Competency 2. Organizational Management
a. Demonstrate an understanding of organizational systems
b. Define process for gathering, analyzing, managing data to plan and make decisions for programs
c. Schedule personal and organizational work establishing procedures to regulate, delegate and empower
d. Demonstrate the ability to analyze need and allocate personnel and material resources
e. Develop and manage budgets and maintaining accurate fiscal records
f. Develop an understanding of facilities development, planning and management
g. Understand and use technology as a management tool
Reflection: Organizational Management
Ruth Paisley, Spring 2011
Saint Paul Public Schools Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) serves over 1000 children a year across many settings. Children from birth to age three are served by staff of various disciplines in their home, child care, or other community program. Over half of the preschool age children receive their special education services in over 70 preschool sites, such as, PreKindergarten, Head Start, Early Childhood Family Education, or other community preschool or child care program. The other half of preschool age children attend center-based special education classrooms.
The program employs approximately 200 staff. Lead teachers, teachers, therapists and social workers, educational and teaching assistants, and clerical staff work together to provide early childhood special education in Saint Paul. In order for services to meet the needs of the diverse population of children and families, the continuum of services must be provided in locations across the city with transportation, facilities, resources and materials supporting the specific needs of children. Parent involvement is a critical feature of early childhood services as well.
As a teacher leader and eventually as supervisor for one year of Saint Paul Public Schools Early Childhood Special Education, I had many opportunities to work toward developing competency in managing a large program. The budgeting assignment in School Finance helped give a basis to the daily work I was doing and helped bring some of the fragments of the job together for me. Thinking of all of the resources available to a school leader, ie: funding, staff, facilities, materials, professional development opportunities, came together in that assignment as an integrated structure in ‘building’ a school from the ground up with all of the pieces supporting the goals of the school. While this had been a part of my work, after that assignment I was able to connect the budget and other resources to the goals and needs of the Early Childhood Special Education program with greater articulation.
Organizational management of the ECSE program in Saint Paul presented with many unique challenges. In a time of declining enrollment in other areas, the ECSE program enrollment increased over the school year by over 150 children across all ages. Fewer children were being served in ECSE classrooms and increases were seen in home based services and community based services. This changed the roles of staff, the types of facilities and resources needed from classrooms to office, storage space, lending library, and mileage reimbursement. These changes were due in part to a legislative change in the Minnesota Special Education criteria for ECSE students and in the District response to serving more children in the Least Restrictive Environment. This change in the services shows how school management is influenced by political decisions, cultural trends, and legal requirements.
The artifacts chosen are representative of the organizational management competency requirement. The excel staffing grid is used by the Special Education Department as a tool for allocating staff across all schools and programs in Saint Paul. The grid connects with the budgeting process to assist the department in making accurate and connected staffing and budget decisions. It allows for interplay and visual representation of the staffing and budgeting process as discussions occur that will impact the services students receive.
The memo concerning parent groups represents communication with staff about a small portion of the budget allocated to Early Childhood Special Education. The memo demonstrates planning linked to the goals for supporting families in Early Childhood Special Education, delegation of tasks, and accountability of staff and administration.
As part of my work I was responsible to work with staff in an early childhood center to improve and maintain facilities through the Facilities Department process of Site Ranking for needed improvements. This activity was completed by consensus with the Early Childhood Special Education and Early Childhood Family Education staff in the center.
The Early Childhood Evaluation Custom Website / Referral Outcomes (Draft) screen shots demonstrates a current collaborative project for the management of data on 1400 referrals to Early Childhood Special Education. This website links to the CAMPUS student enrollment system and eliminates dual entry of demographic data, links to the District student information system, and is capable of generating reports on data points concerning referral, evaluation, and outcome status.
Artifacts:
Staffing Grid:
2 Artifact - Staffing Grid.pdf (5,7 MB)
Parent Group Resources Memo:
2010-11 Parent Group Information.pdf (57,4 kB)
Site Ranking - Capital Expenditures:
Site Ranking - WxxxK.pdf (62,2 kB)
Custom Website / Referral Outcomes screen shots: