Audit of Fall River Public Schools cites 27 findings concerning communication, management, oversight, other issues

The results of an audit of the Fall River Public School District have been released.

For the audit, the District hired The Edward J. Collins, Jr. Center for Public Management to perform a study of the District’s Human Resources and Facilities Departments with the goal of identifying potential efficiency measures.

The report states that “beginning in July 2024, a review of the current roles, responsibilities, and general structure of the District’s Human Resources and Facilities departments commenced using a variety of methods. The Collins Center Project Team (the Project Team) inspected the organizational design, staffing, and basic workflows of these select Central Office operations to pinpoint certain performance improvements and / or gaps in service. The work included interviewing Central Office and school-based personnel, analyzing existing procedures and job descriptions, contemplating current and future District goals and strategic plans, and employing an internal duties and responsibilities survey.”

Using data review/analysis, interviews, and surveys, here is what the report found.

General Administration

Findings:
A. Differing communication platforms and / or standards exist creating deficiencies in communications across the District.
B. Departments operate in silos hindering communication and efficiency.
C. The District does not maintain current organizational charts.
D. Critical business functions lack standardization and oversight creating gaps in service and efficiency issues.
E. Technology solutions are not implemented.

Recommendations:
1.1 Establish an internal communications plan to define and smooth information transfers within the District.
1.2 Consider contracting with an outside facilitator to establish District protocols, norms, and a shared operational vision for all departments.
1.3 Publish and maintain organizational charts that reflect reporting structures and scope of responsibilities for key departments / positions. Ensure that organizational charts are updated as personnel and functions change.
1.4 Review all critical business functions, including personnel management and document processes and procedures. Ensure cross training is implemented for all critical business functions.
1.5 Establish and generate a business continuity plan to ensure critical business operations are maintained during emergency conditions.
1.6 Review the various technology systems and solutions within the District and implement automated workflow functionality.

Human Resources

Findings:
A. The District is in the process of transition within the Human Resource department and is working toward redefining roles and responsibilities within the Department. Currently, there is a lack of understanding and coordination among the varied roles within the Department.
B. A broad range of essential District Human Resources responsibilities are not covered by a clearly defined role within the organization. In several cases, there are multiple people designated as having “primary responsibility” for an essential task leading to confusion and duplicated efforts that may slow processes. There is a lack of clarity regarding whom to contact for specific Human Resources needs.
C. Concerns exist around components of the investigation of complaints, mentoring, and staff retention.
D. Consistent support, messaging, and training (professional development) for primary Human Resources-related tasks is lacking for administrators and supervisors.
E. A District-wide procedure manual/electronic database containing standard Human Resources information and workflows does not appear to exist. Due to a lack of clearly defined protocols and standards, decision-making methods vary.
F. Hiring practices and procedures are uncoordinated and untimely.
G. Leave approval practices and procedures are uncoordinated.
H. Personnel contracts are implemented inconsistently.
I. Employee discipline is inconsistent and untimely.
J. Human Resources does not manage special education personnel or positions.
K. Professional development is not offered routinely to all positions within the District.
L. Generally, the Human Resources office operates in a silo.

Recommendations:

2.1 The Human Resources Director should be provided with professional development to address the broad range of human resources responsibilities. Joining the Massachusetts Association of School Personnel Administrators (MASPA) would provide a consistent stream of professional development opportunities and a support network.
2.2 The Human Resources Manager should implement standardized training for District administrators and human resources support staff addressing a wide range of human resources activities. Training opportunities should include, but not be limited to, the following: hiring procedures, evaluation procedures and calibration, investigation procedures, employee discipline procedures, improvement plan procedures, and annual updates for all legal compliance matters.
2.3 Develop and implement a detailed listing of human resources-related duties and responsibilities. Cross reference the list with current Human Resources Department job descriptions to identify gaps or redundancies in primary responsibility assignment.
2.4. Initiate a review (internal or through a consultant) of the types of investigations that are being conducted to determine if themes of reasons for investigations exist. Identify any potential issues with the hiring process, evaluation process, or professional development opportunities (or lack of), etc. that may be impacting the need for investigations. Develop an ongoing plan to address any identified issues.
2.5 Review current Human Resources Department job descriptions and revise to reflect the needs of the District.
2.6 Prepare flowchart of “Whom to Call” for human resources-related issues to be distributed to all District staff.
2.7 Establish a District-wide administrative procedure manual or electronic database with templates and tools for standard human resources procedures and transactions.
2.8 Plan annual training for all hiring managers regarding best practices in human resources activities.
2.9 Review existing annual evaluation protocols and calibrate supervisors on implementation of evaluation. Establish evaluation tools for all non-certified staff and educate supervisory and subordinate staff on adopted protocols.
2.10 Consider expanding the use of the District’s financial database, to include the human resources module, which is capable of tracking seniority, licensure, and professional development credits.
2.11 Explore automating payroll and benefits time tracking more fully using an existing system.
2.12 Review and audit all personnel files for compliance with records retention requirements. Merge files, using best practice standards, into a unified location.
2.13 Implement position control standards to ensure all FTEs are budgeted, tracked, and generally accounted for across the District.
2.14 Ensure all hiring, onboarding and separation of service activities are standardized through the Human Resources Department.
2.15 Engage a consultant to provide customer service training for all support departments and positions throughout the District.

Facilities

Findings:
A. Communications and customer service supporting departments and schools is inconsistent or lacking.
B. Transportation is understaffed to support school-opening activities.
C. Night-shift custodial supervisory support is lacking.
D. Personal vehicles are used to conduct District business.
E. Financial reporting is unavailable and monitoring and procurement authority is not a responsibility of the Facilities Department.
F. The work order system is not utilized to its fullest extent nor adopted Districtwide.
G. Asset management lacks data integrity.
H. Professional development is narrow and does not include a variety of outside sources.
I. Capital improvement planning is basic and does not fully embrace systems to generate short- and long-term projects.
J. A perception exists that hiring practices are biased.

Recommendations:


3.1 Review and establish formal communications protocols to address work orders, projects, and capital planning needs with all schools and departments to ensure task and project efficiency.
3.2 Assess staffing needs in the Transportation Division during school-opening windows and adopt temporary support.
3.3 Consider implementing a night-shift custodial supervisor. This position can also serve as a “fill in” for custodial absences.

3.4 Assess the six-division structure of the Facilities Department for efficiency and effectiveness.
3.5 Adopt the use of fleet vehicles to perform all District business.
3.6 Establish standard reporting communications from the Finance and Human Resources Departments to all division directors. Provide appropriate database access to all division directors to review and monitor budgets and purchasing.
3.7 Explore the work order database, Brightly, to more fully utilize available functionalities. Educate and expand the use of Brightly to include all District departments and schools consistently.
3.8 Prioritize fully implementing an asset management system, including current inventories.
3.9 Working in partnership with the Human Resources Department, determine and pursue targeted, appropriate professional development opportunities for all facilities staff, on an annual, and as needed basis, to include a variety of internal and external topics. Examples include: MIIA conducting personal safety training, equipment manufacturers holding demonstration sessions on new floor scrubbers, etc.
3.10 Develop and maintain a Facilities Operations and Procedures Manual. The manual should be approved by District leadership prior to deployment. The implementation of such a document should include ongoing staff training and a review of procedures by Facilities Department management with updates to information as needed.
3.11 Review District funding practices for licensed employees. Institute either a reimbursement standard upon successful completion obtaining a license and direct District paid registration for annual mandatory classroom focused professional development.
3.12 Review the current procurement practices for supplies and services and implement standardized “blanket” purchase orders where appropriate. Following M.G.L. 30B, enter purchase requisitions each July for known purchases to ensure both the encumbrance and approval are obtained in a proactive manner. Also, pursue contracts for annual regulatory and maintenance inspections. Work can be quoted or bid under M.G.L. 30B. Contracts can be written for one year with up to two one-year additional renewals that the Town / District can choose to pursue based on services provided.
3.13 Review the capital planning process and establish an annual project request and review system to include verifying currently funded projects against known asset replacement schedules and new projects. Balance current projects with new projects to ensure project management duties do not surpass internal personnel capacity.
3.14 Working in partnership with the Human Resources Department, review hiring practices and protocols to ensure they are unbiased.