Staff Allocation and Assignments for the 2010-2011 School Year

For the past several months the Heartland District Services Council (DSC) has been considering how to carry out staff allocation and assignment decisions for the 2010-2011 school year. Beginning with recommendations made by the Staff Allocation Work Group in August 2009, the DSC examined several possible methods for calculating allocations using formulas with different variables. Assisted by Heartland assessment consultants, a number of trial calculations were done using data from the current year to assess the impact of each formula. The impact that each method for determining allocation would have on current services to Heartland school districts and Heartland staff who deliver those services was also considered.

Discussions about allocation occurred this fall and winter with a wide range of leadership groups within the Agency. Included in these conversations were the Superintendent’s Advisory Council, Staff Advisory Council, Partnership Directors Council and Operations Support Council. Reports on the status of decision making with regard to allocation were made to each group and input was requested.

For the groups listed below, the DSC has run the decision making process regarding refilling vacancies, and the decision was made that in these disciplines, all vacancies for 2010-2011 will be filled. Furthermore, for those groups, regional allocations for board-approved FTE will remain the same as the 2009-2010 school year. For all other workgroups, as vacancies occur, the decision making process will be run on a case-by-case basis.

• School Psychologists
• Special Education Consultants
• Early Childhood and School-Aged Social Workers
• Early Childhood and School-Aged Speech-Language Pathologists
• Occupational Therapists
• Physical Therapists
• Early Childhood Consultants
• Home Intervention Teachers
• Audiologists
• Audiometrists
• Teachers of the Hearing Impaired

A number of critical factors led to the final decision on allocation. They include the following:
• Although the need for more people to do our work is recognized, the current financial situation for the AEA makes increasing the number of staff impossible.
• Shrinking budgets and future revenues make it likely that reductions in FTE will be necessary for the 2011-2012 school year.
• Continuing work at Heartland to define staff roles, functions and standards of practice may impact allocations and assignments when completed.
• Given the current realities for both school districts and the AEA, holding steady on allocations is the best course of action.

Partnership Directors, in consultation with discipline program assistants, are in the process of confirming assignments within each region, and addressing individual situations may indicate a need for change. Heartland staff members and school districts that would be impacted by any changes of assignment will be consulted as part of the assignment decision-making process. Results of assignment decision-making will be reported to all stakeholders.