5000 Recruitment and Selection of Staff
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Responsible Governance
Staff are recruited and selected to assure that students grow and meet their full potential in district programs. Staff are highly effective and have the necessary skills and experience to meet the learning needs of all students. The district works with teacher preparation programs, communicating the teaching skills, competencies, and experiences it considers of primary importance in its staff, and providing field experiences designed to train teachers to be able to improve student learning. Decisions about hiring, assigning, or transferring staff are based on maximizing the effectiveness of that staff member within the district’s programs.
Creating Conditions for Student and Staff Success
Staff positions are established by the board to provide the district's program of education. New positions are established by the board as needed. The superintendent establishes the necessary skills, competencies, qualifications, education, experience, and past performance levels for each position, as it relates to the district's comprehensive program of education, and the goal of continued improvement in student learning. Selection of staff is based on which candidate is the most qualified for the position, and is made pursuant to the district's standard screening, interview and reference check process, and equity requirements.
High Expectations for Student Learning
Positions are created within budget parameters and legal requirements. Part of the district’s strategic and short-term planning processes analyze current and projected staffing requirements. The filling of individual positions is done with consideration to salary issues, budget parameters, and legal requirements. The superintendent regularly evaluates the effectiveness of the district’s staff recruitment and selection processes, and reports the findings and recommendations from the evaluation to the board.
Community Engagement
The board and district regularly communicate to staff, professional associations, employee bargaining units, teacher and professional preparation programs in higher education, students, parents, and the larger community the district’s commitment to hiring those people best prepared and able to improve student achievement.
Cross References:
Board Policy
5005 Employment Disclosures, Certification Requirements, Assurances and Approval
5610 Substitute Employment
Legal References:
RCW 28A.400.300 Hiring and discharging employees – Written leave policies – Seniority and leave benefits of employees transferring between school districts and other educational employers
RCW 28A.405.210 Conditions and contracts of employment – Determination of probable cause for non-renewal of contracts – Nonrenewal due to enrollment decline or revenue loss – Notice – Opportunity for hearing
RCW 43.43.830 Background checks – Access to children or vulnerable persons – Definitions
RCW 43.43.832 Background checks – Disclosure of information – Sharing of criminal background information by health care facilities
RCW 49.44.200 Personal social networking accounts – Restrictions on employer access – Definitions
RCW 49.44.205 Violations of RCW 49.44.200 – Civil action - Remedies
WAC Chapter 162‑12 Pre-employment Inquiry Guide (Human Rights Commission)
P.L. 99‑603 (IRCA) Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986
Title 8 USC, Ch. 12 §1324a and §1324b
WAC 392-190-0591 Public school employment and contract practices – Nondiscrimination
Management Resources:
Policy & Legal News February 2012
Policy & Legal News December 2014
ADOPTED: 11/24/1992
REVISED: 9/24/98; 4/26/12; 2/26/15
Procedure No. 5000P Recruitment and Selection of Staff
Current and projected staff needs provide the basis for staff recruitment and selection. Once needs are identified, the recruitment and selection process should result in employing a staff member who is the most qualified to fulfill the need based upon the candidate's skill, training, experience and past performance.
Identifying Needs- Collect enrollment projections from each school building (use birth data to estimate "K" enrollment).
- Compare building projections with long‑range district projections using the cohort survival ratio.
- Establish staffing needs using the lowest projections.
- Identify returning staff members, including returns from leave of absence and excluding retirees.
- Identify openings, recognizing the new requirements, goals and priorities of the district and including possible co-curricular assignment needs.
- Review voluntary transfer requests in relation to the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement.
- Identify possible involuntary transfers in relation to provisions of the collective bargaining agreement.
Recruiting
- Review affirmative action plan and goals.
- Develop job description for each necessary position, including salary range.
- Develop job announcement using information from job description; experience, preparation, salary range and other related information.
- List vacancies with intention to reach potential applicants from protected employment groups in order to achieve affirmative action goals.
Screening
- Identify screening and interviewing team
- Review criteria for screening.
- Compile a screening summary report for each candidate to be considered, including specific reasons for eliminating candidates.
- Select candidates to be interviewed based on criteria.
- Notify unsuccessful applicants.
Interviewing
- Prepare for interview by:
1. Reviewing all duties and responsibilities of the position;
2. Reviewing the minimum qualifications needed to perform the duties of the position;
3. Developing a series of questions to be used in interviewing candidates, including guidelines for what to look for in response to questions; and
4. Reviewing the candidate's application folder. - Meet with team to review interview questions and evaluation procedure.
- Ask each candidate to respond to a predetermined set of questions.
- Record the responses of each candidate.
- Give the candidate an opportunity to ask any question(s).
- Inform the candidate regarding the time line for hiring.
- Rate the candidate on a scale for each response to each question
- Ask one clear and concise question at a time.
- Avoid cross-examination or pressure techniques.
- Insure fairness by asking the same questions developed from the established criteria for the position.
- Abide by the Human Rights Commission’s published list of fair and unfair questions. For example:
For Personal Information, ASK questions such as:
- What are your specific goals in a job?
- What is your overall career objective?
- What specific job characteristics are important to you? Why?
- What job characteristics would you like to avoid? Why?
- Do you have any commitments which would prevent you from working the scheduled hours for this position?
- Do you have any specific health conditions which would prevent you from performing all the duties of this job?
- Describe the best supervisor you have had.
- Describe the worst supervisor you have had.
DO NOT ASK questions such as:
- Is it Miss, Mrs. or Ms? Are you married? Do you have children?
- What does your husband/wife do? Where do you live?
- What is the origin of your name?
- Do you mind working for a female or a minority supervisor?
- Do you have a disability?
For Education Information, ASK questions such as:
- Which subjects did you excel in at school?
- How did you happen to select _____________ as your major?
- Did you work at a part-time job while at school?
- Are you interested in continuing your education? Why? When? Where?
- Do you feel your education prepared you for the job you are seeking with us? In what ways?
- Were you involved in any extracurricular activities?
DO NOT ASK questions such as:
- Did you go to school on a scholarship?
- Where did you live while attending college?
- What organizations did you belong to in school?
For Military Information, ASK questions such as:
- What other kinds of training or schooling have you received?
- In what ways do you feel your training will help you in performing this job?
- What did you find challenging about your assignment?
DO NOT ASK questions such as:
- Were you drafted?
- Where were you stationed?
- What type of discharge did you receive from the United States military service?
For Employment and Experience Information, ASK questions such as:
- Tell me about your last job and your major responsibilities.
- What were some of the more challenging aspects of your job?
- Describe the training you received on your last job.
- In what ways do you feel your previous employment will help you in performing this job?
- If we were to contact your previous employer, what would they describe as your strengths? What areas might they suggest for improvement?
- Which of your past jobs did you enjoy the most? Least? Why?
- What were your reasons for leaving your last job?
- May we contact your present employer?
DO NOT ASK questions such as:
- Why have you had so many jobs?
- Why are you coming back to work after so many years?
- How do feel about working with younger/older people?
L. DO NOT request, require or otherwise compel or coerce an applicant to: 1) disclose login information for their personal social networking account; or 2) access their personal social networking account in the presence of any district employee; or 3) add a district employee to their personal social networking account’s contact list; or 4) alter the settings on their personal social networking account to affect any third party’s ability to view it.
The district may not refuse to hire an applicant based on their failure to comply with any of the above-listed requests or requirements regarding their personal social networking account.Verifying References
- Contact candidate's previous supervisor(s). Ask prepared list of job-related questions.
- Visit and/or observe candidate on site (when possible).
- Contact any personal acquaintances who would know about the qualifications of the candidate.
- Rate the candidate on a scale for the response to each question.
Recommending
- Review available information:
1. Credentials ‑ training, experience and recommendations,
2. Letters of application, responses to topics on supplementary application,
3. Responses to interview questions,
4. Contact with previous supervisors and personal acquaintances. - Select candidates to be recommended to superintendent.
- Summarize interviews of candidates with superintendent and give recommendation(s) of interview team members.
- Place a copy of candidate's application, interview evaluation, and telephone reference check reports in a file for possible future reference.
Employing
- Review the written recommendation and supporting information from the interviewer(s).
- Inform candidate that they will:
1. Be recommended for the position, provided that the records of the Washington State Patrol criminal investigation system reveal that the prospective staff member is free of any convictions of offenses against children and other persons. (RCW 43.43.832);
2. Receive a general statement about the type of contract that will be issued (Letter of Intent);
3. Be expected to verify in writing their willingness to accept a contract if offered;
4. Be expected to present documents, as per P.L. 99‑603, which establish their identity, and attest, in writing, their eligibility to work in this country; and
5. (Classified staff) may be subjected to a background check with the Washington State Patrol in accordance with RCW 43.43.830. - Present recommendation to board (supervisor may be requested to attend).
- Employ candidate at official board meeting noting the type of contract to be issued.
- Advise unsuccessful candidates.
Issuing Contracts
- Secure official statements regarding the work experience from previous employers.
- Evaluate transcript in terms of salary schedule placement criteria.
- Issue appropriate contract - Replacement, Provisional, Temporary (less than one year), Supplemental.
- Issue appropriate business forms and payroll information, register teaching certificate.
- Issue staff handbook; curriculum guides; standards, expectations, responsibilities; performance evaluation materials; payroll information, health information, HIV, and infection control.
ADOPTED: 11/24/1992
REVISED: 9/24/98; 6/28/01; 2/26/15
5000 Policies
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RECRUITMENT AND PERSONNEL SELECTION
5000 Recruitment and Selection of Staff
5001 Hiring of Retired School Employees
5005 Employment: Disclosures, Certification, Assurances and Approval
5006 Certification Revocation
5010 Nondiscrimination and Affirmative Action
5011 Sexual Harassment of District Staff Prohibited
5020 Collective Bargaining
5021 Applicability of Personnel Policies
5050 Contracts
EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES
5201 Drug-Free Schools, Community and Workplace
5202 Mandated Drug and Alcohol Testing Program
5203 Staff Assistance Program
5222 Job-Sharing Staff Members
5231 Length of Work Day
5240 Evaluation of Classified, Certificated and Administrative Staff
5251 Conflicts of Interest
5252 Staff Participation in Political Activities
5253 Maintaining Professional Staff/Student Boundaries
5254 Staff Responsible Use
5260 Personnel Records
5270 Resolution of Staff Complaints
5271 Reporting Improper Governmental Action (Whistleblower Protection)
5280 Separation from Employment
5281 Disciplinary Action and Discharge
COMPENSATION
5310 Compensation Schedules
5315 Garnishment & Personal Credit Problems
LEAVES
5400 Personnel Leaves
5401 Sick Leave
5403 Emergency Leaves
5404 Family, Maternity and Military Caregiver Leave
5406 Leave Sharing
5407 Military Leave
5408 Jury Duty and Subpoena Leave
5409 Unpaid Holidays for Reason of Faith or Conscience
5410 Holidays
BENEFITS
5510 Retirement Programs
5515 Workplace Secondary Traumatic Stress
5520 Staff Development
5521 Teacher Assistance Program
5525 Professional, Civic, and Service Organization Memberships
5610 Substitute Employment
5612 Temporary Administrators
5630 Volunteers
5641 Student Teachers
5642 Internships