Category: K-12 Projects

Evergreen Solutions was engaged with the Davis School District to conduct a Job Analysis, Classification, and Compensation Study. Evergreen analyzed positions and write/revise job descriptions, as necessary, and made recommendations regarding FLSA exempt versus non-exempt status. Evergreen recommended the appropriate designation/job classification for all positions, with written documentation in support of each of the recommendations. Evergreen’s consultants collected the appropriate information required to make a fair and reasonable determination for each of the selected positions, and made classification and compensation recommendations for those positions. Evergreen further reviewed the current job classification structures and recommend classifications and classification strategies which included the drafting of specifications for new classifications.

In the end, Evergreen will provide a comprehensive report with recommendations for a compensation program that takes into consideration internal equity and external job market factors. Evergreen will provide ongoing support in reviewing job descriptions for compensation classification.

Evergreen Solutions was engaged with Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS) to conduct an Audit of Special Education. At the time of the study, VBCPS was the fourth largest school system in the Commonwealth of Virginia, with 86 schools and centers serving over 68,000 students. In the most recent comprehensive audit, completed in February 2008, it was reported that more than 10,000 students annually received individualized services and support for the previous ten years. However, since that time, the number of students receiving this support has steadily declined. For instance, the 2006 December 1 Child Count according to the last audit was 10,133 students. The 2014 December 1 Child Count, which will be used for the purpose of this audit, was 7,917 students. This represents a decrease of 22 percent from the previous audit.

The special education audit included the following: review of staffing and organization of the division’s special education personnel; review of quality and effectiveness of Special Education teacher pedagogy; review of outcomes for students with disabilities; review of the provision of FAPE in special education programs; conduct a cost analysis of the provision of the comprehensive special education program; review of record keeping system for special education; conduct a comparative analysis with similar school districts in the management of special education; and review of the development and functionality of the Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) as outlined by the Virginia Department of Education VAC 20-81-230 D.

Evergreen Solutions was retained by the County of Roanoke to conduct a Compensation Study of all pay scales for Roanoke County Public Schools (RCPS). To accomplish this, Evergreen conducted a full market salary analysis with comparable labor markets and developed a new compensation philosophy that supported RCPS efforts to attract and retain the best talent, while establishing a consistent and competitive market position within budgetary restrictions.

Evergreen will perform the following tasks: analyze and update salary schedules while minimizing compression and assuring internal fairness and external competitiveness; establish guidelines that govern classification and compensation for all RCPS employees and include recommendations for compensation guidelines that will protect the integrity of the compensation system when, or if budget constraints threaten the system; and evaluate all contracted RCPS employees’ current salaries and make recommendations to establish proper salary placement, eliminate compression issues, and close the gap where inequities occur. Include the financial cost to the district, timelines, and an implementation strategy. In the end, Evergreen will recommend employee compensation models that will be competitive with surrounding school divisions.

Evergreen Solutions was selected by Miami-Dade County Public Schools to assist in evaluating the implementation and development of the 2014-15 Miami-Dade County Public Schools Police Department’s Youth Violence and Crime Reduction Initiative Justice Assistance Grant Program. The evaluation will include pre- and post-assessments of the delivery of a state of the art workshop for students. Evergreen will provide the district with a report on program outcomes, including statistical analysis on program impact on targeted student groups.

Evergreen was engaged with Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) to conduct a Pay Plan Study. Evergreen reviewed pay plans, recommend best practices, and presented teacher pay scale options to eliminate compression in the existing teacher scale, particularly in the beginning area of the scale, while maintaining a maximum of 30 steps. Evergreen also recommended a unified pay scale that included all certified personnel including, administrators and professional personnel such as occupational physical therapist and assistance, speech language pathologist, and interpreters and recommend a unified pay scale that included all classified personnel to include administrative assistance, custodians, bus drivers, maintenance personnel, instructional assistants (aides), cafeteria personnel.

Evergreen was engaged with Nash County Board of Commissioners to conduct a Performance Audit to study and evaluate the extent to which Nash-Rocky Mount Schools (NRMS) was staffed and how it functioned within the system’s budget constraints in order to perform effectively and efficiently. The study resulted in recommendations on ways to improve the utilization of resources and, therefore, improve efficiency in NRMS.

To accomplish this, Evergreen’s consultants compared the NRMS organizational structure to comparably-sized, high-performing, selected districts for benchmarking with a three-year history; compared NRMS to other selected school districts with regard to performance for students by gender and by ethnicity; evaluated the NRMS organizational structure (all positions other than classroom teachers as defined by DPI) in light of its cost efficiency and effectiveness in its delivery of services; and evaluated the NRMS administrative and School Board travel and training expenses for efficiency, effectiveness and benefit to the school system. In addition, they identified redundancies, including those related to “contracted services” and “workshops”, and ways to streamline the organization, effect savings and to assure effective operations and support to schools; evaluated all local dollars appropriated comparing budget presented to county commissioners versus actual expenditures for the past fiscal year; compared how many local classroom teachers were being allocated versus five, ten, etc, years ago versus how much local money was being used for administrators now versus years ago; and provided information on laws or polices related to the process for budget transfers.

Evergreen conducted a Review of the Technology Department for Rock Hill Schools (RHS)—specifically the organizational structure, staffing, processes and procedures. As part of the review, Evergreen determined whether the district was adequately staffed and equipped to handle and properly support implementation of the district’s 1:1 computing initiative, which includes deployment of 5,300 devices at three high schools. The review will include development of a detailed profile of the RHS Technology Department, as well as a peer benchmarking and best practices review process to determine areas for improvement in operations.

During the review, Evergreen assessed the Organization and Management of the RHS Technology Department; Technology Planning and Budgeting; Technology Policies and Procedures; Inventory and Control; Technology Acquisition Practices; System Infrastructure and Integration; Technology Support; and Technology Staff Development. The final deliverable included a report detailing strategies for improving the Rock Hill Schools Technology Department, including whether RHS was adequately staffed and equipped to handle the additional devices and services needed to properly support the 1:1 program.

Evergreen Solutions was retained by Salem City Schools to conduct a Pay Plan Study by reviewing and providing recommendations regarding the division’s teacher pay scales, coaching supplements, extracurricular and misc salary supplements, and classified pay scale.

Evergreen’s consultants conducted focus group meetings with a sample of teachers, administrators, and classified staff to receive ideas on pay plan enhancements and provided original ideas for improving the existing employee compensation models for the included pay scales. Evergreen provided recommended pay scales that will be sustainable for a number of years and costed out all recommendations, including options of phasing in any proposed scale changes over several years.

Evergreen was engaged with Stafford County Public School to conduct an efficiency review of the school division. To accomplish this, Evergreen’s consultants reviewed: administrative and operational support systems to assure maximization of financial resources; long-term fiscal planning, budgeting, and related areas; long-term planning and facility needs to accommodate student population and programs; availability, organization, and delivery of instructional services and support systems for students, including scope of program and course offerings; technology planning, systems, and utilization present and projected as needed for instructional and administrative support; human resource components, such as recruitment, training, professional development, salary and benefits, and systemic leadership and collegial participatory opportunities; operational areas such as food services, transportation, and facilities management; and organization for central administrative services; school organization issues, including grade configuration; and utilization effectiveness.

In the end, Evergreen provided recommendations on ways to improve the utilization of resources and, therefore, improve efficiency of the school division.

Evergreen Solutions was retained by Florida Virtual School (FLVS) to conduct a Comprehensive Compensation Study that included a detailed market analysis and internal equity review to improve the fairness in the current compensation and classification system of FLVS. Evergreen’s consultants evaluated current pay grades for each classification to ensure they aligned with the appropriate market data obtained from local public school districts and private employers, and provided recommendations as to whether the pay grades were appropriate for the classifications, both internally and externally. Evergreen’s recommendations took into consideration the current professional compensation strategies, compensation philosophy, pay practices and research, as well as applicable laws, statutes and regulations governing FLVS. Evergreen developed alternative recommendations demonstrating the methodology the FLVS should use to implement the compensation recommendations and the advantages, disadvantages, and costs of each alternative.