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Providing Structure to an Unstructured Data Environment

Big data is nothing new in education. Districts grapple with disparate datasets living in various places both at the district office and within each individual school, all with the objective of making sense of so many data elements. From state data sources to vendor data extracts to local data sets, collecting and organizing the vast amount of student information can be overwhelming for any district.
 
While districts are consistently looking for critical insights on student performance from all these different sources of data, it can become extremely difficult to translate what is meaningful and what is not, unless there is a plan. In working with districts across the country, many are tackling data governance through a few simple strategies.
 

Strategy #1 – Aligning data to strategic goals

First, as a district, consider making critical decisions around what data sources are most important to measure district goals. Use your district’s strategic plan as a blueprint for your data collection, and if the data source does not align with that strategic plan, it may be taking up a lot of district resources to maintain datasets that are not used by your staff or aligned to current district goals. Additionally, when data is presented that is not aligned with the goals of the district, confusion may arise to what the areas of focus are within the organization. Keep it simple…In order for a dataset to be maintained, it has to align to a district goal.
 

Strategy #2 – Identifying your data champions

Second, with the increase in data requirements from state and federal levels, keeping good records on students becomes critical, especially when funding aligns to student enrollment, demographics, and performance. More and more, districts are identifying key personnel as ‘data champions’ to ensure there is proper, safe, and consistent data entry and management practices across all schools within the district.

Point of entry is critical to ensure the data is accurate, especially within systems like the student information system (SIS), as many critical data exports come from the SIS and are shared with vendors, state/federal governing bodies and even stakeholders. Equally important is managing access to the data to ensure all individuals that have access to district data are in compliance with all state and federal data privacy guidelines/regulations.
 

Strategy #3 – Visualizing your data

Once you know your critical datasets and you know it is entered properly to align to your goals, visualize the data. Providing analytics, specifically, disaggregated analytics, provides leadership teams the ability to determine if the organization is staying on-track with their goals, or if they need to pivot and change course. Furthermore, these analytics can be great tools to communicate to your respective stakeholders on how the district and schools are keeping a laser-like focus on the goals established by the organization.
 
All in all, while the data landscape is ever changing, data governance is critical to making sure that each district accesses, collects, manages, and analyzes data that aligns to strategic goals. This endeavor is no easy task, as it must comply with all data privacy legislation. However, by focusing on key data elements, empowering key personnel to ‘own’ the data and presenting it in a manner that accurately portrays the performance of the school district, allows leaders to effectively communicate the goals of the organization and how they are moving toward achieving those goals each day.
 
Want to learn how Frontline can help you make sense of your data? Learn more here
 

 

5 Questions to Ask for Effective Professional Development

Ineffective vs Effective Professional Development With ESSA

Historically, professional learning has tended toward the ineffective end of the PD continuum: teachers attend a workshop, lecture or meeting, passively listen and check it off the list of things that must be done. Once it’s over, they may never think about it again. On the other end of the continuum is a more dynamic professional learning experience, in which teachers are engaged in learning that will immediately and lastingly affect their pedagogical practice and enable them to reach students effectively. The question is, how does the move from one end of the continuum to the other happen?
 

As you think about the professional learning program in your school system, here are five essential questions to ask — and a look at how ESSA influences each.

 

    1. What data analysis would allow evaluation of how effective professional learning efforts have been over the past year?

     
    ESSA states that professional learning must be data-driven and targeted to specific educator needs. But beyond that, it must also be regularly evaluated to determine whether or not it produces changes in practice. This is a broader conception of what it means to be “evidence-based.” Gone are the NCLB days of strict “scientifically-based research.” The current focus is on making sure that professional learning makes a difference in the classroom. The evidence can be very local — what’s proving effective in this classroom, school or district?
     
    With that backdrop, building leaders must decide how they will collect the kind of evidence they need to provide meaningful feedback to teachers.
     

    2. To what degree were professional learning efforts aligned and coherent?

     
    ESSA calls for PD that is part of broader school improvement plans — a systems approach that highlights the interactive nature of recruitment, educator development, retention, ongoing learning and growth and advancement. The goal is to build a unified approach for supporting excellent educators throughout the cycle of their careers.
    It’s important to develop a strategic professional learning system that helps district offices collaborate and share data to make decisions. This includes strengthening the connections between district, building and individual teacher goals to create alignment, so that coherence can flourish.

 

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How to Gauge the Impact of Your Professional Learning Program Read The Blog

 

    3. Did job-embedded learning structures have the support needed to function effectively last year?

     
    ESSA allows ample opportunity for educators to create their own learning paths. This stretches them well beyond simply tracking completion, hours and credits. Effective professional learning is about individuals, pairs and learning teams defining and working toward their learning goals — based, of course, on student needs from day to day, week to week and month to month. It’s recognizing that most of the answers are within the building today — within coaching pairs and PLCs and in collaboration between educators, to name a few. System leaders need to create settings for educators to access and apply those profoundly relevant insights and integrate a variety of supplemental just-in-time content and other resources as needed.
     

    4. Were technology tools effectively used to extend, enhance and document evidence of the effectiveness of professional learning?

     
    When it comes to professional learning, ESSA emphasizes transparency. This often requires districts to evaluate their professional learning technology solutions. Do these solutions make it easy to collect and report on multiple data points, including teacher qualifications, how professional learning is applied and the impact it has on teaching? If all educators and leaders can access this data, they’ll be better able to collaborate, and together can take responsibility for planning, monitoring implementation and reviewing outcomes.
     

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Effective Professional Learning Strategies (That Actually Work) Learn More

 

    5. What has innovation in professional learning looked like during the last year?

     
    The notion of flexibility is woven throughout ESSA, which opens the door to great possibility!
     
    Giving all educators a voice in their professional learning — including in areas like goal-setting and by using individual learning plans — can play a vital role in this. Flexible mechanisms for state reporting are also helpful.
     
    One key question to ponder: “As we engage our teachers, giving them greater choice and possibilities for innovation, what processes and tools do we have in place?”

Protecting Medicaid Coverage for Millions of Students: How School Medicaid Directors Can Help

School Medicaid directors have an important role to play in supporting families to maintain their Medicaid coverage. There is a significant change happening in healthcare coverage that will affect millions of students across the country who rely on Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for their health insurance.
[ctt template=”9″ link=”bawvg” via=”no” ]There is a significant change happening in healthcare coverage that will affect millions of students across the country who rely on Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for their health insurance. #Medicaid #StudentHealth[/ctt]

Since the start of the Public Health Emergency in March 2020, families enrolled in Medicaid have not been required to complete renewal paperwork to stay covered. However, starting on April 1, 2023, this continuous coverage protection will lift, and states will resume reviewing eligibility for all people enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP to ensure they still qualify. During this process, known as the “unwinding,” it is estimated that 6.7 million children will lose their Medicaid coverage, despite the majority of them continuing to be eligible for either Medicaid or CHIP.
[ctt template=”9″ link=”_PSie” via=”no” ]During the “unwinding,” it is estimated that 6.7 million children will lose their Medicaid coverage, despite the majority of them continuing to be eligible for either Medicaid or CHIP. #medicaid #StudentHealth[/ctt]

Related Resource:

As student eligibly changes, districts need to seek parental consent for Medicaid. Learn more about the requirements and regulations around parental consent as well as best practices Blog: Navigating Parental Consent for Medicaid

 

Your Action Plan: Supporting Families through Unwinding in Two Easy Steps

STEP 1

To reduce the loss of health coverage, it is crucial that parents act quickly to confirm or update their contact information with the State Medicaid agency and provide the necessary information to complete their Medicaid renewal when notified. Families could receive renewal paperwork at any point this year or early next year.

Schools and district administrators can play a critical role in protecting children’s health coverage by ensuring families are aware of these Medicaid changes.
The first step for families is to ensure that their state Medicaid agency has the correct contact information for every member of their family on Medicaid, so they receive their renewal notices when the time comes. If families do not receive the notice, they may not realize their child has been disenrolled from coverage and is uninsured until it is too late.

STEP 2

The second step is for families to quickly fill out the paperwork and return it should they get a notification.

If something goes wrong, and their child loses coverage, parents need to quickly reach out to a navigator or enrollment assistor to see if they can re-enroll in Medicaid or to check if they qualify for subsidized coverage through the ACA Marketplace.

So, What Comes Next?

If you are a school Medicaid director looking for resources to support families in maintaining their Medicaid coverage, then the “Unwinding Comms Toolkit” is an excellent resource for you.

This toolkit, available for download on the Medicaid website, includes a range of communication materials such as backpack fliers, newsletter blurbs, robocall scripts, and social media posts that you can use to inform families about the upcoming changes to Medicaid coverage.

With the help of this toolkit, you can ensure that families in your district are aware of the renewal process and have the necessary information to complete their renewals on time, thus reducing the risk of losing their Medicaid coverage.

The unwinding of the Medicaid “continuous coverage” policy will be an unprecedented undertaking for the State Medicaid agency and families to ensure that children stay connected with their health coverage.
Schools are a central access point for students to be connected to necessary health services, and it is critical to keep children connected to health coverage to receive necessary care.

[ctt template=”9″ link=”6Gn3c” via=”no” ]“Schools are a central access point for students to be connected to necessary health services, and it is critical to keep children connected to health coverage to receive necessary care.” [/ctt]

Keeping students connected to Medicaid is also important for the fiscal health of all districts.

Almost all schools depend on Medicaid to help cover the cost of certain special education services. The potential impact will be even greater if your district is in one of the 17 states that have expanded Medicaid reimbursement to cover school health services for all Medicaid-enrolled students.

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As a school Medicaid director, you can help families maintain their Medicaid coverage by ensuring they are aware of these changes and have the necessary information to complete their renewals. The American Association of School Administrators toolkit can also be a helpful resource to communicate with families and keep them informed. By working together, we can ensure that our students have access to the care they need and maintain their health coverage.

Front & Center: Lourie Larcade

Lourie Larcade is a Business Services Specialist with the Tehama County Department of Education in northern California. With 10 years of experience in school business and still more experience before that in the private sector, we’re thrilled to highlight Lourie in this edition of “Front & Center”.

Tell us about yourself!

I have been married to my husband Jay for 28 years and between us we have 4 daughters: Lisa, a grocery store manager; Megan, a grocery store supervisor; Tara, Administrative Assistant at the California Highway Patrol; and Kalee, a restaurant area manager. They are all successful, wonderful women and between them we have 7 wonderful grandchildren. My husband and I love to travel with my sister and her husband, and we all love to cruise and love the beach. The Caribbean Islands are our favorite places to travel.

I love to go for long bike rides, run, and kayak. Spending time with my children and grandchildren always makes me happy. We would love to live on an island in the Caribbean if we could!

What was your first job in education? Tell us your journey to get to your current role.

In 2010, I was in the public sector doing payroll at the company that I had worked at for 24 years. This company was dissolving, and I was one of 2 employees on the last day, handling everything with the bank, accountants, and attorneys to close the doors.

My first job in education was as an Accounting Technician here at the Tehama COE. I was only in that job for 3 weeks when I was offered the opportunity to apply for a Payroll Specialist position, processing the payroll for the county office as well as overseeing the 17 district payrolls.

Just over 5 years ago I applied for my current position, which involves being the Business Manager for the two county-authorized Charter Schools, calculating and reporting the attendance for the entire county, and being the Frontline ERP Software Support Specialist. My plate is very full, but I enjoy my job very much.

If you could give any advice to yourself at the beginning of your career, what would it be?

Give yourself time to learn. Moving from the private sector to education is a big move and requires a lot of time to learn the processes, terminology, and legalities of working with public funds. Know that you are capable of doing a good job!

What is one skill everyone who works in school business should have?

It is very important to be able to think outside of the box and to know that everything we do touches so much more. You need the ability and skill to be very detailed oriented and organized.

What is the best creative idea you have had that has made a difference in your role?

Putting myself in the position of learning parts of this organization that do not fall into my job description. Knowing a little about the education side of the house makes it easier to understand what they need as far as budgeting goes.

What will change most in education over the next 10 years?

I think it will be the way we are funded. I believe we will move away from the Local Control Funding Formula to more restricted funding. I don’t necessarily agree this is best, but it seems to be the way we are going. I believe local control of our funds to be able to use them as we see fit will best benefit our students. I also think that the number of people working remotely as well as the number of students who are virtual could grow.

What are you most hopeful about for the future of education?

I am hopeful that we are teaching our children not only math, reading, and science but that we teach them how to be productive adults by teaching them everyday life skills.

How does Lourie and the Tehama County Department of Education use Frontline ERP?
Read the case study

3 Ways Technology Can Help Overcome the Teacher Shortage

Is your district facing a smaller pool of teacher candidates or high turnover rates? If so, do you have insight into how technology can help you attract and retain quality educators to quickly fill open positions?

In a recent webinar, Frontline Education and interviewstream joined K-12 HR leaders to discuss modern recruiting technology, as well as how utilizing this technology can help school districts overcome the teacher shortage.

The speakers

Before we discuss the whats, hows, and whys, it’s probably helpful to know who is behind this webinar! Here is the panel of industry experts and K-12 leaders:

  • Mitchell Welch
    Principal Solutions Consultant, Frontline Education
  • Joey Vasser
    Partner Success Manager, interviewstream
  • Dana Morrison
    Recruitment/Talent Manager, East Baton Rouge Parish School System
  • Julie Tobin
    Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources at Community Consolidated School District

The current challenges in K-12 hiring

The teacher shortage is widespread, and many school districts are struggling to find and hire qualified educators. Although not every district experiences the shortage the same, and some may have shortages only for specific positions, the added stresses are likely consistent. Here are the areas of need discussed throughout the webinar:

“We’ve continued to expand our dual and bilingual programs into our elementary and middle schools. So, we’re finding, as many districts around us, that our shortages are the highest with bilingual educators. Special education is also an area of great need, self-contained special education teachers in particular.”

Julie Tobin

 

“In East Baton Rouge Parish, we have 80 schools in our school system, and we have needs in every area. One of the trends we’ve seen is a great number of educators retire, and we definitely have a need for bilingual educators as well. One vacancy is too many.”

Dana Morrison

[ctt template=”9″ link=”C0FpD” via=”no” ]When it comes to the #TeacherShortage, a single vacancy can feel like one too many.[/ctt]
 

What does the data say behind these trends in these respective districts? Are other districts experiencing similar shortage areas? The Frontline Research & Learning Institute (FRLI) found in a recent survey that half of respondents reported difficulty filling jobs across all grade levels and subjects while the other half felt the effects of the shortage in specific subject areas only. Here were some of the findings:

The hardest subjects to fill according to a recent FRLI survey:

  1. Lead teachers and department heads took the longest to fill
  2. Mathematics, science, and special education took longer to fill than the average job posting
  3. Business Education and Foreign Language teachers had the lowest hire rate

 
What areas or subjects is your district experiencing the heaviest shortage? Share below!


 

Your action items: utilizing technology to combat the teacher shortage

There are so many ways technology can help position your district for success. Here are the top 3 ways technology can help your district overcome challenges associated with the teacher shortage.

  1. Internal and external technology

    When it comes to using technology in K-12 HR, it can be easy to get stuck in the way of how you’ve always done things. For example, maybe your district only uses video tech externally for things like interviews and recruiting (and it probably works wonders). But with that exact same tech, you can expand your use into other internal areas and reap even more benefits!

    According to Mitchell, to optimize your efforts to combat the teacher shortage, it’s important to “expand your reach beyond using technology just to bring people in”. Of course, utilizing tech for recruiting is critical to attracting quality candidates, but districts should think about ways tech can be implemented after the candidate becomes a new hire. Here are some of his ideas for internal tech as outlined in the webinar:

    • Job-embedded training for substitutes
    • Mentor & mentee engagement sessions
    • Professional development videos
    • Instructional content for paraprofessionals
    • Specified talent engagement

    “In East Baton Rouge Parish, we wanted to use video technology for more than just interviews. So, we’ve used this technology to open up new areas internally: literacy coaches, math coaches, and social-emotional learning specialists. We also use video technology for equity so that everyone has an opportunity, and everyone has the chance to share or respond.”

    Dana Morrison
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    See how one school district took their onboarding process from three hours to fifteen minutes with this technology

    2.  

  2. Technology for retention

    More than half of teachers leave the profession in their first five years. Once you’ve recruited the best, what can you do to retain talent to avoid this statistic? Making sure your teachers are engaged and continually growing in practice is a good first step. Mitchell says one of the easiest ways to do this is by “leveraging technology for retention”.

    In the webinar, the panelists discuss retention and technology with the idea of conducting ‘stay interviews’ during the school year to identify what is going well in their teachers’ eyes as well as areas for improvement. Afterall, when teachers feel respected, taken care of, and have the support of leadership, they are far more likely stay!

    Questions to consider for stay interviews:

    • In what ways do you or don’t you feel supported in your professional growth?
    • If you had a magic wand, what would be the one thing you would change about your work, role, or responsibilities?
    • What types of recognitions and acknowledgement increase your loyalty and commitment to the district?

    “Our [new hires] want support, mentoring, and continuous growth.”

    Julie Tobin
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    Need ideas to keep great educators in your district? Check out these 5 strategies for increasing teacher retention rates

    3.  

  3. Technology for district brand

    When you invest in your district’s brand, everyone benefits. It becomes easier to attract more talented teachers, improve community engagement and maintain an excellent reputation. Mitchell describes the importance of taking time to reflect on questions like: How do candidates see you? What brings a candidate to your district? How did you infuse your brand in the process that candidates go through?

    Ideas for showcasing your brand with technology:

    • Create personalized welcome videos for new hires
    • Announce your teacher of the year with a spotlight segment
    • Improve parental engagement with videos that highlight your mission, vision, and values

    “People are very visual. They like seeing or hearing (audio or video). You can include teacher leaders, teachers of the year, students, or make short introductions. Anytime you can add a storyline to your system, it’s very powerful.”

    Dana Morrison
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    How to Build Your District Brand

 

A better way

Though making a change to the way you use technology can feel daunting, the right tools can help. Strengthen your recruiting process and combat the teacher shortage with Frontline Education and interviewstream. This official partnership equips K-12 organizations with the right technology, data, and insights to find the best candidates quickly, increase retention rates, and help build your district’s brand.

  • Promote educator growth and market your district brand by leveraging video technology internally and externally
  • Improve the candidate experience with virtual, interactive interviews on demand (which they can watch back and even rerecord!)
  • Maximize your schedule and get time back from scheduling interviews, handling manual candidate information, and rallying your HR team together to perform assessments

 
Ready to implement this technology in your district and quickly fill open positions?
Learn more

Flexible Pay in K-12: The Benefits and Debunking the Myths

Since the launch of the Stream partnership, available to K-12 districts utilizing Frontline Absence Management, the concept of financial flexibility has been a frequent topic of discussion. But what does that really mean, why is it of paramount importance for K-12 school districts and why is this absolutely critical for K-12 school districts?

Our lives are becoming increasingly flexible with the growing popularity of on-demand products and streaming services. If you really want to, you can order same day delivery for just about anything these days. Booking appointments can even happen with the click of a button. However, when it comes to the way many of us get paid, it’s still quite old school. When you consider how district staff gets paid, it can sometimes be months before they receive a paycheck. By offering your staff flexible access to their pay when they want it, as they earn in, your district can increase fill rates, foster financial wellbeing, and minimize stress.

Stream Fast Facts:

In the HR world, I’m about doing anything I can to benefit employees, including improving their well-being. And we know that financial wellness is a piece of that.

Dr. Lisa Hatfield, Assistant
Superintendent of Human Resources, Raymore-Peculiar School District

Financial Flexibility in School Districts

There are federal and state funding limitations that cause the timing of pay to be a very real detractor for individuals who would otherwise be interested in working at a district. Financial flexibility is the notion that with the right, sophisticated, user-friendly technology, pay at a school district could become on-demand with very little lift from the district or its employees.

Financial flexibility at a school district is the idea that a substitute, for example, could work a job and then access those earned wages instantly if they needed to. When gas is more expensive than usual, or bill cycles don’t align with pay cycles, district employees wouldn’t have to seek out predatory loans or high interest credit. Instead, they could just have simple, secure access to the money they have already earned.

We see this a lot in organizations that have front line workers, and it is a powerful benefit for organizations to attract and retain top talent. That’s why Frontline Education is exclusively partnering with Stream to bring financial wellbeing to employees at districts who use Frontline Absence Management.

Financial wellbeing is when you:

  • Have control over day-to-day, month-to-month finances
  • Have the capacity to absorb a financial shock
  • Are on track to meet your financial goals
  • Feel secure about your financial future
  • Have the financial freedom to make the choices that allow you to enjoy life

Debunking 3 Myths About Flexible Pay

MYTH: Offering flexible pay to employees is unethical.

Reality: Consider the ethical implications of not providing flexible payment options. Requiring employees to adhere to a pay cycle that suits the business but may not align with individual needs and preferences raises ethical concerns. Providing employees with choices and allowing them to opt for it, is a morally responsible approach. Ultimately, the decision to participate in the program should be left to the individual.

MYTH: If people get early access to their pay, they’ll end up in worse financial shape.

Reality: According to Stream’s findings, 72% of employees who utilize or have access to flexible pay benefits experience reduced financial stress, while 52% report improved budgeting and saving capabilities. This positive impact stems from reduced reliance on costly financial options such as payday loans, credit cards, and overdrafts.

MYTH: The fixed pay cycle helps people manage their money.

Reality: The fixed pay cycle is designed with businesses in mind. Its purpose is to enable businesses to efficiently manage payroll at a lower cost and meet tax filing deadlines. The perception that the fixed pay cycle benefits individuals is a result of familiarity rather than its original intent.

To support the credibility of this program, we want to recognize that Stream for Frontline is the winner of the EdTech K-12 Deployment of the Year Award for 2023!

Want to learn more about financial flexibility and Stream? Explore this powerful benefit

Teacher Retention Strategies: Ideas to Keep Great Educators

The teacher shortage isn’t new — and neither are the day-to-day challenges that come with it. But that doesn’t make it any easier to manage higher turnover rates and disruptions to student learning.

Because these struggles have become so consistent and far-reaching, it’s essential to take steps, big or small, toward improving staff retention. But how? First, consider this list of best practices for retention. Answering the “how” of keeping quality staff members in your district can:

  • Reduce turnover costs greatly
  • Improve instruction and student achievement
  • Make staff feel heard, seen, and supported

Take our instant poll:
Which of the following is your district doing to incentivize teachers to stay?

 

You likely already implement one or more of these strategies to support teacher retention. Now take a look through these additional ideas and resources to take the next step.

Support Teacher Wellness

Teaching has always been tough, and we saw a marked increase in struggle and burnout through the pandemic years. Although things are now stabilized, the weighted impact of the last few years still lingers. With a rise in anxiety and depression, it’s critical to support and promote mental health in your district. Prioritizing your staff’s mental health will ultimately help them avoid burnout, and you turnover.

“Teacher burnout, it’s like a slow leak. You see it happening, but how do you support these teachers to make sure they get rejuvenated, and that every summer it’s not, ‘Am I going to retire this year? Am I going to leave this year?’”

from “Beating Teacher Burnout” on the Field Trip Podcast. Listen now

Consider offering:

  • Meditation breaks
  • Mental health days
  • Dedicated time for physical activity
  • Exercise challenges
  • Mental well-being sessions (either virtually or in-person)

It’s also important to note that while the teacher shortage is widespread, so is the school counselor shortage. The shortage of school counselors may lead to some teachers feeling pressure to adopt a counseling role for which they are neither prepared or trained to take on. In your district, you may also consider offering professional development targeted toward social-emotional learning.

Promote Growth Opportunities

Find ways to catapult growth among your district’s educators by developing a holistic, connected program that includes:

  • Individualize professional growth: Build relationships with teachers to understand their unique goals, needs, and share feedback more openly so that you can help create a growth plan with confidence.
  • Voice and choice: Offer plentiful learning opportunities so teachers can mix-and-match development that fits both their goals and desires.
  • Lively engagement: Switch out the “sit-and-get” model with learning that teachers can do in their way, at their pace, collaborating with educators in the building and around the country.

“Because every one of us likes to be listened to and to feel like, I am a part of something bigger than myself.

— from “Keeping Great Teachers” on the Field Trip Podcast. Listen now 

 

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Cultivate a positive school culture

Establishing a school culture where teachers feel they have a voice and are being listened to creates a better environment for student growth and achievement. Keep in mind this doesn’t just happen by checking a box; rather, it’s an ongoing process in which you can:

  • Provide continuous and relevant feedback
  • Offer a mentor program to new teachers
  • Reward your teachers for their hard work
  • Give acts of kindness — perhaps it’s snacks, supplies, or free lunch on Monday!
  • Network with your community to offer discounts or gift cards

Offer Employee Assistance Programs

Everyday stresses can impact performance and morale, especially during a pandemic. An Employee Assistance Program provides confidential health, financial, and legal services to your employees at no cost to them. Your district may already be offering this service, but if not, consider implementing one. From counseling services and child-care referrals to ride-share reimbursements, Employee Assistance Programs help support your employees and any life challenges they may face.

Any number of these strategies are a great place to start in considering a comprehensive retention initiative. Create an experience for your teachers from their application process through growing and staying with your district.

Explore Frontline Recruiting & Hiring and Frontline Professional Growth →
 

Navigating Parental Consent for Medicaid

 

It’s the end of an Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting, and stakeholders have agreed upon related services prescribed to your student. Before the meeting can conclude and the IEP document is finalized for signature, one last form needs to be addressed: parental consent to bill Medicaid. Outside of service logging, this conversation has the largest impact on Medicaid revenue for a school district.

As your district forms policies and procedures around best practices to obtain parental consent, here are some key areas to consider. Understanding the history and general regulations around consent will also help guide best practices.1

Jump to a section:

Medicaid Billing in Schools and Parental Consent: A Very Brief History

In 1974, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) gave parents the right to protect their child’s personally identifiable information (PII) within a school system.2 In 1975, the first iteration of what was eventually known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) paved the way for the special education programs we see in schools today and the billing of public health insurance, or Medicaid, to support the delivery of those programs.3

In 1997, an advisory letter by the Department of Education clarified that FERPA regulations on PII include the student’s Medicaid information, creating the requirement for parental consent to access public health insurance information. The reissuance of IDEA in 2004 specified parental consent requirements, explicitly stating that consent must be obtained each time services were implemented.4

From 2004 to 2013, school districts maintained a practice of requesting parental consent annually with each IEP. In 2013, new regulations were issued that realigned IDEA with FERPA requirements, which do not have a mandated frequency, to move to a one-time parental consent collection, and annual notice thereafter.5

In 2014, the federal government expanded Medicaid billing to services beyond those written into an IEP.6 The implementation of this expansion is still ongoing as each state rewrites and submits new Medicaid plans incorporating the new federal regulations into state practice.

Parental Consent: Requirements and Regulations

Current federal regulations stipulate that:

  1. Parental consent must be obtained to seek access to public health information, including Medicaid eligibility, and must be obtained to bill public health insurance for services provided.
  2. A notification of continued access to public health insurance must be sent annually to the parent.
  3. Parents have the right to revoke consent at any time.
  4. School districts are obligated to provide services to students through Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE), regardless of the parental consent status.7

Parental Consent Best Practices

Because parental consent is required to bill Medicaid, it’s critical to assess your district’s process of obtaining parental consent and maintaining proper records. Following best practices and considering future regulations are key to successful compliance management and to bringing crucial funds back into your district.

Best practice should ensure your district not only maximizes consent for services that are billable today, but also plans for billing expansion, if your state has not already implemented billing expansion policies.

Is your district’s parental consent form designed for Medicaid billing expansion?

As states continue to expand Medicaid billing beyond IEP services, you should also update parental consent forms to reflect these options. Massachusetts, a pioneer in the expansion of school-based billing, issued new consent forms, available through this link, that define school health services beyond the IEP and mandated recollection for all students. Since most states are still in the process of updating their state plans to expand billing, current parental consent form templates offered by states often still specify IEP services in the language, making them unusable for any other type of school health billing. Districts should plan revisions to consent forms to reflect all school health services ahead of regulatory updates, to maximize potential revenue increases as state regulations change. 8,9

When should your staff ask for consent in the IEP process?

Parental consent is best obtained long before the IEP meeting, which can often be contentious as service levels and types are decided. It’s better to discuss parental consent when the parent provides permission to evaluate their child, for two reasons:

  1. Most parental consent forms have a single date to mark the start of consent: the signature date. If parental consent is collected prior to the evaluations, the evaluations can be billed.
  2. Second, it reduces the risk that disagreements in the IEP meeting will lead to a denial from the parent.
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Working with Parents in Special Education

My district is in a state that allows billing for students without an IEP. When should we ask for consent for these students?

504 services, school health services, and mental health services are the most common areas of expansion for Medicaid billing, largely due to entrenched practices of determining medical necessity and creating service plans. Obtaining consent should begin by cross training consent talking points within these departments, and adding parental consent forms to 504, school health, and mental health standard packets.

Massachusetts serves as a useful guide here as well: department of education consent collection and outreach guidance recommends including parental consent forms in

  • free and reduced lunch applications,
  • start of school year packets, and
  • health plan meetings10.

Who should ask for consent?

The role is less relevant than proper training. Equip personnel tasked with this duty with the proper answers to parents’ frequently asked questions.

What are the common questions parents ask and how can we best address those questions?

State education departments generally put together FAQs that apply to their state programs and reflect federal regulations. Here are some examples from Louisiana and Indiana. Common questions and answers are:

Question: Why am I being asked for consent? How do you know my family is on Medicaid?

Answer: To avoid discrimination, all parents are asked for consent to bill Medicaid.11 An added benefit to this policy is that consent will be viable should the family become Medicaid recipients in the future.

Question: Will this affect my family’s overall Medicaid benefits?

Answer: No. Your personal Medicaid and school-based Medicaid come from distinct pools of funding and do not affect each other.12 This answer is often distrusted, due to misinformation from advocacy groups, private practitioners, and other stakeholders. Equipping your personnel with regulatory materials that support this answer is beneficial.

Question: If I say no, will my student still receive services?

Answer: Yes, services do not depend on your consent to bill Medicaid.13

Why should I ask all parents for consent to bill Medicaid?

First, you avoid potential discrimination or miscommunication. Beyond morality, this protects your district in the face of legal implications. Second, if a student becomes eligible for Medicaid in the future, you already have the consent required to bill Medicaid. This point may become more prominent if your state adopts Free Care, opening up the possibilities to bill Medicaid for students without an IEP who have a Plan of Care.

Where should my district store parental consent information?

This is a very important question because, with the expansion of Medicaid billing beyond IEP service, it’s easier to lose the record of parental consent (which only needs to be obtained once) in the paper shuffle. And once parental consent is obtained, revisiting that conversation runs the risk of a revocation.

Districts often use disparate systems to develop IEPs, 504s, student health plans, service logging, Medicaid billing, student health documentation, and behavioral or mental health documentation. While all systems should be equipped to collect parental consent records, a single source system, which is typically the Student Information System, can feed that information elsewhere as necessary. For example, if parental consent for all health services is collected during a 504 process, this should be fed into the IEP system, so the parental consent conversation can be bypassed.

What is the best method to annually notify parents of the continuation of parental consent?

While parents/guardians are required to be notified annually, there is no stipulation that they sign or physically acknowledge this notice. Notices can be included in back-to-school information packets that are sent to all parents to ensure the notice reaches all required recipients and compliance is maintained.14

Bring much needed funds back into your district by simplifying health services documentation and Medicaid claiming procedures. Learn how Frontline can help

1 Mays, A., & O’Rourke, L. (2019, December). A Guide to Expanding Medicaid-Funded School Health Services. Retrieved from https://healthyschoolscampaign.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/A-Guide-to-Expanding-Medicaid-Funded-School-Health-Services-12-19-19.pdf.

2 Electronic Privacy Information Center. (n.d.). Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Retrieved May 20, 2020, from https://epic.org/privacy/student/ferpa.

3 U.S. Department of Education. (n.d.). About IDEA. Retrieved May 20, 2020, from https://sites.ed.gov/idea/about-idea.

4 New York State Education Department. (2012, January 18). Parental Consent. Retrieved from http://www.oms.nysed.gov/medicaid/resources/parental_consent.html.

5 U.S. Department of Education. (2017, July 12). Sec. 300.154 (d) (2). Retrieved from https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/b/300.154/d/2.

6 Mann, C. (2014, December 15). Medicaid Payment for Services Provided without Charge (Free Care). Retrieved from https://www.medicaid.gov/sites/default/files/federal-policy-guidance/downloads/smd-medicaid-payment-for-services-provided-without-charge-free-care.pdf.

7 U.S. Department of Education. (2017, July 12). Sec. 300.154 (d) (2). Retrieved from https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/b/300.154/d/2.

8 Virginia Department of Education. (n.d.). Medicaid & Schools. Retrieved May 20, 2020, from http://www.doe.virginia.gov/support/health_medical/medicaid/index.shtml.

9 Mittnacht, M. (2013, July 13). Administrative Advisory SPED 2013-1. Retrieved May 20, 2020, from http://www.doe.mass.edu/sped/advisories/13_1.html.

10 Mittnacht, M. (2013, July 13). Administrative Advisory SPED 2013-1. Retrieved May 20, 2020, from http://www.doe.mass.edu/sped/advisories/13_1.html.

11 U.S. Department of Education. (n.d.). Sec. 300.154 (d) (2) (v). Retrieved May 21, 2020, from https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/b/300.154/d/2/v.

12 Louisiana Department of Education. (n.d.). 2013 Parental Consent to Seek Medicaid Reimbursement_Revised Final.docx. Retrieved May 20, 20202, from https://4.files.edl.io/8612/09/18/19/015629-dc236936-3003-4e59-9f78-81e0e0c764bc.pdf.

13 Indiana Department of Education. (n.d.). Medicaid Parental Consent Form Indiana. Retrieved May 20, 2020, from https://www.doe.in.gov/sites/default/files/specialed/medicaid-parental-consent-form-indiana.pdf.

14 U.S. Department of Education. (2017, July 12). Sec. 300.154 (d) (2). Retrieved from https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/b/300.154/d/2.

How to Solve Shortages and Increase Substitute Effectiveness

Substitutes aren’t babysitters; they’re educators. They often walk into unfamiliar environments, with unfamiliar people. They teach multiple subjects, save the day in emergency situations, and help prevent learning gaps. Many do so with grace and professionalism, and embrace the opportunity to impact student achievement in the process. There’s no question that substitutes are educators. And their ability to take the baton and lend continuity to the full-time teacher’s hard work is an art. Certainly, this is work worth doing. So why do so many schools struggle to maintain effective substitute programs? Why do low fill rates and substitute shortages plague administrators across the country?

The real problem: people don’t choose to substitute

Ask any group of kids what they want to be when they grow up. “A football player!” “A chef, because I like to eat!” “A veterinarian; I think my neighbor’s dog is cool!” But how many would say they want to be a substitute? With substitute teachers often saying they feel misunderstood or undervalued, it’s no surprise that the number may not be overwhelmingly high.

Unfortunately, substitute teaching can suffer from the misperception that the role is nothing more than school-sponsored babysitting. Consciously or unconsciously, this is the message often communicated — and so the dominos fall, leading to fewer people applying for substitute positions, lower engagement and plummeting fill rates. So what can districts do to overcome this issue to ensure teacher absences are quickly filled and student learning remains uninterrupted?

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Changing perceptions to re-engage substitutes

Substitute teaching is certainly not easy in many ways, and there are realities of the job we cannot change. We can, however, change the perceptions around substituting. We can help people see that it’s worth choosing. If substitute teaching is not seen as an educator-based role worthy of support, recognition and encouragement in your district — it’s time for a change. Be the one who embraces the humanity and capability of the substitute teacher and help others do the same. Here are five actionable tips to help re-engage substitutes in your district:

  • Lay the ground-work through community building and communication
  • Put the “substitute as educator” through strategic substitute management
  • Keep in touch with your former and retired teachers (they may just be up for re-engaging to substitute at your district
  • Make it easy for substitutes in your district to be prepared for leading instruction at your schools
  • Offer your substitutes a thoughtful, comprehensive, and connected experience from finding jobs, accepting jobs, and even all the way to flexible access to pay
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Fostering financial wellbeing for substitutes

Why is flexible access to pay such a critical step to re-engage substitutes? We see it every day: restaurants and retailers are offering same day pay to incentivize people to pick up jobs. You can’t drive down a main street or open social media without seeing an advertisement for “get paid as you earn.” And in order for districts to compete, they’ll have to ask their technology partners for innovations that support their mission to solve the substitute shortage.

Substitute teachers work hard for their money. However, due to district policies or pay cycles, subs can find themselves in a situation where they might work for weeks (or months) before getting access to their paycheck. An interruption in pay can be a roadblock for people to accept substitute teaching positions when they could either stay in their current role or seek employment with more flexible pay options.

If you’re stuck wondering how your district can provide flexible access to pay, Frontline Education’s exclusive partnership with Wagestream can help! This partnership offers substitutes access to their pay when they want it, as they earn it. Giving substitutes more control over their pay fosters financial wellbeing and minimizes stress, allowing them to bring their best selves into the classroom. Wagestream is not a loan and there is no interest: just simple, secure and reliable access to their earned money!

Ready to re-engage substitutes and revolutionize pay in your district? Learn more about the Wagestream offering

3 Characteristics (and Examples) of Great Teacher Job Descriptions

In the United States, there are over 13,000 school districts and 33,000 private schools, all vying to hire the most exceptional educators. But with the ongoing teacher shortage and the decline in teacher preparation program enrollments, it makes this stiff competition even harder and may leave district leaders struggling to meet school demands and serve student needs.

If your district feels as though your back is against the wall with little you can do to fill open positions when candidate supply is low, you’re not alone. The good news is, there are ways to stand out! By tailoring your recruiting practices, your district can rise above the competition and quickly attract the highest quality applicants from the existing candidate pool.

Making Your District Stand Out

In a perfect world, you’d have enough time to do a deep audit and revamp of your recruiting strategies. Chances are, you don’t have the hours to commit to such a big initiative right now. Instead, start with one piece that piece will make a quick impact, like job descriptions! Yes, those job descriptions. The ones that have been serving your district well enough for the past several years (or in some cases, decades).

Do they still accurately reflect the current job responsibilities? Do they clearly outline what you need and expect from candidates? If so, that’s a good start — but it’s just the beginning.

Great job descriptions are current and accurate.

Some districts haven’t updated their job descriptions since Prince turned himself into a symbol. What about yours? Set a goal to review job descriptions and job posting templates on a yearly basis —during employees’ year-end review, or as part of the planning process.

When you do update your job descriptions, it’s a good idea to conduct a job analysis and create an ideal candidate profile. That way, you can ensure that every job description accurately conveys the knowledge, skills and abilities you’re looking for.

Great job postings are written for job-seekers — not hiring managers.

Too often, job postings are written for a hiring manager’s point of view, when they should be written for job-seekers. Of course, job descriptions need to be honest, accurate and compliant, but they can be interesting and engaging, too.

The purpose of a job description is not just to outline a particular position’s main duties and responsibilities, but to inspire candidates to apply and become engaged with the district’s mission. When candidates feel a connection through your district from the moment they see your job posting, you’ll find you have higher-quality applicant pools, greater employee engagement and less turnover.

 

[ctt template=”9″ link=”OnEjZ” via=”no” ]Job descriptions don’t just outline responsibilities. They inspire candidates to apply and engage. [/ctt]

 

So, make your job descriptions work for you: write them in a way that speaks to what job-seekers are looking for. Explain what you’re looking for in a candidate, and give them a taste of why your district is a great place to work. And don’t forget to include your district’s mission statement: The New Teacher Project (TNTP) found that 53 percent of teachers were attracted to their school because of the organization’s philosophy and mission.

Great job postings put your best foot forward.

When educators begin searching for a new job, they can be inundated with open positions. What are you doing to make your postings stand out? It’s not enough to post a vacancy with a brief or nonexistent job description — this is your first opportunity to show off your district’s brand to candidates.

Make sure that your job postings are memorable and cast your district in a good light. Showcase the many reasons why great educators want to work in your district by including them in the job description or linking to resources on your district’s website.

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3 Districts to Learn From

What does this look like in practice? Check out a few recent job postings from K12JobSpot to see how other districts are leveraging job descriptions to entice more educators to apply.

Eagle Point School District 9

What we love: This job posting for a second-grade teacher at Table Rock Elementary opens with clear branding at the top, followed by a strong recruitment message: the district is located in a beautiful area, with a wealth of cultural and outdoor experiences just waiting to be discovered.

The district uses the opening paragraph to highlight their classroom initiatives, stability and benefits before laying out the position details, description and expectations. They have also included easily-accessible links to the district website, as well as a link to the Travel Southern Oregon site for job-seekers who aren’t from the area.

Minnetonka School District

What we love: Rather than introducing the district through text, Minnetonka included a video about their schools in a high school math teacher job posting. The use of media really stood out: after poring through what felt like hundreds of job postings, theirs was the only one to have a video directly embedded in the job description.

Oak Park and River Forest School District 200

What we love: This small district might only have one school, but they certainly aren’t short on information. Their job description for a family & consumer science teacher opens with a bullet-point overview of the position, followed by an engaging introduction that clearly defines the school’s progressive, success-driven philosophy.

It might be long, but it gives prospective applicants plenty of information to decide if this school is the right fit.

From Job Posting to Job Offer

Though revisiting your job descriptions is a great first step, don’t stop there! To continue to rise above the competition, it’s essential to understand the applicant’s journey, as well as which aspects of the recruiting and hiring process are most valued. What does that mean? Districts must look at the entire cycle from job postings to the job offer (and even beyond).

According to the Frontline Research & Learning Institute, over 90% of job seekers find the following outcomes important when searching for a job:

  • Job postings should clearly list required or preferred skills, credentials, and experience
  • Throughout the application process, job seekers want to be able to see the status of their application and hear from employers in a timely manner
  • Job seekers want to meet with an internal hiring decision manager, not a third party-recruiter
  • After receiving an offer, job seekers want onboarding instructions

 

Ready for more strategies to help your district stand out?

Check out Frontline Research & Learning Institute’s full research brief, “The State of the Instructional Teacher Shortage”, for up-to-date, data-driven insights that will help prepare school leaders with the information they need to attract quality staff to their district. Download Now

 

This article was originally published on March 12, 2018 and updated on November 8, 2020 for content relevance.

The Impacts of the K-12 Non-Instructional Labor Shortage on Student Success

When you think about the start and end to a student’s day, their first and last interaction with school (in many cases) is the school bus. In fact, according to the American School Bus Council, over 25,000,000 students across the United States rely on school buses to safely transport them to and from school daily.

Of course, this number heavily fluctuated throughout the pandemic as remote and hybrid learning became the norm. But as in-person learning has widely returned in the new school year, the number of school bus drivers across the country has dropped amid nationwide labor shortages of non-instructional K-12 staff.

With that in mind, one very significant question should come front and center: What exactly is the impact of the non-instructional labor shortage on student success?

Focusing in on transportation

Paint an early morning scene. School buses are cruising along from stop to stop, some traveling through rural, isolated areas, some through bustling urban neighborhoods. As the door swings open at each stop, students board the bus and begin their journey to school. But what happens when the bus doesn’t show up at a student’s stop, or arrives 20 minutes past the normal pick-up time? It may not be the first correlation you think of, but transportation has an impact on student success, and the national school bus driver shortage is disrupting student learning in more ways than one.

Let’s look at the numbers surrounding the shortage, as well as the impacts these numbers have on K-12 students.

The shortage

In a recent EdWeek survey, 86% of school and district administrators said they “don’t have enough candidates to fill open bus driver positions” and 79% said there are “fewer applicants for bus driver positions than last year.” This has already created scheduling challenges for many school districts’ transportation departments, leading to a high percentage of altered routes. In fact, the National Association for Pupil Transportation found that 91% of school districts have modified service to elementary schools, 90% to middle schools, and 83% to high schools.

When it comes to the number of openings districts have for bus drivers, the Frontline Research & Learning Institute (FRLI) found a large jump specifically in transportation job postings in 2021. See Chart 1 below.

Chart 1

 

A look across the U.S.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Education was forced to step in to address the situation with a joint temporary action with the U.S. Department of Transportation. In various states, school district leaders have tried to alleviate the shortage with hiring incentives or pay raises but are still struggling to fill open positions and scrambling to alter service routes.

  • In Georgia, the Cobb County Board of Education increased bus driver pay by $5.25/hr at the beginning of the school year, but they are still 200 bus drivers short.
  • New Jersey is offering $35/hr, up from $26/hr in 2021, with full individual medical benefits for the first year, but district leaders are still reporting a shortage and fear the situation may not improve.
  • Chicago Public Schools had 400 vacant bus driver positions just four days before school returned.
  • In Texas, Comal ISD implemented several “no service zones” and cut 12-14 routes from service.
  • Massachusetts deployed the national guard to help get their students to school.

The impacts on student learning

When students don’t have access to the transportation they so heavily rely on to get to and from school, a myriad of challenges arise. Though district leaders are doing their best to alleviate the stresses of the national shortage, it’s clear there just aren’t enough bus drivers across the country, and student learning is being interrupted. Here are some of the impacts:

  • Educational inequity. Transportation is an essential component of educational access for disadvantaged students and under-resourced communities. According to the Bureau of Transportation, 70% of low-income families rely on the school bus as means of transportation for their children. What if a student’s delayed drop off gets them to school late and they miss out on the school breakfast program or critical instruction time? What if parents are forced to make alternative arrangements, but don’t have the resources to do so? The impact on educational equity is very real, and many are facing scenarios such as these on a regular basis.
  • Chronic tardiness is linked to student performance. The Department of Education has found that chronic absenteeism may prevent children from reaching early learning milestones and irregular attendance can increase the likelihood of a student dropping out. Ultimately, tardiness shouldn’t be forced upon a student.
  • Irregular or poor sleep patterns may result from altered bus routes or class schedules. If students are waking up early to make it to their bus stop, it can affect mental health and academic performance. The CDC reports early school start times can impact health, academic performance, and quality of life.
  • Extracurriculars are at risk. Getting student athletes to neighboring schools or districts for sports games also appears to be an issue. Some districts may be faced with the unfortunate decision of cancelling games, competitions, and other after-school events that students are involved in.

Focusing on mental health and well-being

Students may see their school bus driver every day, but not every student sees their school counselor every day (or even weekly). But no matter the frequency, both positions have direct impacts on student learning and success. So… what happens when there aren’t enough school counselors or psychologists and how does that gap impact students?

Over the last few years, K-12 students have been experiencing higher rates of anxiety, stress, and depression. These rates have only been exacerbated by the pandemic, and many districts have reported an increase in their students seeking in-school mental health services. However, with the nationwide shortage of school counselors, psychiatrists, and other mental health staff, some students may not be getting the mental health support or wellness guidance they seek.

What do the numbers say?

To outline how widespread and staggering the mental health staff shortage is, let’s analyze the recommended ratios per district compared to the current actual national ratios.

The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) recommends a student-to-school-counselor ratio of 250:1 but the current ratio across the United States is a staggering 464:1. This translates to 8,000,000 students without access to a school counselor.

The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) recommends a student-to-school-psychiatrist ratio of 500:1 but the current national ratio is 1211:1, with some states reaching much hire. Maine is the only that meets this ratio.


 

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The impacts on student learning

School counselors and psychiatrists are key to developing a healthy school environment, providing a safe space for learning, and helping students establish greater connections with their peers. So when students don’t have access to these staff members and their services, it’s a risk to both their mental health and their academic success. Like the bus driver shortage, this shortage poses a challenge for educational equity. Check out these facts from the American School Counselor Association:

  • “Black students are more likely than their White peers to identify their school counselor as the person who had the most influence on their thinking about postsecondary education.”
  • “Research links the student-to-school-counselor ratios that meet the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) recommendation in high-poverty schools to better academic outcomes for students, such as improved attendance, fewer disciplinary incidents, and higher graduation rates.”

What’s behind the non-instructional shortage?

The Frontline Research and Learning Institute (FRLI) recently published a research brief, “The Longitudinal Recruiting and Hiring Landscape for Non-Instructional Education Employees,” that analyzed data from 1,160 public school districts across 48 states. The brief explores the potential causes of the shortage across the country, the supply and demand of non-instructional staff, and how much time non-instructional positions have taken to be filled. The non-instructional job postings are categorized as one of the following: facilities, food services, office support and other administrative roles, outside of school activity programs, security/safety, substitutes, teacher’s assistant/aide, technology services, transportation services, and tutoring. Here is a summary of the key findings for what’s behind the non-instructional shortage:

  • There has been a slight increase in non-instructional job postings.
  • The number of applications per posting has continued to decrease.
  • The decreasing number of applications for open positions results in a reduced pool of qualified candidates.
  • The shortage is due to a supply issue (not enough candidates) rather than a demand issue (employees leaving the position).

What districts can do to combat the shortage

While the non-instructional staff shortage is widespread, there are actionable steps school leaders can take that may help minimize the number of non-instructional open positions. Here are 8 strategies outlined by the Frontline Research & Learning Institute to help navigate the non-instructional staff shortage:

  1. Technology can help expedite the recruiting process and easily post openings.
  2. Don’t wait for job seekers! Proactively reach out to candidates to diversify your pool.
  3. Ask your employees to identify potential non-instructional staff with community outreach.
  4. Make sure your district stands out! Ensure your job postings highlight culture, unique benefits, or professional learning opportunities.
  5. Provide your staff with feedback and support individual growth.
  6. Develop a culture where the voices of non-instructional staff are heard.
  7. Reduce friction for candidates and improve the efficiency of your processes.
  8. Frequently communicate and engage with potential candidates.

Frontline Recruiting & Hiring can help districts ensure that open non-instructional positions are being filled in a timely manner. With Frontline’s job board, K12JobSpot, your district can easily reach thousands of non-instructional candidates across the country. Are you ready to combat the non-instructional staff shortage to ensure student success and wellbeing? You can learn more about Frontline Recruiting & Hiring here.

Interested in more on the non-instructional labor shortage?

Check out Frontline Research & Learning Institute’s full research brief, “The Longitudinal Recruiting and Hiring Landscape for Non-Instructional Education Employees,” for an in-depth look into the data and more recommendations to help fill these positions.
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Front & Center: Michele Trongaard

If you don’t work in the field of school business in Texas, it’s understandable that you might not know who our guest today is. But within the Lone Star State, inside school business offices, her credentials and experience speak for themselves, and she was kind enough to share some of her thoughts for our “Front & Center” series, in which we highlight school administration rock stars and the work they’re doing.

Michele Trongaard is the Associate Superintendent of Business and Finance at Mansfield ISD. After working in the corporate accounting world, she is now beginning her 20th year in public education. Here are just a few of the notable moments in her career:

  • Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Registered Texas School Business Administrator (RTSBA), and an Administrator in School Finance and Operations (SFO)
  • Bachelor’s in Accounting from the University of Texas at Dallas, and Master’s degree from Concordia University in School Finance and Operations
  • President of the Texas Association of School Business Officials in 2020
  • Pilot member of the Government Finance Officers Assocation’s Alliance for Excellence in School District Budgeting
  • Recipient of the Association of School Business Officials’ 2019 Pinnacle Achievement Award for School Business Innovation
  • One of the first in Texas to use Frontline Education’s Analytics suite (formerly known as Forecast5)

Michele is married to Jeff with a blended family of six children whose occupations include Membership Coordinator for nationwide sonographers, medical dosimetrist, computer software engineer at Microsoft, IB 3-D Art teacher at Uplift Education in Dallas, one pursuing animal research while working on her masters, and one in her last year of nursing school at the University of Texas at Arlington. She’s excited to become a grandma in December, and with another grandchild on the way in March! Besides being with her family, her favorite things to do are traveling, hiking, teaching and reading.

What was your first job in education?

My very first job in public education began in 2003 as an Accountant for Wylie ISD, located in a fast-growing suburb of Dallas, Texas. I served in the roles of Payroll and Benefits Manager, Director of Finance, and Chief Financial Officer, and now am Associate Superintendent of Finance and Operations. I’m that annoying one that has always asked questions about why something was done a certain way. Now, I can give back by answering those questions others are asking.

If you could give any advice to yourself at the beginning of your career, what would it be?

Listen more and talk less!

What is one skill every CFO in K-12 should have?

Hire the right people! I could not do my job without having the right team in the right place. I have been fortunate to hire some extremely talented people.

What is the value of seeking a mentor as a school district CFO or Business department leader? Who have been your mentors over the years?

Seeking a mentor is an absolute must in the school business official’s world. I have been grateful to connect with many other peers through the Texas Association of School Business Officials’ training and community forums that allow me to run ideas and collaborate to find the best solutions. My mentors have included Dr. Kimberley Cantu, Dr. Sean Scott, Donald Williams, Jeff Brogden, David Wright, Jennifer Young, Dr. Jennifer Stoecker, Dr. Jeannie Stone, Karen Smith, Randy McDowell, David Pate, Dr. David Vinson, Dr. Kim Spicer, Mr. Scott Winn, Amy Boerner, Brian Miller, Omar Garcia, Amanda Brownson, Janèt Spurgeon, Dr. Karen Wiesman, Dr. Tracy Ginsburg, Becky Bunte, David Marx, Elaine Cogburn, Jennifer Land, Shay Adams, Dr. Jennifer DuPlessis, Brent Ringo, Byron Bryant, Darrell Dodds, Brian Carter, Scott Wreher, Robb Welch, Katie Bowman, Brenda Mize, Diana Sircar, Kimberly Smith, Julie Novak, Monica Irvin, Ed Harper, Sheryl Moulden, Lindy Finley, Wes Eversole, Brenda Richmond, Kelly Penny, Bill Sutter, Claire Hertz, Carol MacLeod, Matt Bubness, Shayne Kavanagh, John Hutchison, Travis Zander… gosh, I think I could keep on going for hours and I’m sure I’ve left several off.

How does using data and analytics help you plan for and address challenges in your school district?

Using data and analytics helps to ensure I am maximizing our funds while being a good steward of our taxpayer dollars. Not only does it help monitor by function and object code, it can identify the outliers when benchmarking with peer districts as well as projections for the current fiscal year and budget planning. An outstanding feature when I teach with Travis Zander from Frontline Education is sharing their State of the District story and Economic Profile. Having those discussions about what makes up those numbers, and knowing if it is something the district should look into, is priceless. It tells their own story — and no two stories are exactly alike!

What is the best creative idea you have had as a CFO that has made a difference in your role?

Getting out from behind my desk and visiting principals at campuses! Sharing specific data analytic reports in Comparative Analytics from enrollment history, test scores with cost per student grid amongst their peers, and budget by object code over the years is extremely valuable. Having that dialogue about finance and academics to see if there are any concerns and what support is needed, along with building those relationships, has been one of my best strategies as a CFO.

What will change most in education over the next 10 years?

Innovation! Without a doubt, technology will change and continue to change how we all learn and operate as a school district. I always think of the Jetsons when thinking about the future. Does that mean a student will be able to push a button in the cafeteria and have the food just appear? Hopefully, they’ll still receive a smile in the delivery of that food that our Student Nutrition staff does.

What are you most hopeful about for the future of education?

That our future generations will learn faster than us and be the ones to take care of us. They will find those solutions that are still missing: a cure for cancer, addressing climate change, tackling mental health problems, and making the world a peaceful place for all.