Round Table Presentation

Audience:  Superintendents
Handouts – Initial Screening Matrix
List of places advertise for admin positions

Introduction:

• Does your workforce reflect your community?
• Our workforce did not reflect our students.

As our community grew, we realized that Woodland staff did not reflect our student population. We knew that had to change. We started by changing our practices to better diversify our workforce, which was supported throughout the organization and reinforced in our Strategic Plan.

Documents:    Applicant Screening Matrix

Results:   Reduce/Eliminate Implicit Bias in the recruitment, selection and hiring practices

Process

1. Expanded our budget to focus on posting our job openings in various sites versus only on our district website, attended recruitment fairs on a state and national level in outlets that attract diverse candidates, made contact with Historical Black Colleges and Universities to begin building a partnership and provide job posting. For example,
   
   Job Postings
   The School Superintendent Association - AASA
   Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents - ALAS
   Illinois Association of School Administrators - IASA
   National Association of Bilingual Educators - NABE
   National Alliance of Black School Educators - NABSE
   Illinois Principals Association - IPA
   K-12 Job Spot
   
   
   Recruitment Fairs
   National Association of Bilingual Educators - NABE
   National Alliance of Black School Educators - NABSE
   NIU Education Job Fair
   UW - Milwaukee Education Job Fair
   EIU/UIUC Educators’ Job Fair
   ISU Education Job Fair
   UIC Consortium Job Fair (UIC, DePaul, Loyola, NEIU, Augustana, Concordia)
   Illinois Resource Center (Bilingual/Dual Language) Job Fair
   Spain Visiting Teachers Program
   Teacher Job Fair (Northwestern, University of Chicago, Chicago State University, DePaul, University of Illinois - Chicago (UIC) and Loyola
   National Louis University
   Chicago’s Annual Diversity Employment Day
   
   
   Historical Black Colleges and Universities
   Alabama State University
   Grambling State University
   Savannah State University
   Morgan State University
   Winston-Salem State University
   Tennessee State University
   Albany State University
   North Carolina Central University
   
   
   Posted Administration positions with the following organizations:
   The School Superintendent Association - AASA
   Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents - ALAS
   Illinois Association of School Administrators - IASA
   National Association of Bilingual Educators - NABE
   National Alliance of Black School Educators - NABSE
   Illinois Principals Association - IPA
   K-12 Job Spot
   
   
2. Developed screening matrix tools. For example:  Applicant Screening Matrix
   
   
3. Revised our interview questions to incorporate equity and inclusivity
   
   
4. Developed a Stakeholder Interview Training. Anyone involved in any part of the screening and selection of candidates must participate in the training.  The purpose of the training is two-folded: First to share with those who are participating in the interviews the new process to be followed; Second, to share tools that will assist in eliminating any bias when screening, interviewing and selecting candidates (Matrix Forms and Confidentiality Form).  All participants viewed a YouTube video by Tyrone Holmes on Unconscious Bias and the Hiring Process.  Seeing this video set context on the training.
   
   (https://youtu.be/3MIF5V1J5vA)
   
   
5. Developed interview questions for every stage of the interview process and added “Look Fors” to the candidates answers, which helped guide the Stakeholders in assessing the candidates responses and reduce any bias the Stakeholder may have.
   
   Example Question:  What work have you done in the area of equity and inclusivity in your current position?
   
   Example Look Fors:  Attended and lists equity training; led equity training; changed practices due to equity and inclusivity research; gathered data in equity; self-reflective on personal equity journey; articulates core belief of using equity as a lens; understands equity is race and also sexual orientation; religious beliefs; cultural beliefs; gender; etc.
   
   The “Look Fors” did not allow the Stakeholders to have a discussion regarding the candidate and avoid any harmful groupthink that would sway the Stakeholders.
   
   
6. Displayed a picture of our diverse staff on district’s postings and added language to postings informing candidates that we are building a diverse workforce, come join us. Language reads:
   
   “Woodland School District 50 is an Equal Opportunity Educator/Employer.  We are committed to building a culturally diverse workforce and educational environment by hiring individuals who support and contribute to the diversity and excellence of our student and academic programs through their teaching and service to our students, parents and the community we serve.
   
   If you welcome inclusion, equity and diversity, have an unwavering commitment to the success of all students, embrace and celebrate the individuality of our student population with respect to race, ethnicity, and economic status, and seek to celebrate the cultures that contribute to making our district so rich, please join our team!  Minority candidates are encouraged to apply.”
   
   
7. Virtual Screening Matrix- 4 deep questions
   
   
8. District Level Interview
   
   
9. Stakeholder represented administration, staff, parents, students, community-tapped into external committees such our our Equity and Inclusivity Committee

Ah ha Moments:

1. Add equity question into reference checks
   
   
2. Have a brief video to share with Stakeholders before the interview recapping their role and the initial training they participated in.
   
   
3. Groupthink is still occurring in some interviews - Facilitators will need to drive the process to ensure that “old habits” do not resurface.
   
   
4. There are variations of the interview questions documents being used - we will develop a document that is consistent used throughout the district.
   
   
5. Revise the Screening Matrix forms so the Definition percentages are clearer for the individuals completing the forms.
   
   
6. The Historical Black Colleges and Universities noted that the district may come onsite to recruit their graduating students, however, they shared that their students would not relocate to Illinois. The district offered our services to conduct mock interviews over the phone with their students.  It’s a partnership that may lead into attracting students of color to the district.
   
   
7. It is a journey - requires constant monitoring and retweaking