Table of Contents

 

              Topic                                                                    Page #

Reaffirmation of Policies………………………...3

Dissemination of Policy………………………….3

Staff Responsibilities…………………………….4

Numerical Analysis……………………………....5

Identification of Target Areas……………………5

Targets & Correction Plans………………………6

Internal Audit & Reporting………………………6

Grievance Procedures…………………………….7

Career Counseling………………………………..7

ESD 105 Evaluation……………………………...7

Reduction in Force……………………………….7

Correction Plans………………………………….8

Supportive Documents………………….Appendix

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                    Page 2

SECTION A-1

 

Reaffirmation of Policies

 

The Highland School District has developed a comprehensive policy statement and guide in the areas of Equal Employment Opportunities and Title IX.  Those policies have been reviewed as a part of the development process for filing an Affirmative Action Plan.

It is the intent of the Highland School District to maintain these policies in full compliance with current prevailing Federal and State laws and regulations.  As indicated in Section B-1 of this plan, the District has appointed the Superintendent or his/her designee to serve as the District’s compliance officer.  As part of that assignment that officer will report regularly to the Board as to the compliance of the affirmative action plan and all District policies related thereto.  The current Board policies dealing with Equal Employment Opportunities and Title IX are made part of this plan and included in Appendix 1.

 

SECTION A-2

 

DISSEMINATION OF POLICY – INTERNAL

           

1.                  The District’s affirmative action plan will be published within the

school district’s adopted policy manual.

           

2.                  Public media available to the school district will be used whenever possible to publish the District’s affirmative action plan.

 

3.                  Written policies will be published and posted in every school building within the school district.

 

4.                  The scope of the District’s affirmative action plan will be discussed each year during teacher in-service training prior to the opening of school.

 

DISSEMINATION OF POLICY – EXTERNAL

           

1.                  The school district’s affirmative action plan and goals will be disseminated to all college and university placement offices on an annual basis.

 

2.                  Official school district documents, letterhead, purchase orders, etc. will include an approved statement indicating the Highland School District #203 is an “Equal Opportunity Employer”.

 

3.                  Discussion of the District’s affirmative action plan will be held with all new and prospective employees.

 

4.                  The affirmative action plan will be published on the District’s Home page on the web.

Page 3

SECTION B-1

 

STAFF RESPONSIBILITIES FOR IMPLEMENTATION & EVALUATION

 

The Superintendent of Highland School District #203 or member of the administrative staff of the school district appointed by the Superintendent shall be responsible for the development and continual evaluation of the Affirmative Action Plan of the school district.

 

            The responsibilities of this position include:

 

1.                  Development of the plan and collection of data relative to the affirmative action plan.

 

2.                  Publication and dissemination of the plan to staff and community.

 

3.                  Conduct internal audits pf district compliance.

 

4.                  Serve as liaison and resource person to district board of directors in areas of hiring and contract bidding concerning matters related to the district’s affirmative action plan.

 

5.                  Coordinate in-service presentations for the various school staffs within the school district in the area of affirmative action.

 

6.                  Serve as the compliance officer for the school district.

 

7.                  Prepare annually all reports related to the scope of the district’s affirmative action plan as required by both state and federal regulations.

 

8.                  Maintain and update the District’s home page display of the Affirmative Action Plan.

 

The school district’s Affirmative Action Officer and Title IX/RCW 28A640 officer: Greg George, HHS Principal, 17000 Summitview, Cowiche WA 98923, telephone (509)678-7268 or Section 504/ADA coordinator:  Andy Woehler, TIS Principal, 711 Franklin Rd, Tieton WA 98947, telephone  (509) 673-3141.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Page 4

SECTION C-1

 

NUMERICAL REVIEW ANALYSIS

 

The district compliance officer has utilized the following statistical sources to complete an analysis and develop a profile of the employment status of protected classes within the Highland School District.

 

1.            Labor Market Information for Yakima Standard Metropolitan Statistical 

      Area – State of Washington Employment Security Department.

 

2.         OSPI Race by grade reports using P-105 summary for Yakima County       

      and for Highland School District #203.

 

3.            OSPI report 1807H on personnel by major position and ethnicity.

 

4.            Salary basis and ranges in force for certified and non-certified staff within         

Highland School District #203 for each year of review.

 

5.            Population estimates of Age/Sex/Race/and Hispanic Origin for all counties

From OFM/Forecasting web site.

 

6.         Employment population for Highland School District by ethnic, gender, and age.

 

The available data was utilized to complete a hiring target worksheet that served as the basis for development of section D and E of this report.  All databases and worksheets used are updated and reviewed annually.

 

SECTION D-1

 

IDENTIFICATION OF TARGET AREAS

 

As a result of the compilation and evaluation of the statistical data and review of current district policies and procedures, some target areas will be identified and addressed.  It is always the district’s policy to address appropriate targets within reasonable time given the district’s available resource and budget consideration.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                    Page 5

SECTION E-1

 

TARGETS AND CORRECTION PLANS

 

The Highland School District work force, as determined by statistical review of available databases, should be composed of members of various protected classes.  Due to the small number of staff, low percentage of staff turnover, the targets are set to reflect an equal distribution of personnel within the age, gender and race category.

 

As openings arise in any level of operation, a good faith effort toward Affirmative Action shall prevail in order to achieve an equitable percentage of the protected classes within the District’s work force.  The District will also see that all available efforts are made in the training of protected classes for higher levels of responsibility in both certified and classified positions.

 

SECTION E-2

 

ONE AND FIVE YEAR PERFORMANCE TARGETS

 

The district’s current one and five year target documents will be included and updated annually in the appendix of this document.

 

Such targets will be published on an annual basis to all staff members and shared with the District’s Board of Directors.

 

SECTION F-1

 

INTERNAL AUDIT AND REPORTING

 

The Highland School District has compiled and maintained a system for audit and internal control as indicated previously in this plan.  Primary to this system in the area of employment has been the establishment of an applicant flow file for all applicants to the school district.  Members of protected classes and others who apply for employment are informed of this system at the time of application.  Files are maintained for a minimum of one year from the date of application for consideration in the event of an opening.  Current employees are informed regularly in the event of an opening, which might occur within the school district.  Evaluation is regularly conducted internally to identify any areas within recruitment, hiring promotion and training phases of the district program, which may be interfering with the intent of the Affirmative Action Plan.  Affirmative Action Plan will be reviewed and audited by the school district’s Affirmative Action Officer and Title IX/RCW 28A640 officer: Greg George, HHS Principal, 17000 Summitview, Cowiche WA 98923, telephone (509)678-7268 or  Section 504/ADA coordinator:  Chad Quigley, TIS Principal, 711 Franklin Rd, Tieton WA 98947, telephone  (509) 673-3141.  This will be done annually and as described in Section A-2, Section B-1, Section C-1, Section D-1 Section E-1, Section E-2, and Section F-1.                                       Page 6                                     

SECTION G-1

 

SUPPORTIVE SYSTEMS

 

The Highland School District endeavors to comply with the intent of the Affirmative Action program by providing, with the personnel and budgetary capacities of the district policies and programs designed to support the Equal Employment Rights of District employees.

 

1.                  GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES:  The District has adopted through agreement with the employee bargaining unit a comprehensive grievance procedure.  This procedure will be evaluated regularly on the basis of its compliance with the intent of the Affirmative Action Plan.

 

2.                  CAREER COUNSELING:  The District makes available to all employees’ information concerning career opportunities within and without the District.  In addition the District makes available to all employees information concerning educational opportunities available outside the school district, which may benefit the employment of the staff member.

 

3.                  E.S.D. #105 EVALUATION:  The school district maintains a close relationship with the Education Service District #105 and regularly seeks their input in various areas INCLUDING evaluation of district policies in the area of Affirmative Action.

 

SECTION H-1

 

REDUCTION IN FORCE

 

The criteria for reduction in force shall be comprehensive and in accord with the reduction in force (RIF) provisions negotiated with certified and classified employee organizations within the Highland District.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Page 7

 

THREE TO FIVE YEARS CORRECTION PLANS

HIGHLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT #203

 

1.                  It is a performance target of the district to adjust staff gender and ethnic ratios to more accurately reflect the gender and ethnic ratios at each building in the district.  To accomplish this the district will place emphasis on hiring:

 

a.       Qualified and certified Hispanic teachers at each building as job openings are available.

 

b.      Male teachers in grades K-4 as job openings are available.

 

2.                  It is a performance target of the district to assure that the district staff receives a minimum of one hour’s in-service each year, which includes awareness training on the following.

 

a.       The districts Affirmative Action Plan.

 

b.      The district’s Title IX guidelines and policies.

 

c.       The employee’s need to report violation of such plans and policies.

 

d.      The importance on nondiscrimination in instruction presentations.

 

e.       Training in Harassment and Sexual Harassment.

 

3.                  It is a performance target of the district to have full compliance on all issues regarding public notice of the district’s Affirmative Action Policies and procedures.

 

IMPLEMENTATION OF CORRECTIONS

 

Performance Target #1 – Compliance will be based on available openings and available   

                                         qualified applicants.

 

Performance Target #2 – Ongoing since implementation in 1991.

 

Performance Target #3 – Ongoing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                   

Page 8

Appendix

 

Highland School District

Compliance Statements For Federal & State Regulations

 

1.                  Statement to be included in All Highland School District public announcements:  District & building level newsletters, student handbooks, student permission forms and extra-curricular contracts.

 

The Highland School District #203 complies with all federal and state rules and regulations and does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, families with children, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, disability, aged, Vietnam or more recent military veterans, or the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a disabled person.  This holds true for all students who are interested in participating in educational programs and/or extracurricular school activities.  Inquiries regarding compliance and/or grievance procedures may be directed to the school district’s Affirmative Action Officer and Title IX/RCW 28A640 officer: Greg George, HHS Principal, 17000 Summitview, Cowiche WA 98923, telephone (509)678-7268 or  Section 504/ADA coordinator:  Andy Woehler, TIS Principal, 711 Franklin Rd, Tieton WA 98947, telephone  (509) 673-3141.

 

2.                  Statement to be included in any counselor’s newsletters, advertisements for scholarships or grants or honors and displayed on any public boards advertising it.

 

All applications for financial assistance programs, i.e., student loans, work compensation, grants, scholarships, special funds, subsidies, prizes, etc., will be considered by the Highland School District #203 without regard to race, creed, color, national origin, families with children, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, disability, aged, Vietnam or more recent military veterans, or the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a disabled person.  Inquiries regarding compliance and/or grievance procedures may be directed to the school district’s Affirmative Action Officer and Title IX/RCW 28A640 officer: Greg George, HHS Principal, 17000 Summitview, Cowiche WA 98923, telephone (509)678-7268 or  Section 504/ADA coordinator:  Andy Woehler, TIS Principal, 711 Franklin Rd, Tieton WA 98947, telephone  (509) 673-3141.

 

 

3.                  Statement to be included in any labor agreement or contract for services to the school district or individual school.  (NOTE:  This notice needs to be ABOVE the signature line of any or these agreements).

 

The vendor assures the Highland School District #203 that its agency/labor union will comply with all state and federal guidelines and/or regulations.  Therefore, all applicants seeking employment opportunities and all contracts for goods and services will be considered and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, families with children, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, disability, aged, Vietnam or more recent military veterans, or the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a disabled person.  Inquiries regarding compliance and/or grievance procedures may be directed to the school district’s Affirmative Action Officer and Title IX/RCW 28A640 officer: Greg George, HHS Principal, 17000 Summitview, Cowiche WA 98923, telephone (509)678-7268 or  Section 504/ADA coordinator:  Andy Woehler, TIS Principal, 711 Franklin Rd, Tieton WA 98947, telephone  (509) 673-3141.

 

4.                  Statement to be included in any work study, cooperative vocational education, job placement and apprenticeship training.  (NOTE:  This notice needs to be ABOVE the signature line of any or these agreements).

 

The employer assures compliance with state and federal guidelines and regulations regarding nondiscrimination against any employee/student on the basis of  race, creed, color, national origin, families with children, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, disability, aged, Vietnam or more recent military veterans, or the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a disabled person, or disability in recruitment, hiring, placement, assignment tasks, hours of employment, levels of responsibility, and pay.  Harassment of any employee/student with regard to race, creed, color, national origin, families with children, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, disability, aged, Vietnam or more recent military veterans, or the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a disabled person is strictly prohibited.   Inquiries regarding compliance and/or grievance procedures may be directed to the school district’s Affirmative Action Officer and Title IX/RCW 28A640 officer: Greg George, HHS Principal, 17000 Summitview, Cowiche WA 98923, telephone (509)678-7268 or  Section 504/ADA coordinator:  Andy Woehler, TIS Principal, 711 Franklin Rd, Tieton WA 98947, telephone  (509) 673-3141.

 

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