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How Talent Data Can Lead to Better Decision-Making for K-12 Leaders

 A 2018 Frontline Research & Learning Institute white paper, “Balancing the Equation,” proposed a vision for strategic human capital management (HCM) characterized by a holistic approach to building and maintaining a high-performing employee culture.

It suggested:

A commitment to transforming data insights into action — supported by easy-to-use systems — helps district and team leaders achieve this vision for strategic HCM.

We can learn even more about how to effectively implement this vision by taking a look at how it’s taken shape at Caledonia Community Schools.

Caledonia Community Schools’ Optimized HCM Program

Caledonia Community Schools is a high-performing suburban/rural district not far from Grand Rapids, Michigan, focused on creating a positive learning environment for all students.

When city dwellers moved to the suburbs at higher than anticipated rates, Caledonia found itself with growing pains — but they remained steadfast in their goal on academic excellence, achieved in part through optimized HCM. District leaders updated their recruiting, hiring, onboarding, and training practices to continue to attract high-quality employees to their schools.

A Connected Talent Management System

The first step was to improve the hiring and onboarding processes for HR. As part of a consortium of 23 districts using online recruiting and hiring solutions, Caledonia had access to a broader pool of candidates than standalone recruiting systems. With more applicants, they needed to find a way to sort and track their top choices.

Having a talent management system designed for K-12 organizations, including the highest level of security, has been a major asset for every department, especially during COVID-19. Back when they were doing a lot of work manually, binders or folders kept in offices would not have been accessible to staff forced to work at home. But with a new talent management system, it is easy to access data remotely. Payroll still gets processed on time, substitutes are hired when needed, and professional growth is available to teachers and easy to track.

Their connected talent management system now manages all employee records, allowing them to synchronize their hiring, professional growth, and absences. They’re no longer using different systems in each department and have revolutionized and streamlined their processes with workflow enhancements. Their new talent management system puts data within easy reach of all users from district administrators to employees themselves, when and where they need it.

Following Caledonia’s strategic plan for growth involved shifting schedules and changing grade-level configurations. The pandemic added another twist when teachers unexpectedly retired or went on leave and substitutes were hard to find. Fortunately, with the absence management component of their new talent management system already in place, the HR department is able to help manage the astronomical number of staff changes.

Grayson County Public Schools in Independence, VA is another district that is transforming HCM processes through the use of a connected talent management system. Prior to implementing their system, human resources and payroll had to generate many complex reports and spend a lot of time going through individual employee files to make updates. Grayson County implemented a new talent management system and gained more efficiencies by maximizing their resources and expediting their processes.

The above article is an executive summary to “Balancing the Equation,” updated for 2024. If you’d like to read the full white paper, you can download it here.

The Frontline Research & Learning Institute recognizes that continued challenges in K-12, including teacher shortages and COVID-19, have impacted the way schools, districts and states are supporting educators and other key personnel. Even with these challenges, we’re seeing great progress.

The organizations referenced within are using solutions that are part of Frontline Education’s human capital management suite to gain efficiencies and streamline their HCM processes. To learn more visit www.FrontlineEducation.com.

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