Human Resource Department of Minneapolis Public Schools - Case Study Example

Topic: Lecturer: Presentation: TABLE OF CONTENTS ITEM PAGE NO Abstract………………………………………………………..3 Organization Structure…………………………………………4 HR Function and Strategies…………………………………….5 Teacher Contract Negotiations………………………………….6 Old Recruitment System………………………………………..7 New Interview and Select System………………………………7 Implementation………………………………………………….8 Impact of the System…………………………………………….8 Conclusion and Recommendations………………………………10 References………………………………………………………..11 Abstract Human Resource department has a strategic role to play in the organization. Contemporary high achieving organizations consider HR as a strategic partner since it involves managing the most important resource of the organization. The Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) had neglected this role hence the numerous problems it was facing such as low student enrollment and high turnover. Its recruitment process was highly inefficient based on seniority instead of merit hence compromising teacher quality and consequently student motivation and performance. However, the interview-and-select system implemented by Green, Cook, Johnson and others was efficient in ensuring high quality standards. Pratt Cooks idea of linking compensation to performance was also crucial for success. OUTLINE Organization Structure The organization structure is vital as it dictates the reporting relationship in the organization as well as how tasks are distributed. It also shows the lines of power and authority and how communication flows in the organization. A structure may either be organic or mechanistic. A mechanistic structure is characterized by formal communication, clearly defined tasks, strict hierarchy of authority and formal rules and procedures. An organic structure is characterized by little formal authority, flexible roles, delegation, and communication in all directions (Gitman & McDaniel, 2008). The organic structure is better as it allows the staff to communicate freely with management and give their opinions but it is even better if it is made flatter through team work. The organization structure also reflects the culture of the organization thus changing it may have an influence on how things are done hence culture. This is what Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) needed in order to be successful and have improved students performance. MPS was operating a traditional form of organization which is mechanistic in nature and with the role of Human Resource being relegated to the background under the operations department. Moreover, it performed traditional roles such as payroll administration, record keeping, processing applications and managing benefits (Johnson & Marietta, 2008 p. 5). This culture needed to be changed to allow the HR department to play a strategic role in the MPS. The MPS superintendent Dr. Bill Green understood the success of the district depended on this and thus reconfigured the structure so that the HR department could stand on its own with Chief Human Resource Officer (CHRO) as its head reporting directly to him as shown in exhibit 6 (Ibid, p. 17). The structure is flat as all departmental heads report directly to the superintendent. The CHRO is the link between teachers and students and the management thus is best suited to communicate the MPS mission and vision or direction to them and also air any views from students to the management. As the success of the school depends on students’ performance, the HR strategy needs to be aligned with overall MPS strategy. This enables the HR department to implement or communicate the mission and objectives of the MPS board by devising strategies directed at students. CHRO Pat Pratt Cook by involving the students in achievement of MPS objectives elicits their commitment and engagement and consequently motivation to work hard. This is because the students are aware where the school is going and how their learning efforts will help in achieving the overall goals of MPS. Furthermore, the HR department being directly involved with teachers and students knows their strengths and weaknesses hence is able to suggest to the administration policies to enhance student learning such as instructional methods, teacher quality and training needs. This will in turn enhance the learning environment. For example, before reorganization, questions by students and teachers could only be directed to the HR office 807 hence take time to get answers if they got any at all. The student, teacher and content are the instructional core of MPS hence needs to be handled with care. HR Functions and Strategies In addition to performing the traditional or transactional roles mentioned above, the HR department as a strategic business partner has many other roles. One of the major functions of this department is thus to ensure MPS goals are achieved and it can only do so by ensuring the teachers and students perform to the expected standards. This translates into the performance management role of HR. The MPS is successful if the students are successful and students’ success depends on the quality of teaching they get. Recruitment and selection are therefore at the core of performance management. The MPS was facing a lot of challenges in the school year 2007-2008 due to budget cuts in operations and teacher recruitment. According to Johnson and Marietta (2008 p. 2) the operating budget was cut by $17 million from $609.2 in 06 SY to $591. 9 in SY07. The MPS Annual Financial Results 2004-2007 show that total revenues declined from $640.1 in SY 03 to $ 591.9 in SY 07. This led to cuts in recruitment and orientation budget thus compromising the hiring role of HR. Furthermore, filling of open places was based on seniority such that those who had many years of experience were hired irrespective of their performance. This in turn compromised the quality of teachers and consequently student performance. Another challenge was the decline in student enrolment rates as more students left for nearby charter schools and the ever increasing achievement gap between the white students and Students of color. All this was happening due to failure to align the work of HR with instructional needs of students and overall MPS objectives. To solve the teacher quality problem hence students’ success, a new method of recruitment and retention was needed. The new system was to be known as interview-and-select and was to be incorporated in teacher’s contracts. Teacher Contract Negotiations The interview-and-select recruitment system was based on the theory that to achieve institutional strategic benefit “every child should have the best teacher in the system (Johnson & Marietta, 2008 p. 3). Green realized this and so did Pratt the CHRO. They were thus bent on including it on the contract but the teacher’s union (Minneapolis Federation of Teachers [MFT]) was opposed to it as it would affect payment system and for fear of favoritism by principals who were to be leaders of the process. Besides the principals lacked expertise to lead the program. However, since the state-imposed deadline (Jan 15) was near a memorandum of agreement was reached to include the new hiring system in the contract but to be renegotiated next round. Old recruitment System For earlier contract ending June 30, 2007 teachers were selected on basis of seniority. Teachers from other schools transferred to the open positions on basis of seniority within the system (Volunteering). Those excessed by layoffs at other schools also followed same procedure. Only the positions that remained unfilled after the process were sourced from outside the system (Johnson & Marietta, 2008). This was the norm and everyone in the system was accustomed to it. However, it only worsened quality problem as the same teachers were hired in new positions and their pay was not based on performance, at least not performance of students. In 1997, an element of compensation liked to performance was introduced whereby those who gained National Board Certification were rewarded. MFT president Sundin and Superintendent Carol Johnson also offered additional pay for those in leadership roles, a ‘ProPay” system and 1-2-3 courses intended to improve class instruction. ProPay later became Teacher Advanced Program (TAP) to offer multiple career paths, professional growth, professional based compensation and instructionally focused observations. TAP later evolved into ATPPS. New Interview and Select System The system was a break from the already established culture of hiring based on seniority. The system followed the earlier established school sites by Sundin and superintendent Ferrera. Each site was to have one administrator and two teachers. Principal chose interview teams from an available pool nominated by MFT steward and principal (Johnson& Marietta, 2008, p. 8). Candidates from within MPS were to apply online and selected from there. The principal’s team included: Pratt Cook , CHRO; Steve Liss, Chief Operations Officer and Bernadeia Johnson, Chief Academic Officer among others. Implementation Changes in the organization are often resisted especially if the stakeholders are not involved in the process and communication on how it will affect staff given. Another barrier to achievement is lack of resources to implement the changes (Gitman & McDaniel, 2008). Resources are in terms of finances, materials and skilled labor. This is the reason Green chose a highly qualified team to implement the process led by Pratt and Johnson. The team was to be trained on how to interview and select quality teachers and on writing resumes. In addition, the skills of principals were to be improved. The union official Lynn Nordgren was to give the training. The department had to make do with available resources due to budget cuts hence improvise new ways of reducing wastage. Resources were thus redirected to “teacher recruitment, induction and retention” (Johnson & Marietta 2008, p. 10). To increase the capacity of principals, they got professional development from attending Minneapolis Principal’s Academy. The curriculum was based on Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) and National Institute for School Leadership (NISL) standards. Principals were taught on educational leadership and all aspiring principals including those already in the recruitment pool were to attend the academy. This ensured the program would be implemented efficiently by quality leaders. Implementation was successful as jobs became competitive. Impact of the New System The system had great impact on teachers as the old system of seniority-based transfers was minimized. Teacher’s promotion was to be based on merit by passing interviews. Moreover, teacher compensation was now to be based on students achievements meaning teachers had to work harder. The key performance indicator was student performance on state assessment. As such, a direct link between teacher assessment and student performance was established. The aim was to make MPS ATTPPS truly pay-for-performance (Johnson & Marietta, 2008). Instructional strategies also had to change to ensure students took algebra by eighth grade. Demand on teachers was thus very high and so was demand on Pratt, Johnson, Green and others involved. Collaboration between all stakeholders was crucial for success. A coherent system for supporting instruction was vital just as was taught at Public Education Leadership Project (PELP). An example of the coherence model is the congruence model by Tushman and O’Reilly (2002) in exhibit 5 (Johnson & Marietta, 2008 p. 16). Another impact was change in principal’s role. According to Johnson and Marietta (2008 p. 10) the principal was now to “focus more on instructional leadership than building administration.” The principal was normally involved in general administration duties but now he had to be involved in teaching and learning in school and get involved in disciplining students, bus scheduling, facilities management and budgeting. A pilot program for School Administration Managers (SAM) was to be put in place. These administrators would now facilitate communication and coordination in interview sessions in the new system. As such, most of their time would be spent on instruction. The principle would also be more accountable as the system involved aligning district resources with instructional goals. They also had to explain why they selected certain candidates and document all the proceedings of the process as well as areas of strength and weaknesses for interviewees. They would also ensure that the process is followed to the latter. Cook and Johnson embed the system in principal’s performance evaluations hence just like teachers; their performance was based on students’ assessment. As such, collaboration between the principals and teachers is vital for success just like shown by the congruence model. However, cook and Johnson have to deal with the principal’s union (Minneapolis Principal’s Forum) which has a role to play on principal’s pay and other work conditions. More so as MPS are in the process of negotiating new collective bargaining with union. They had also received a complaint that some principals were already skirting the process. All the more reason for the management has to negotiate with the principal’s union about new performance evaluations necessitated by the interview-and-select system to make principals accountable. Conclusions and Recommendations The HR department is very crucial in any organization and should play a strategic role instead of being relegated to traditional instructional roles. Human resources are the most important assets in any organization be it a school or firm as they can lead to downfall of the MPS if not taken care of. Aligning HR strategy with MPS strategy would ensure that all staff and students know the direction of the district and how to achieve its goals hence success. To this end, Pratt Cook the Chief HR Officer has an ambitious agenda for HR. Her aim is to align work of HR with instructional needs of students and achieve coherence. To achieve this, the teacher’s performance and compensation as well as that of the principal are to be tied with student performance. This would ensure instructional goals of MPS are achieved. For good performance, hiring and selection is the basic as quality teachers will ensure good student results. The interview-and-select system is crucial in achieving this goal although it leads to increased demands on teachers and accountability for principals coupled with total culture change from seniority-based transfers and to pay-for-performance model. Cook and others implementing this ambitious plan should be sure to include all stakeholders in the process to ensure acceptability and consequently commitment, increased engagement and improved performance. References Gitman, L and McDaniel, C ( 2008). The Future of Business: The Essentials. Mason, OH: Cengage Johnson, SM and Marietta, G (2008) Public Education Leadership Project at Harvard University: Taking HR Seriously in Minneapolis. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School. Read More