EFFICIENCY REVIEW OF NORFOLK PUBLIC SCHOOLS Final Report Submitted to: Submitted by: May 21, 2008 EFFICIENCY REVIEW OF NORFOLK PUBLIC SCHOOLS Final Report Submitted to: Mr. Michael Spencer Chief of Operations Norfolk Public Schools 800 E. City Hall Ave. Norfolk, Virginia 23510 Submitted by: 2123 Centre Pointe Boulevard Tallahassee, Florida 32308 May 21, 2008 TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE LIST OF COMMENDATIONS LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.................................................................................................... i 1.0 DIVISION ADMINISTRATION............................................................................1-1 1.1 Introduction and Legal Foundation...........................................................1-2 1.2 School Board Governance .......................................................................1-3 1.3 Policies and Procedures ........................................................................1-15 1.4 Legal Services........................................................................................1-21 1.5 Organization and Management..............................................................1-23 2.0 FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND PURCHASING.............................................2-1 2.1 Introduction and Management .................................................................2-2 2.2 Budget Management................................................................................2-7 2.3 Purchasing .............................................................................................2-12 2.4 Purchase Cards.....................................................................................2-17 2.5 Risk and Safety......................................................................................2-19 2.6 Accounting and Payroll ..........................................................................2-24 2.7 Activity Funds.........................................................................................2-28 2.8 Fixed Assets...........................................................................................2-32 2.9 Internal and External Auditing ................................................................2-36 3.0 EDUCATIONAL SERVICE DELIVERY ..............................................................3-1 3.1 Organizational Structure and Staffing ......................................................3-4 3.2 School Improvement, Student Achievement, and Special Programs...................................................................................3-15 4.0 PERSONNEL AND HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT ............................4-1 4.1 Organization and Management................................................................4-2 4.2 Recruitment, Hiring, and Retention ..........................................................4-8 4.3 Professional Development and Employee Evaluation ...........................4-19 4.4 Classification, Compensation, and Benefits...........................................4-22 TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) PAGE 5.0 FACILITY USE AND MANAGEMENT ................................................................5-1 5.1 Planning Services....................................................................................5-2 5.2 Design and Construction..........................................................................5-5 5.3 Maintenance...........................................................................................5-10 5.4 Custodial Services.................................................................................5-16 5.5 Energy Management..............................................................................5-25 6.0 TRANSPORTATION ..........................................................................................6-1 6.1 Organization and Performance ................................................................6-3 6.2 Planning, Policies, and Procedures .........................................................6-8 6.3 Routing and Scheduling.........................................................................6-20 6.4 Vehicle Maintenance..............................................................................6-23 7.0 TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT........................................................................7-1 7.1 Organization and Staffing.........................................................................7-4 7.2 Staff Development....................................................................................7-6 7.3 Technology Planning and Budgeting .......................................................7-7 7.4 Systems Infrastructure and Integration ....................................................7-9 7.5 Technology Support and Help Desk Operations....................................7-12 7.6 Technology Acquisition Practices ..........................................................7-13 8.0 CHILD NUTRITION SERVICES .........................................................................8-1 8.1 Organization and Management................................................................8-2 8.2 Policies, Procedures, and Compliance with Regulations .......................8-13 8.3 Financial Performance...........................................................................8-19 9.0 FISCAL SUMMARY............................................................................................9-1 APPENDICES Appendix A: Survey Results Appendix B: Peer Comparison Data LIST OF ALL COMMENDATIONS BY CHAPTER PAGE 1.0 DIVISION ADMINISTRATION Commendation 1-A: The Norfolk Public Schools’ School Board, superintendent, administration, and staff are commended for developing a comprehensive meeting agenda information packet that is provided to members of the school board, and for posting the agenda and meeting minutes on the Web site.....................................................................................1-7 Commendation 1-B: The NPS School Board, City of Norfolk, and administration are commended for providing legal services through a shared services arrangement and for the overall excellent relationship between the attorney’s office and NPS ............................................................1-22 Commendation 1-C: NPS is commended for developing and implementing accountability plans, annual planning documents, and a strategic plan focusing on moving the school division to defined World- Class status......................................................................................................1-35 Commendation 1-D: NPS, the communications manager/clerk of the school board, and division staff are commended for initiating a comprehensive communications audit to review all communications media and develop a prioritized list of recommendations for improved communications efforts and more effective use of media ................................1-38 Commendation 1-E: The NPS administration is commended for developing and implementing a state-of-the-art principal and assistant principal performance assessment system that is based on current research on effective leadership and schools ..................................................1-40 Commendation 1-F: NPS is commended for providing school-level administrative staffing formulas that meet or exceed generally accepted standards..........................................................................................................1-41 Commendation 1-G: NPS is commended for developing and implementing a best practice model school “Walkthrough: A Key to Success” as a part of a process to support annual accountability plans and the division’s strategic plan initiatives........................................................1-42 2.0 FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND PURCHASING Commendation 2-A: The division is commended for its budget document that qualified for awards presented by the Government Finance Officers Association and the Association of School Business Officials International......................................................................................................2-12 Commendation 2-B: The division is commended for its progressive purchasing program .........................................................................................2-13 LIST OF ALL COMMENDATIONS BY CHAPTER (Continued) PAGE 2.0 FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND PURCHASING (Continued) Commendation 2-C: The division is commended for a purchasing manual that is precise, easily understood, and that contains specific purchasing guidelines for division staff to follow ..............................................2-14 Commendation 2-D: The purchasing department is commended for providing schools with Web-based textbook ordering ......................................2-14 Commendation 2-E: The division is commended for their procurement card program that the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing has described as an excellent program with highly effective controls.....................2-18 Commendation 2-F: The financial department is commended for hiring a business system auditor, for conducting audits of its P-card program, and for implementing recommendations contained in audit reports.................2-19 Commendation 2-G: The division is commended for establishing a superintendent’s exemplary school safety award to heighten safety awareness ........................................................................................................2-22 Commendation 2-H: The division is commended for its comprehensive annual financial reports