2023 EDUCATION EDITION
PROBLEM SOLVING O cials outlined several reasons why there has been such a shortage in auxiliary sta positions over the last few years as well as ways to recruit and retain employees.
Creative solutions RRISD has worked to improve recruitment for support sta positions by o ering employee refer- ral programs, providing free training and holding hiring events for auxiliary positions, Curran said. To retain sta , the district has looked to incentiv- ize regular attendance and develop more e cient sta ng models, he said. RRISD also has an agree- ment with the Texas Workforce Housing Founda- tion to provide subsidized rents at local apartment complexes for its sta members. To deal with the ongoing bus driver shortage, Curran said the district has had to get creative by increasing the number of students on each bus and utilizing shuttles to complete routes instead of adding new bus routes. RRISD also started drop- ping o elementary students as early as 7 a.m. to get middle and high school students to school on time, he said. LISD, meanwhile, changed its bell schedule to reduce the total number of routes. It’s created more work for the drivers, but it hasn’t a ected the district’s bus service zone, Gearing said. LISD has been using both traditional and uncon- ventional methods to recruit workers as well. The district hosts regular job fairs, and the transporta- tion department participated in a “bus roadeo” last year—a statewide competition for drivers to show- case their abilities on an obstacle course. Additionally, LISD is looking for parents and
guardians to volunteer in the transportation department, where they would serve as crossing guards and phone operators. This is because some permanent sta who serve in those positions are often called out to drive buses. Williams, who also helps recruit bus drivers, said he convinced two parents who live on his bus route to join the district’s eet. “They’re in their second and third year, and they’re loving it,” he said. “They realized that this is the rst time they have been able to take a vaca- tion together. So that’s attractive to a lot of our moms and dads that are coming on board.” With surrounding districts investing in a ord- able housing for their employees, Gonzales-Dhola- kia said she’s paying close attention to those types of housing initiatives in LISD but also pointed out the geographical di erence with LISD spanning portions of two counties and ve cities. In the meantime, Gearing said the district’s top priority is ensuring these shortages have as little impact on students and campuses as possible. “We absorb as much of the pain that we can at the administrative level, and we’re constantly thinking through what we can do to make better use of the sta that we do have,” he said.
Issues
People nding new interests
Larger companies o ering higher pay
Increasing cost of living
Competing with other ISDs
Rising recapture payments for some districts
Budgetary constraints
Solutions
Hosting job fairs and other events to recruit sta O ering exible or part-time schedules and bene ts Parent volunteers for certain positions
Raising pay year over year
Improving workplace culture
A ordable housing partnerships
For more information, visit communityimpact.com .
SOURCES: AUSTIN, LEANDER & ROUND ROCK ISDS COMMUNITY IMPACT
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