Report 2017-104 Recommendation 14 Responses
Report 2017-104: Montebello Unified School District: County Superintendent Intervention Is Necessary to Address Its Weak Financial Management and Governance (Release Date: November 2017)
Recommendation #14 To: Montebello Unified School District
To ensure that Montebello hires qualified certificated and classified employees, within 90 days the board should revise its policies to require the superintendent or his or her designee to provide information to the board about recruitments for high-ranking employees. The board should consider, at a minimum, the following information when approving appointments:
- The number of initial applicants.
- The number of candidates who passed the screening and interviewing steps.
- The education and work experience of the final candidate recommended by the superintendent or designee.
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2023
Upon closing of an executive level vacancy posting, the applicant pool is screened against the posted requirements for completeness and adherence to, not only District requirements, but also State and Federal requirements for a legal right to work in the capacity advertised.
For a given executive level position, upon successful screening, applicants are contacted for interview rounds in succession whereby District stakeholder reviewers conduct in-person vetting of submissions. Second round interviews, scheduled as needed, are then conducted typically with cabinet members for final selection with an offer to the successful candidate after successful reference checks. Upon acceptance, the successful candidate undergoes onboarding which includes, but is not limited to, background checks, communicable disease clearance, and conformational acquisition of any required documents from independent third parties (e.g., universities for transcripts) to support the candidate's selection. Upon successful onboarding, the candidate is presented for Board review and approval before work begins for the original posted vacancy.
Board Policy 4111 (a) provides that for each position, the Superintendent or designee shall present to the Board one candidate who meets all qualifications established by law and the Board for the position. No person shall be employed by the Board without the recommendation or endorsement of the Superintendent or designee.
- Completion Date: January 2023
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Pending
Montebello has not provided evidence that it updated its policy to address the specific elements of our recommendation. For example, its current policy does not require the board to consider the number of initial applicants, the number of candidates who passed the screening and interviewing steps, and the education and work experience of the final candidate recommended by the superintendent or designee before hiring high-ranking employees.
- Auditee did not substantiate its claim of full implementation
- Auditee did not address all aspects of the recommendation
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2021
MUSD continues to refine its policies for hiring high ranking officials.
- Completion Date: July 2021
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Pending
Montebello has not demonstrated that it updated its policies to require the superintendent or his or her designee to provide information to the board about recruitments for high-ranking employees.
- Auditee did not substantiate its claim of full implementation
- Auditee did not address all aspects of the recommendation
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2020
MUSD continues to update its policies for hiring high ranking officials.
- Estimated Completion Date: January 2020
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Pending
Montebello has not updated its policies to require the superintendent or his or her designee to provide information to the board about recruitments for high-ranking employees.
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2019
MUSD continues providing the Board of Education with a candidate selection process summary. The information includes the number of initial applicants, number of applicants who passed screening, number of candidates interviewed and interview steps, and the education and work experience of the final candidate who is recommended by the Superintendent.
- Completion Date: February 2019
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Pending
Montebello has not updated its policies to require the superintendent or his or her designee to provide information to the board about recruitments for high-ranking employees. It has not provided evidence that it provides the Board of Education with the work experience of the final candidate who is recommended by the superintendent or designee.
- Auditee did not substantiate its claim of full implementation
- Auditee did not address all aspects of the recommendation
1-Year Agency Response
MUSD continues providing the Board of Education with information of the hiring process to include number of applicants, number of applicants who passed screening, number of candidates interviewed, and the education and work experience of the final candidate. MUSD is in the process of formalizing a policy that will provide the minimum recommended information.
- Completion Date: November 2018
- Response Date: November 2018
California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Pending
Per Montebello's response, it is in the process of formalizing a policy. We will assess Montebello's actions to implement this recommendation once it revises the policy.
- Auditee did not address all aspects of the recommendation
6-Month Agency Response
MUSD continues working on formalizing a policy that would provide the minimum recommended information. Currently, that information is being provided to the Board of Education, but is not reflected in a written policy.
- Estimated Completion Date: 6/30/2018
- Response Date: May 2018
California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Pending
Per Montebello's response, we will assess Montebello's actions to implement this recommendation once it revises its policy. Further, Montebello has not provided documentation demonstrating that it currently provides this information to the board.
60-Day Agency Response
MUSD will continue providing the Board of Education with information on the interview process, the number of initial applicants, the number of candidates who passed the screening, the number of candidates interviewed, as well as the education and work experience of the final candidate. Most recently, MUSD exercised this practice when selecting the Director of Head Start.
- Completion Date: July 2017
- Response Date: December 2017
California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending
Montebello has not fully implemented this recommendation. It should revise its policies to require the superintendent or his or her designee to provide information to the board about recruitments for high-ranking employees.
- Auditee did not address all aspects of the recommendation
All Recommendations in 2017-104
Agency responses received are posted verbatim.