Operations and Support Systems: Human Resource Systems

The Broad Prize Framework for School District Excellence

Human Resource Systems Requirements

The district has a human resource management system in place that is efficient and effective.
The district has a system to recruit, hire, place and cultivate highly effective staff.
The district has an effective support system for new staff.

Best Practice Human Resource Systems Documents

Hiring Effective Principals– Long Beach Unified School District

In the Long Beach Unified School District, district leaders use the Aspiring Principals Program to identify and develop high-performing school leaders. In addition, the district has developed practical tools that contribute to the rigorous selection process for new administrators.

1 – Aspiring Principals Program Overview Describes the components and progression of the Aspiring Principals Program from year-to-year.
What to Notice Long Beach launched the Aspiring Principals Program in 2006-2007, and this document illustrates that the district was working toward a vision for 2009-10 from the very beginning. Notice how the first page tracks each cohort of aspiring principals through the process, showing how the district creates a concrete path to the role of high-performing principal. The second page maps specific professional development components to the “critical success factors” that the district has identified for principals.	Questions to Ask Before the launch of the Aspiring Principals Program, what processes or programs were in place to identify/train new administrators? How is the new program different than the old one, and why? How did the district fund the new program? What resources—both financial and human—are necessary to implement such an ambitious plan cost-effectively? How were the coursework and professional development modules selected? How will the success of the program be measured? Who is responsible for measuring these variables? What are the critical success factors, as identified by Long Beach? Through what process did the district identify and articulate these factors? How are principals and aspiring principals evaluated against these criteria?
> Download Document (doc)

2 – Selecting Aspiring Principals – Tools and Rubrics Includes scoring guides for cover letters, resumes, recommendations, etc.; sample letters to candidates, recommendation forms, etc.
What to Notice The district has developed a comprehensive set of tools to facilitate the recruitment and selection of the best candidates. Scoring guides ensure that candidates are evaluated against consistent criteria. Notice that admission to the program is very selective and requires candidates to submit recommendations, complete writing assessments and undergo extensive interviewing. Notice also the detailed rubric on page seven that outlines how the candidate’s writing task should be assessed.	Questions to Ask Who is on the team that admits candidates into the program? What kinds of training do they receive? How selective is the program? What kind of interview process does the district use? Is it case-based? Does the district provide interviewers with any structure or guidelines on the content or format of the interview?
> Download Document (doc)

3 – Recruitment and Selection of Administrators - Process Describes the five-step process for the hiring of new administrators.
What to Notice The district’s selection process is rigorous. Prospective candidates must submit multiple letters of recommendation (or references from within the district) and meet with multiple panels of different school stakeholders. Notice that candidates from outside the district—about whom the district has less information—must undergo a second-round interview process that includes classroom observations and writing assessments.	Questions to Ask Who takes the lead in the hiring process for a new principal? What training do they receive? Given the district’s focus on developing school leaders from within, what percentage of candidates come from outside the district? What percentage of offers go to outside candidates? Under what circumstances does the district give more consideration to outside candidates? What kind of metrics are used to measure the success or effectiveness of this process?
> Download Document (doc)

4 – Principal Interview Questions Outlines questions for interviews of candidates for open principal positions.
What to Notice Principal interviews consist of role-playing exercises, questions that probe the candidate’s leadership experience and style, and inquiries relevant to the district’s mission and objectives.	Questions to Ask How were the questions designed? Who participated in that process? What instructions are given to the panel of interviewers to ensure consistency across candidates? Does the district revise the interview protocol to reflect feedback from interviewers? Has it been successful in identifying candidates with the potential to be high-performing instructional leaders?
> Download Document (doc)

5 – Sample Principal Candidate Strength Profile Provides bar charts that compare a specific candidate’s scores to the scores of other candidates.
What to Notice The district provides this tool to the selection team. Bar charts indicate how a candidate scores against other candidates in the pool. Ratings cover general criteria, the interview and recommendations.	Questions to Ask Is the human resources department responsible for collecting the data and distributing the report? What does it do with the data? Is there any effort to correlate candidates’ scores with their later performance as principals?
> Download Document (doc)

Integrating New Teachers– Broward County Public Schools

The process of integrating and acculturating new teachers can be an important lever in a district trying to develop a performance-based culture. Broward County Public Schools has implemented programs to ensure that new teachers receive the support and guidance they need to maximize their chances for success. This process covers the first three years of a teacher’s tenure in the district.

1 – New Teacher Induction Rubric Checklist describing critical elements of new teacher induction.
What to Notice This one-pager describes all the necessary activities to be included in an effective induction program for new teachers. Each campus forms a site-based induction team, which includes school administrators, as well as members of the leadership team and professional development team. The district has a New Educator Support System (NESS) that is specifically designed to assist new hires in their first year in the district.	Questions to Ask How is this tool used, and who conducts the evaluation? How was this tool developed? Has the district identified best practices in the orientation and support of new teachers? How are best practices integrated into this tool? To what degree is new teacher induction governed by the district’s collective bargaining agreement? How has the involvement of the teachers’ association impacted the teacher induction process? What is the role of the instructional coaches and NESS school liaisons in supporting new teachers? What kind of training do the coaches receive, and from whom?
> Download Document (pdf)

2 – New Educator Support System (NESS) Three-Year Plan Describes the continuum of support offered for new teachers in the district.
What to Notice Broward’s New Educator Support System (NESS) provides a suite of support services designed to ensure that new teachers can be successful and provide the most effective instruction to students. Notice that the NESS program is a three-year program, not just a one-year orientation institute. Specific responsibilities are assigned to the school administrator, the district’s human resources department, and the curriculum and instruction department. In addition, each new teacher must take responsibility for their own development by seeking out appropriate professional development resources.	Questions to Ask How was the NESS program developed? How does the district measure the success of the program? What kind of quantitative measures have been established to assess program effectiveness? What kind of feedback have new teachers provided about the program? How are the roles differentiated? How does a NESS liaison differ from an instructional coach? What kind of training do these positions receive?
> Download Document (pdf)

Providing Clear Pathways to Leadership Roles – Broward County Public Schools

In Broward, educators have a very clear path to take on additional responsibilities and grow into leadership positions. The district offers specific programs designed to turn high-performing teachers into entry-level administrators, and high-performing assistant principals into principals. At each step, the programs are designed to inspire new educators, give them the tools necessary to succeed at the next level and provide the very best opportunities for students.

1 – Teacher Leadership Opportunities Framework Chart depicting leadership opportunities for teachers.
What to Notice This one-pager provides Broward’s teachers with a guide to the leadership opportunities available to them. The blue circle in the center focuses on content that all teachers are expected to master, including core instructional tools like the Effective Schools 7-8-9 Plan, Classroom Walkthrough (CWT) protocol, using data, and continuous quality improvement. The outer circles represent specific leadership opportunities available to teachers: professional developer, coach, department chair, etc. The implicit message is that all teachers have opportunities for professional growth and instructional leadership.	Questions to Ask How do these “circles” interconnect? How is this framework communicated or explained? How does the district select teachers for each type of leadership position? What are the criteria, if the process is competitive? How does the district train coaches and professional developers?
> Download Document (pdf)

2 – Leadership Mentoring Programs Overview Description of leadership programs, including the LEAD program for aspiring administrators and the Intern Principal program.
What to Notice Broward provides a clear career path for educators who want to move into school leadership roles. Starting with the Leadership Experiences and Administrative Development (LEAD) program for teachers considering a move into administration, the district provides considerable support for aspiring leaders. The support extends through the first year of being a school principal, when each new principal is assigned a Professional Development Team (PDT) to ensure that he/she has the best chance for success.	Questions to Ask Who is responsible for identifying potential school leaders early in their careers as educators? Is this a function of human resources, or is the area director responsible for identifying and tracking these potential leaders? What criteria do they use? How much does the district spend on these types of leadership development programs? How does the district determine the value of these investments? What is the success rate for each program? What types of quantitative and qualitative goals does the district set for each program?
> Download Document (pdf)

3 – Leadership Experiences and Administrative Development (LEAD) Program Curriculum Description of curriculum for program targeting teachers who aspire to become administrators.
What to Notice Broward offers this intensive leadership development program for teachers. Notice that the content of the program is aligned with the Florida Principal Leadership Standards, just as the school curriculum is aligned with state educational standards. LEAD participants attend up to 17 professional development sessions in one semester, plus multiple learning community meetings and panels.	Questions to Ask How does the district encourage high-potential leaders to consider administrative careers? How do they market the program to potential participants? How does the district ensure that the program curriculum aligns with the Florida Principal Leadership Standards? How often does the district review the program for curriculum improvements and updates? How selective is the LEAD program? What are interested teachers required to submit (e.g., letters of reference, essays, etc.)? What percentage of LEAD participants go on to become assistant principals or principals within the district? How does their performance compare to the performance of principals who never went through the program?
> Download Document (pdf)

4 – Intern Principal Program Curriculum One-page graphic representation of the curriculum for assistant principals on the verge of becoming principals.
What to Notice In Broward, intern principals are given privileged access to senior principals who have been successful at the district. Each intern is placed at a school with a high-performing principal and is given a support team including two mentor principals (one practicing and one retired) and the area director. The intern is given a nine-week assignment to another school, allowing him/her to gain additional leadership experience at another school site. Professional development targets three key areas of leadership: instructional, operational and school. In addition, interns select additional professional development from a list of electives.	Questions to Ask How does the district select intern principals? What incentive does an assistant principal have to apply for the program? What led the district to establish an intern principal position? What are the advantages of such a structure? Is this program required for all aspiring principals? Does the district measure the success of former intern principals? How do schools led by alumni perform relative to other schools? How does the district measure its “return on investment”? How costly is the program, and what are the eventual financial benefits to the district (e.g., reduced turnover or lower recruiting costs)?
> Download Document (pdf)

Recruiting, Mentoring and Evaluating Teachers– Northside Independent School District

Northside Independent School District employs an aggressive and strategic approach to teacher recruitment. In addition, the district has developed a number of programs to support incoming teachers and nurture their success in the classroom.

1 – Teacher Recruiting Overview with Schedule Describes teacher recruiting initiatives, as well as a detailed schedule for recruiting events.
What to Notice The document starts with a description of who serves on the human resources recruiting team. Notice that Northside uses a software system to track recruits and that the district has developed a “cutting-edge” recruiting CD to replace hard-copy brochures. The HR department works closely with the communications department to develop a media strategy to reach potential candidates. Finally, Northside offers signing bonuses and stipends to candidates in “critical needs” areas, including special education and secondary math/science.	Questions to Ask Does the district set specific targets for recruiters? How is the success of the recruiting team measured? Have applications been rising or falling? What proportion of applicants receives offers? What proportion of applicants with offers accepts the position Who makes offers to applicants? Do principals hire for vacancies at their own schools? How is teacher placement determined? Has the incentive pay program led to an increase in applicants or hires in the “critical needs” areas? How long do such new hires stay in the district? How does the district nurture relationships with key universities? Who is responsible for cultivating these relationships?
> Download Document (pdf)

2 – Recruiting Data Report Reviews recruiting data for the 2005-06 school year.
What to Notice Every year, Northside's HR department prepares this report to assess the success of the district’s recruiting efforts. On the first page, the document puts the district’s recruiting efforts into perspective, discussing state policy changes, pay differentials with other local districts, NCLB requirements, and the difficulty of recruiting candidates from out-of state. The document then presents the data—in table form—which shows how successful the recruiting efforts were. Notice that a special section is devoted to the district’s critical needs areas and that the report includes recommendations for next year’s recruiting efforts.	Questions to Ask From what sources does the district generate the most interviews with teacher candidates? How does the district cultivate relationships with these universities/job fairs? Who is responsible for this? What proportion of new hires has no teaching experience? How does that compare to other local districts? What challenges does it present for principals and other instructional staff? How does this data compare to the prior year? Is the district improving in its recruiting efforts? What targets are set at the district level? How were the recommendations for next year’s recruiting efforts determined? What information was used to make these recommendations?
> Download Document (pdf)

3 – Teacher Mentoring Programs Descriptions Describes district programs to induct and orient new teachers, as applied to Raba Elementary.
What to Notice The district’s approach to new teacher induction includes both off-site professional development and on-site coaching. Teachers attend a New Teacher Academy at the district before ever serving in the classroom, and they have access to both mentors and buddies (peers who can provide guidance). The district has developed a program specifically tailored to new hires who have no previous teaching experience, the Red Wagon Induction Program.	Questions to Ask What kinds of supplemental training are included in the induction program for new hires with no teaching experience? How does the district evaluate the success of the program? How many days of training do new teachers receive? Is the training interactive, or are the new hires primarily passively listening? Who is responsible for improving the training from year to year? How are mentors identified/selected? What kind of training do mentors receive? How are mentors paired with new teachers? How are topics for discussion selected?
> Download Document (pdf)

4 – Teacher Evaluation Forms and Process Timelines Describes Northside’s approach to teacher evaluation.
What to Notice Pages one through six consist of a teacher’s self-report form, allowing each teacher to identify specific objectives relevant to the Texas state standards and tests, as well as narrative descriptions of instructional goals, intervention strategies, etc. The second tool—pages six through 18—is a formal evaluation tool, called the Professional Development and Appraisal System, which is mandated by the Texas Education Agency. The tool includes a sample completed form, as well as a template for an “Intervention Plan for Teacher In Need of Assistance.” Finally, the rest of the document describes the evaluation process and timeline. Notice that the self report form must be completed by early September, ensuring that teachers begin to think about their professional goals at the beginning of the year.	Questions to Ask If evaluation is considered a part of a teacher’s development process, then at what point in the year should the evaluation discussion start? How can principals and district staff use the evaluation process to encourage continuous improvement throughout the district? How does the district deal with teachers who fail to perform up to expectations and do not improve from year to year? How does the HR department work with principals to ensure that chronically failing teachers are removed from the classroom? What proportion of teachers are designated as “in need of assistance” each year? Who makes this determination? And how successful is the district in assisting these teachers in overcoming their performance obstacles? What kind of informal feedback does a teacher receive throughout the year? How is progress towards goals managed?
> Download Document (pdf)