Human Resources Advisory Council March 2, 2018

1. Human Resources Advisory CouncilMarch 2, 2018 Facilitated by Melissa Aguero Ramirez HR Administrator Region One ESC

2. Welcome, Introductions, & Announcements • New • Retirements

3. Program Updates • ILP3 – Sandy McCounaghy • Project P.a.C.E. – Dr. Andrea Cruz • SubHub – Dolores Hernandez

4. Teacher Dolores N. Hernandez Director - SubHub Research shows that teachers are the most important factor determining student achievement.¹ ¹ Kane, Rockoff & Staiger, 2006; Rivkin, Hanuskek, and Kain, 2005; Rockoff, 2004.

5. “More than one in four of the nation's teachers are chronically absent, according to an estimate by the U.S. Department of Education. The rates are higher in poor, rural areas and major cities. Teachers are considered chronically absent if they miss more than 10 days of school—or the equivalent of two weeks of classes—a year.” ² • ² Miller, R.T., (2017). Teacher Absenteeism, Substitute Shortages, and Student Achievement

6. Average Number of Absences per Employee Data from over 5,000 K-12 organizations using Frontline’s absence and substitute management tool. 2016-2017 2017-2018

7. Full Academic Calendar Sample calendar of Teacher’s yearly attendance Less Summer Vacation and Weekends Less Professional Development Days, Early Dismissal, and Parent Conferences Less Testing Dates Less Holidays, Spring Break Roughly 13-15 Eight-Hour Days ** This calendar does not include sick leave, personal days or FMLA

8. Why are they absent? 2016-2017 2017-2018

9. Average Fill Rates 2016-2017 2017-2018

10. Average Number of Days worked per Substitute

11. Administrator’s Plan of Action • Assign others to supervise/monitor class(es) • teacher aides • special-content teachers, and • paraprofessionals • Send students to the gym or library • Distribute students among other teachers

12. Impact • An estimated 10 additional days of teacher absence reduced math achievement scores of fourth-grade students by 3.2% of a standard deviation. ³ • Low teacher morale/animosity • Financial impact on the district • Increase in student behavior ³ Miller, R.T., Murnane, R.J., & Willett, J.B. (2008). Do teacher Absences Impact Student Achievement? .

13. Possible Solutions • Avoid scheduling professional development on Monday and Friday. • Monitor teacher attendance • Fierce conversations with employees • Offer incentives • Policy changes

15. Partners & Demographics Donna ISD Lasara ISD Santa Maria ISD Edcouch-Elsa ISD Lyford CISD SAPI (Mid Valley Academy) Hidalgo ISD Mercedes ISD South Texas ISD La Joya ISD Monte Alto ISD La Villa ISD San Benito CISD Employee Data Temporary (sub) Teachers

16. SubHub Absence DataSmall and Mid-Size Districts 98% 96%

17. SubHub Absence DataLarge and Extra Large Districts 97% 95%

18. How long does it take? Why are they out? Large District October 2017

19. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SCHEDULE A PRESENTATION FOR YOUR DISTRICT STAFF THEN PLEASE CONTACT DOLORES N. HERNANDEZ DIRECTOR - SUBHUB REGION ONE ESC (956) 984-6024 dohernandez@esc1.net

20. T-TESS / T-PESS Updates • Presented by Sandy McConaughy

21. Superintendent Evaluation • Superintendent • Appraisal Worksheet • Online resources http://www4.esc13.net/admapp/forms

22. Partner Districts- Principal Preparation & Grow Your Own Grants • Edcouch Elsa ISD • Edinburg CISD¹ • Hidalgo ISD • La Joya ISD • La Sara ISD • La Villa ISD • Mercedes ISD • Mission CISD² • Raymondville ISD • San Benito CISD • San Isidro ISD • San Perlita ISD • Vanguard Academy Charter School ¹ Principal Grant Only ² Grow Your Own Grant Only

23. Lessons from Learning Roundtable on Teacher Recruitment, Preparation, and Retention • Topics • Grow Your Own Models for Teacher Recruitment • TEA Resources for Educators • District-Preparation Program Partnerships • Diversity in the Teaching Workforce: Attracting and Supporting Candidates of Color • Supporting Teachers Early in Their Career • Opportunities for Growth and Development for Experienced Teachers • Videos available at https://tea.texas.gov/TeacherRoundtable/.aspx

24. Participating LEAs • Brownsville ISD • Donna ISD • Jim Hogg ISD • La Joya iSD • La Feria ISD • Lasara ISD • McAllen ISD • Mercedes ISD • Progreso ISD • San Benito CISD • San Isidro ISD • San Perlita ISD • Santa Maria ISD • Gateway Academy Charter District • Midvalley Academy Charter District • South Texas Educational Technology

25. TIF grant Action Items • 2017-2018 Recruitment Stipends (Definition of Newly Hired) • 2017-2018 Retention Awards – • Performance Base Compensation System Award • Additional Incentive Awards • Career Advancement for degreed paraprofessionals (recruitment) • Grow your own • Salary Augmentation for Master and Mentor teachers • Grievance/Appeals process • Staffing, recruitment, hiring, and placement timeline Meeting Thursday, March 8, 2018 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. La Lomita OR Zoom Workshop # 82607

26. SB9 - Fingerprinting resources • Upload Template: A new upload template is available, and can be found at the following link. We’ve modified the template to prevent the user from entering special characters that should not be used, and may result in upload errors if used. Please begin using this new template immediately: https://tea.texas.gov/Texas_educators/Certification/Fingerprinting/FP_Upload_Template/ • Video Tutorial We recently created a video tutorial detailing the fingerprinting upload process for school district and charter schools. The tutorial is now available on the TEA YouTube channel at the following link:  https://youtu.be/sKOmR66DEMc . • Tutorial Document In addition to the video tutorial, please refer to the process document for details about the upload process. The document can be found at: https://tea.texas.gov/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=51539615978 . • TEA Fingerprinting Webpage As a reminder, we encourage you to access the TEA fingerprinting page for information about fingerprinting requirements: https://tea.texas.gov/Texas_Educators/Certification/Fingerprinting/ and • Help Desk We hope you will find these new resources helpful, and we encourage you submit any questions via the Fingerprinting Help Desk at https://txeduagency.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/categories/115001620168-Fingerprinting- .

27. SB9 - Covered contractors • School contractors hired 1/1/08 or after who meet the following criteria must be fingerprinted: • Work on a contract for services; • Have continuing duties related to the contract; and • Have direct contact with students.

28. Contractor/District responsibilities • Contractor should certify to the school district or charter school that they are compliant with fingerprinting their employees. • Districts may subscribe to the records of contractors/subcontractors employees that are subject to fingerprinting. • District should unsubscribe to records in the FACT Clearinghouse when the contract or the employment has terminated.

29. What standards? • A contractor’s employee can not work at the district if: • Person is convicted of a Title 5 felony vs. a minor/student • Person is required to register as sex offender due to an offense vs. a minor/student • District CAN SET higher standards

30. Setting Up Contractors • TASB SB9 Contractor Certification • Contractors must contact DPS to be set up with a secure site account. Access and Dissemination Bureau Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Records Service P. O. Box 149322 Austin, Texas 78714-9322 Email: FACT@txdps.state.tx.us Phone: (512) 424-2365 • NEW: Verify TRS activity • Submit “New Hire Report”

31. Budgeting Tools presented by Connie Lopez, CPADeputy Director for Business, Operations, & Finance Support • 2018-2019 District/Charter Specific Budgeting Tools books • General budgeting Tools: http://www.esc1.net/Page/3570

32. Staffing Tools • Student Enrollment Trends • 5 year enrollment comparison by campus type • 5 year enrollment by district • Staffing guidelines • Student: Teacher ratio (courtesy Walsh Anderson) • TEC §25.111 • 1 teacher : 20 students in ADA districtwide • TEC §25.114 • 1 teacher: 45 students in PE • Otherwise identify “manner in which student safety will be maintained” • School districts or open-enrollment charter schools that offer high-quality students per adult in a prekindergarten programs established under the new High-Quality classroom. Prekindergarten Grant program “…must attempt to maintain an average ratio in any prekindergarten program class of not less than one certified teacher or teacher’s aide for every 11 students,” per the addition of TEC § 29.167(d) (2015) by HB 4

40. Special Education Staffing Guidelines • Factors for consideration • Districts must provide a continuum of services • Individual needs are determined by ARD committee • Services are to be provided in the least restrictive environment • Increase services in the general education classroom requiring collaboration • Students must have access to general curriculum • Levels of support vary per individual student • Gender may be a factor when student’s needs include behavioral restraint and/or personal care • IEP meetings and data management • Transition of 3 year olds with disabilities into public school as of 3rd birthday • Indirect services (medical management, case management, parent training, teacher training)

41. “Getting more bang for your buck” • Various uses of funds • Special Education • Bilingual • NCLB • Reimburse teachers for passing Core Subjects 4-8 and/or multiple subject area certificates • Stipend for multiple preps • Hiring criteria • Bilingual • Generalists

42. Implications of Staffing Decisions • Contracts • Letter of reasonable assurance • Unemployment Compensation Liability

43. Types of Contracts • Probationary –for all teachers new to a district or who have been employed less than 2 yrs since 1967 with some exceptions Can be terminated at end of term without good cause, due process hearing or right to appeal with 10* day notice • Term – After probationary can be for up to 5 years and for 10 to 12 months in a year Can be Non-renewed at end of term for reasons defined in policy with 10* day notice

44. Types of Contracts - continued • Continuing – similar to tenure not renewed because there is not expiration Can only be terminated for good cause with specific rights • Non Certified Administrator contracts • Letter of reasonable assurance

45. Addendums & Timelines • Retire/Rehire Addendum • Utilized when a district employs a retiree • Certification Addendum • Utilized when teacher is not fully certified in a certain area (ie., Bilingual – will be placed on a permit) but certification is required to be acquired by set deadline • Contract Administration Cycle

46. Considerations • H.B. 2380—Probationary contracts for reassigned staffThe intent is to allow flexibility so that school districts can reassign educators to new positions but have the ability to return them to their previous position and not run afoul of contract laws. • An educator who is voluntarily reassigned to a position that requires a different class of certificate (e.g., classroom teacher to principal) may be employed under a probationary contract. This gives school administrators the opportunity to evaluate the performance of a person who is moved to a different job before contract renewal rights kick in. • Those who are returned to their previous jobs are entitled to the same type of contract they had prior to the change (term or continuing). • The law is in effect. • District permitted to declare an educator’s contract void for lack of certification. If an educator fails to renew or extend his or her certificate through the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC), the district can immediately declare his or her contract void without a due-process hearing (but remember that H.B. 1334 prevents districts from declaring an educator’s contract void if the certification was not renewed or extended simply because SBEC has not had a chance to approve the renewal). • Hiring retirees • Contract • Salary • Surcharge? • Exceptions

47. Employment Contracts / Notifications • Employee Notifications TEC 21.204(d) • Policy Code Policy Title • DA series Equal employment opportunity, genetic nondiscrimination, criteria for personnel decision • DBAA* Criminal history and credit reports • DBD Conflict of interest • DC* Employment practices • DCB Term contracts • DEA series Salaries and wages; incentives and stipends • DEC series* Leaves and absences • DF Termination of employment • DFA series Termination of, or return to probationary contract

48. Employee Notifications Continued • Policy Code Policy Title • DFB series Termination of term contracts • DFD Hearings before hearing examiner • DFE* Resignation • DFF Reduction in force • DFFA Reduction in force due to financial exigency • DFFB Reduction in force due to program change • DG Employee rights and privileges • DGBA Employee complaints/grievances • DH Employee standards of conduct • DHB Reports to state board for educator certification • DHE Searches and alcohol/drug testing • DI Employee welfare • DIA Freedom from discrimination, harassment, and retaliation • DK Assignment and schedules • DN series Performance appraisal

49. ALL Forms now available in SPANISH Family Medical Leave Act • Employee Rights and Responsibilities under the FMLA • Must notify employee of eligibility within 5 BUSINESS days in writing & include Notice of Rights & Responsibilities • Must notify employee of DESIGNATION within 5 business days

50. Health Insurance Eligibility & Payment • TRS-ActiveCare districts: • For employee on an approved, unpaid leave absence (e.g., workers’ compensation, temporary disability, or family and medical leave) • eligible to continue his or her health coverage through the district for the maximum period specified by Teacher Retirement System (TRS) rules. • The maximum period ends on the last calendar day of the sixth month following the month in which the individual is placed on leave-without-pay status. For example, an employee who goes on leave January 8 is eligible to continue coverage through the district until the end of July, which is six calendar months after February 1. Because coverage extends through the end of the calendar month, the maximum coverage period is often longer than six months. • Coverage beyond the maximum period is not allowed by TRS rules (34 TAC §41.40). • When eligibility for coverage as an employee ends (e.g., at the end of the maximum period), the individual may be eligible to continue coverage under COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act). • Additional information on COBRA coverage is available in the TASB HR Library.