9-12-17; Revised 6-18-19; Revised 12-10-19; Revised 5-10-22; Revised 4-2-24
1. Purpose
The Purpose of this policy and the associated procedure is to establish a framework for effective and efficient human resource management. It will establish guidelines to ensure District funds are efficiently managed and appropriately utilized and make sure all employment selections are based on the principle of merit and qualifications without discrimination because of race, religion, sex, color, age, national origin, disability, marital status, political affiliation, or any other non-merit factor.
2. Policy:
2.1. It is the policy of the Washington County School District to provide equal employment opportunity for all persons and to remove artificial barriers in personnel systems and practices and to eliminate discrimination by act or inference.
2.2. Board policy does not advocate, permit, or practice discrimination on the basis of race, religion, sex, color, age, national origin, disability, marital status, political affiliation, or any other non-merit factor. (10-94) In filling positions, all managers, administrators, and principals of the District will make sure that selections are based on the principle of merit and qualifications.
2.3. Job qualifications and advancement will be based on:
2.3.1. valid job entrance requirements that relate closely to necessary education, experience, skill, knowledge and abilities;
2.3.2. a standard to ensure candidates meet at least the minimum qualifications for job entrance;
2.3.3. removal of unnecessary education requirements precluding advancement; and
2.3.4. employee participation. Employees who are capable of performing at higher job levels should seek opportunities for advancement.
2.3.5. The District will consider convictions and information obtained from the results of a complete Criminal Background Investigation (CBI) and/or other record inquiries.
2.4. The District will develop procedures to ensure District hiring levels are closely monitored to maintain efficient and effective utilization within allowed funding levels.
2.5. The District will not hire into the same school an individual to occupy both a classified and a certified position.
3. Procedure:
3.1. Definitions
3.1.1. Association: As defined in policy 1600.
3.1.2. Career Employees: Career employees are those who have completed at least three years of provisional employment with the District and are deemed to have a reasonable expectation of continued employment with the District in successive years. Certificated personnel may be deemed career educators with one year of successful teaching in the District and three years of previous successful teaching experience before joining the District.
3.1.3. CBI: Criminal Background Investigation
3.1.4. Certificated Personnel: Are those professional staff employees who are required to hold a valid teaching certificate (as defined in UCA § 53E-6-103 et Seq.) for the position to which they are assigned.
3.1.5. Classified Personnel: Classified personnel are non-certificated employees of the District and shall function in the capacity assigned by the Superintendent and under the direct supervision of the Administrator of the school or office to which they are assigned. They shall perform such other functions as may be prescribed by the principal, other designated administrators, and the Superintendent or the Board. (8-79)
3.1.6. District: For the purposes of this procedure, District shall refer to the Washington County School District.
3.1.7. Extracurricular Assignments: Extracurricular assignments support school athletic, speech, drama, music, drill team, cheerleading, and support programs. All extracurricular assignments are considered temporary, and occupants serve at the will of the District. Extracurricular assignments may be filled by current employees of the District or by temporary appointment. The District Extra Duty Pay Schedule identifies both the number of authorized positions and the pay rate established for each assignment.
3.1.8. In-District Transfers: In-District transfers can be "management directed" (i.e. management may need to laterally move an employee to another position). This often occurs when opening new schools or placing employees in order to avoid reduction-in-force actions or for other reasons when an employee's skills can be better utilized in another equivalent position. They can also be by "voluntary request."
3.1.9. Letter of Intent: A letter of intent is annually requested from each regular employee of the District and used to obtain information about an employee's intentions related to continued employment. It is a major tool for gathering information used in the development of the staffing plan.
3.1.10. One-Year / Temporary Employees: One-year / temporary employees serve at the will of the District and may be terminated at any time at the sole discretion of the District. One-year only employees serve under a temporary agreement. Their assigned hours, days, and duration of the employment may change or conclude at any time. One-year / temporary employees are not eligible for in-District transfer and must apply as an external candidate to receive consideration for other District positions. Reference: UCA § 53G-11-501(15) (Neg. 5-99)
3.1.11. Program Area: Staffing program areas relate to budget program areas and assigned program responsibility. As a minimum, program areas are divided into Secondary Education, Elementary Education, Special Education, Vocational, and classified programs not directly assigned to a school. Organizational assignments are normally identified on the District Organizational Chart. Elementary and secondary education programs will have a certificated and classified element.
3.1.12. Provisional Employees: Provisional employees are those who have not completed the required years of qualifying provisional employment necessary to achieve Career Employee status with the District. One-Year/Temporary Employees are not Provisional Employees.
3.1.13. Staffing Plan: The staffing plan is a concise document divided into program areas identifying projected staff overages and shortages for the next school year. Excess, replacement, and newly established positions are individually identified in the plan. It is updated as needed, at least annually. It, also, identifies standards, FTE limits or ratios, used to support programmed staffing levels.
3.1.14. Substitute Employee: Substitute employees serve at the will of the District. They do not have a defined regular work schedule and may be terminated at any time at the sole discretion of the District. Substitute employees are not eligible for in-District transfer and must apply as an external candidate to receive consideration for other District positions.
3.1.15 Secondary School Part-time Employment: Part-time employment for certified employees will not exceed four periods in an eight-block schedule, six periods in a ten-block schedule, or four periods in a seven-hour schedule. The Superintendent may approve exceptions. (3-9-99)
3.2. Substitute Employment: The Human Resource Department will manage the substitute support services contract. Classified substitute lists are managed by the District program coordinator. Administrators may arrange for and put to work an authorized substitute to temporarily replace an absent employee or to augment staff when necessitated by District administrator authorization. Administrators, teachers, and other employees shall not utilize or employ any individual (including friends, neighbors, volunteers, etc.) as a substitute unless the individual is fully authorized to work under the terms and conditions of employment established by the authorized provider for support services for teachers or by the District for classified support. Under the contract, authorized substitute teachers will be identified by the contracted support services provider. All substitute employees must submit to a criminal background check and meet all other employment and in-processing requirements before they are allowed to work. Additionally, substitute teachers must be qualified by having completed at least 48 semester hours of relevant college credit or passing results on an approved Paraprofessional Assessment that demonstrates that the applicant has knowledge of, and the ability to assist in instructing, reading, writing, and mathematics. The support services contract provider will give priority consideration to fully licensed teachers.
3.3. Extracurricular Assignments:
3.3.1. By 15 June of each year, principals identify selections for approved extracurricular assignments by sending the District a list of names according to the District Extra Duty Pay Schedule.
3.3.2. The Human Resource Department will prepare temporary agreements for each selection and forward them to principals or program directors to obtain employee signature of acceptance.
3.3.3. A satisfactory (completed and returned) CBI is required for selections involving individuals not currently employed by the District. These individuals serve under temporary appointments and will not be hired until the satisfactory CBI is returned from the State Bureau of Criminal Investigations.
3.3.4. It is the responsibility of the selectee and the principal to ensure that extracurricular assignments are completed according to signed agreements.
3.4. Staffing Plan:
The District will develop the staffing plan based on School Board direction, budgets, school, community, teacher, principal, and administrative input. The staffing plan will identify set student-to-teacher ratios and Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) limitations.
3.4.1. Each January, District administration will:
3.4.1.1. Complete the Staffing Plan Worksheet consisting of;
a). the average of the October 1st enrollment report and the 2nd quarter District enrollment report;
b). projection of future enrollment based on students moving up one grade, other community growth factors; and
c). statistical trend between the current and previous year average enrollment.
3.4.1.2. Consider School Board direction, budgets, current enrollment, trends in enrollment, school issues, and legal guidelines.
3.4.1.3. Meet as an administrative committee to set FTE and ratios limits for each school.
3.4.1.4. Communicate FTE and ratio limits to Principals by the 3rd week in January.
3.4.2. Principals will:
3.4.2.1. apply District set FTE and ratio limits.
3.4.2.2. Consider employee letters of intent. By first week of January, each year, principals will remind all employees to complete a letter of intent. Employees are required to complete and return letters of intent to principals by the end of January.
3.4.2.3. Consider classified support that is financially sustainable, necessary, and justified using, where possible, established standards or formulas.
3.4.2.4. Develop a suggested program plan for staffing levels, within FTE and ratio limits, to meet school needs.
3.4.3. Principals/managers and district administration will conduct individual planning meetings each February to review the operation of the school/program, consider program plans, and assess future staffing needs using the information obtained in 3.4.1 and 2.3.2. The outcome, of this effort, will be a staffing plan that will identify overage, additional, or replacement staff needed to support the school/program.
3.4.4. RESERVED
3.4.5. The Superintendent will approve or have the authority to change the staffing plan based on emerging budget and enrollment issues. If issues develop that will impact the plan, district administration, managers, and/or principals will develop and present suggested changes to the Superintendent for approval.
3.5. Authority to Approve Fill Requests:
3.5.1. Once approved, the staffing plan will become the reference point for recruitment and placement activities.
3.5.2. Unless overages are identified, district administrators working with principals have authority to fill positions identified in the staffing plan or fill positions needed to replace personnel who retire or resign.
3.5.3. If the staffing plan identifies overages, in any school or program, administrators must consider surplus personnel before approving requests to fill new or vacated positions.
3.5.4. Requests to fill new positions or extend hours or days of established positions, not specifically identified in the Staffing Plan, must be reviewed by the Business Administrator, and approved by the Superintendent.
3.6. Personnel Action Request:
3.6.1. Managers may begin the recruitment process to fill a position by submitting the appropriate documentation or electronic request to the Business Department.
3.6.2. The Business Department will start the process of filling the position by creating a Personnel Action Request.
3.6.3. Action to fill a position may begin any time a manager or principal reasonably expects a position in the organization will become vacant or at the time the staffing plan is approved.
3.6.4. It is important to begin early recruitment if a potential vacancy is a "hard- to-fill" position or a position with other unique certification or endorsement requirements.
3.6.5. The principal and administrator must check the Staffing Plan, carefully review status of vacated positions (i.e. consider District-wide FTEs and ratios), and review any new information related to the request before it is submitted to the Budget Director for action. The District Budget Director will monitor and manage the staffing plan and funding sources to make sure the position vacancy is authorized to fill.
3.7. In-District Transfers:
3.7.1. All qualified employees:
3.7.1.1. It is the responsibility of each qualified employee desiring transfer to contact the principal via Google form.
3.7.1.2. An employee required to move against his or her will (involuntary transferred) may request a review of the placement decision by following the Employee Grievance Procedure outlined in District Policy 1720.
3.7.2. Transfers needed to open a new school: (6-91)
3.7.2.1. The Superintendent will inform the association presidents at the outset of staffing procedures for opening new schools.
3.7.2.2. Providing the strongest educational program and staff to new and existing schools is the District's first staffing priority. Basic curricular and extracurricular areas must be met. (Neg. 7-11-90) Within that objective, the District will provide the opportunity for priority consideration to employees at schools affected with declining enrollment as a result of opening the new school. Where possible, seniority should be given consideration over those of lesser seniority. (6-91) (Neg. 7-11-94)
3.7.2.3. Letters of Intent will receive consideration, where possible, in filling positions.
3.7.2.4. Once decisions are finalized and approved, the assignments will go out individually to each staff member, in writing, with additional notification to principals.
3.7.3. Transfer for Certificated Employees: Employees who have been in a school in the District for two years or more as a successful teacher, are eligible to request transfer consideration. The two-year provision does not affect career educators who have been transferred involuntarily. (Neg. 06-91)
3.7.4. Transfer for Classified Employees: Employees who have been with the District for three years or less will not be considered for assignment change unless his/her supervisor recommends it as an administrative desirability or unless it is a job advancement. (7-19-97)
3.7.5. District employees may not request an in-District transfer after July 1st without agreement from the principals involved and the approval of the Superintendent or designee. (4-16-02)
3.8. Job Postings: (approved 8-79, revised 6-95, revised 6-97, Negotiated)
3.8.1. Job postings will be initiated by the Human Resource Director and will include a cutoff date for the receipt of applications.
3.8.2. The District will use the Staffing Plan projections to post potential or actual vacancies for in-District transfer consideration by March 15th.
3.8.3. After the In-District transfer window, all potential vacancies will be posted on the official district website. (Neg. 06-95) (2-8-05)
3.8.4. Part-time openings, where possible, and all full-time openings will be posted on the district's website. (Neg. 07-01-97) (2-8-05) Postings will normally be open for at least one week. Positions (previously posted) opening at other times may be filled from applications on file and may or may not be advertised. (Neg. 06-95)
3.8.5. Public service news media, as well as posting of employment opportunities with other districts and placement centers, may be utilized as needed to obtain applications.
3.8.6. Referrals from other government agencies will be requested when appropriate.
3.9. Applicant File and Screening: (8-79)
3.9.1. As noted in 3.7.1.1, it is the responsibility of each district employee desiring a transfer to contact the manager or principal for an interview where vacancies have been identified and posted.
3.9.2. External applicants must submit applications using the online application process.
3.9.3. External applicants must follow the application process outlined on the district's webpage for employment opportunities.
3.9.4. Only those qualified applications received during the posted open and closing dates will be assured consideration for posted vacancies.
3.9.5. Initial screening of applicants will be accomplished using objective factors identified in district position descriptions. Screening will be based on information obtained from application forms, resumes, credentials, and written information supplied by the applicant.
3.10. (RESERVED) This section replaced with Policy 1101.
3.11. Interviews: (2-8-05)
3.11.1. Selections will not be made before the end of the posted cutoff date.
3.11.2. In-District transfer applicants who meet all licensing, endorsement, and NCLB qualifications requirements for the posted vacancy (Neg. 1-12-10) will receive an interview. (06-95)
3.11.3. Interviews will be held with those external applicants who are not eliminated via application screening process. (8-79)
3.11.4. The principal of each school is encouraged to create an interview committee consisting of appropriate representation. (6-91) (Neg. 7-11-94)
3.12. Final Selection:
3.12.1. Principals, managers, or other selecting officials will make recommendations for final candidate selections, including transfers, to the Human Resources Department.
3.12.2. Principal positions may be filled by non-competitive in-district transfer as recommended by administration and approved by the School Board of Education. Current district administrators are eligible for in-district transfer consideration if the pay schedule assigned to the principal position being filled is the same or less than the pay schedule of the administrator's current assignment.
3.12.3. Competitive Selection Process. Principal positions filled competitively, by promotion or hire from outside of the District, will be filled as follows.
3.12.3.1. Establishment of a Pool of Most Highly Qualified Candidates
• Current Washington County School District Principals are automatically included in the pool of most highly qualified candidates and are not required to apply for the pool. If the pay schedule assigned to the administrative position being filled is higher than the pay schedule of a current administrator's assignment, then the principal is subject to competitive selection from the pool as described in section 3.12.3.2.
• Positions will be posted for at least one week. As the applicant list may be used for more than one location, a specific location is not required. If the position is posted for a specific location, the applicant list must not be used for other locations. For this reason, specific locations are discouraged.
• Applications will be screened for required experience, licensing, and qualification by the HR Department. To qualify for consideration applicants must have:
- An active Utah School Leadership License; or
- An active out-of-sate Administrative License and a Utah School Leadership License Application submitted and under review by the Utah State Board of Education
AND
- A minimum of two complete years of Administrative, Site Coordinator, or Learning Coach experience.
• All similarly qualified candidates will be referred for interview by a selection committee comprised of the following members:
- Board Members - At least one, but may include up to three, board member(s) as selected by the Board President
- One PTA, PTO, or parent representative
- Superintendent
- Assistant Superintendent (secondary and/or elementary as appropriate)
- Human Resources Director
- Executive Director (secondary and/or elementary as appropriate)
- A non-location specific principal (secondary or elementary as appropriate)
- A non-location specific certified employee
- A non-location specific classified employee
- Other director or administrator as nominated by the Superintendent
• All interviewed applicants will be asked the same questions as approved by the committee.
• Applicants will be given equal time to answer questions. HR Director will monitor time for consistency.
• All applicants will be ranked by committee members independently. Independent rankings will be discussed by the committee to make final recommendations for the establishment of a pool of the most highly qualified candidates. The top candidates may be referred to the Superintendent, executive staff, and board representatives throughout the year as needed to fill vacant administrative positions.
3.12.3.2. Final Competitive Principal Selection Process
• When it becomes necessary to competitively fill a vacant principal position, the top 3 to 5 applicants will be referred from the pool to the Superintendent, executive staff, and board representatives to identify a recommended candidate. If more than one vacant position is being considered, one additional name may be added for each additional vacancy from the pool. The Superintendent, executive staff, and board representatives will consider all available information about the candidates, interview as necessary, and recommend a final selection for each vacancy to the Board of Education.
• The Superintendent will present the recommended candidate(s) to the School Board of Education for approval.
• The School Board of Education may accept or reject the recommended candidate(s).
3.13. Temporary Employment (Certified Educators): (8-10-04) The District will limit the use of temporary employment authority to a period of not more than one year unless:
3.13.1. The educator is not fully qualified for teaching assignment, as documented in the state CACTUS data system.
3.13.2. The educator is hired into a position that is tied directly to temporary funding with a predetermined end date, such as a grant.
3.13.3. The educator is hired in the absence of an employee who is on an extended leave of absence, military leave, or short term disability (extended sick leave).
3.13.4. The educator is hired for a temporary project.
3.13.5. The educator has unique qualifications and is hired pending a reorganization, boundary change, or opening of a new school.
3.13.6. The educator is hired as part of a training position or program, such as a student intern.
3.13.7. The educator is hired to fill a part-time position.
3.13.8. The educator is placed on a last chance agreement to demonstrate that he or she will overcome known performance or conduct concerns that were documented by a principal or District administrator.
3.14. Provisional Credit for Temporary Employment: Time served as a temporary certified educator may count toward the service requirement for a provisional educator if the educator is hired into a provisional status position immediately following completion of the temporary employment agreement and no disciplinary actions were taken or performance concerns noted.
Attachments:
1 Staffing Flow Chart
2 Staffing Plan Development Model
3 WCSD Form 568, Staffing Plan Worksheet
4 WCSD Form 554, CBI Release Form
5 WCSD Supplemental Questionnaire