STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT OF HUMAN CAPITAL IN Boston

Overview: Sarah Archibald SMHC/CPRE Univ. of Wisconsin Panel: Carol Johnson, Superintendent, Boston Public Schools Craig Chin, Assistant Chief Operating Officer, BPS November 18, 2008

Boston’s Story

• Prioritize HR reform • Improve HR’s transactional processes • Reform teacher contract as needed • Strategic recruitment of teachers and principals • Train your own teacher and principals • Build a system of induction and mentoring

Prioritizing HR Reform

• Former Superintendent Payzant, with full support of mayor and school council, made HR reform a priority – Power to hire/fire head of HR – Made head of HR part of cabinet – Full fiscal support from the city/district • Partnership with Boston Plan for Excellence – Brought in more dollars and spotlight

Improving Transactional HR Processes

• Switched to customer service perspective and fired those unwilling to change – Red carpet treatment for new teachers – Focus on accountability and responsiveness to principals – Cross-training for HR staff • Computer systems needed updating – Acquired grant funds to help pay for this

Reforming the Teacher Contract

• Ended voluntary excesses and blind bids • Compressed hiring timeline • Start of open postings to give principals more control over hiring process – Also the ability to keep provisional teachers after one year by principal choice

Recruiting New Talent

• Early Hires (particularly for high-need) • More strategic recruitment of minorities and high-needs positions (ESL, Math, Science, Special Ed) • Competitive wages • Strategic advertising and outreach for those who want to make a difference in urban schools

Growing New Talent

• Boston Teacher Residency (BTR) – District-based program run in conjunction with the Boston Plan for Excellence – 1 year, pre-service program to train top talent specifically to teach in Boston Public Schools • Highly selective entrance criteria • Accept enough minorities to mirror the ethnicities of the district’s students • Began with 12 teachers in 2003-04 • At its maximum it will train 100 teachers per year

Growing New Talent (cont.)

• Exploring School Administration in Boston (ESA) – 10 after-school seminars focusing on one aspect of the role of school leader – Intended for those with an interest (but no experience) in school administration • Boston Principal Fellows Program – Highly selective yearlong residency in BPS (receive 100 applications and take 8-12) – Fellows receive comparable wages for the year – 4 days/week in the school, 1 day in the classroom

Induct and Mentor New Talent

• State law requires mentors for new teachers – Union has had 5 year lawsuit to get the district to provide mentoring • District is working toward a comprehensive system for inducting and mentoring new teachers that includes: – Three day summer training institute – Monthly seminars for new teachers – New teacher developers – Networkers (for low-performing schools) – Less formal mentoring (buddy mentors in schools)

Enabling Factors in Boston

• Continuity of leadership • Talent capacity • Labor-management relationship • Fiscal capacity – Strong economic times – Infusion of private funds • Personal relationships