Yazoo County School District officials have released results from the Nov. 10, 2015, accreditation standards audit and accountability audit performed by the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE).
“They did not call us; we did not even know about it,” Superintendent Becky Fisher told the trustees during Tuesday’s monthly school board meeting. “They used anonymous interviews conducted with district staff and community members.” MDE officials also did on-site visits at each school and at the administrative offices.
Commenting on the deficiencies the MDE found, Fisher said most were related to items the school board had not approved.
“It’s a matter of paper work,” she said.
MDE cited the school district for issues with the following standards:
• Standard 3, which requires that the school district implement “an annual, formal personnel appraisal system for licensed staff that includes assessment of employee on-the-job performance.”
MDE found that the district appraisals were not approved by the school board.
“All of these must be approved and remain filed to reflect implementation system for licensed staff,” MDE wrote. “Training shall be completed and the appraisals of librarians shall be completed regarding the system to be used.”
In response, Fisher said, “All those evaluations must be approved by you. We do all of them. They’re just not approved by you…. We’ll just bring (the appraisals) to you, not necessarily the results, but the instrument.”
• Standard 9, which requires that “the school district engage in planning to review the educational status of each school in the district and to address specific actions relative to accreditation and performance separately.”
MDE found that the board had not approved the plan, but it was noted that the plan was approved in the December school board meeting.
• Standard 15, which requires that the school district “implement a professional development program aligned with the Learning Forward Standards for Professional Learning.”
MDE found that the board had not approved a professional development program, but it was noted that the plan was approved in the December school board meeting.
• Standard 18, which requires that each school have a library media center.
MDE listed eight “findings,” which outlined the deficiencies. Included among those findings were: the district does not have a board-approved policy on the selection of materials; a formal needs assessment has not been conducted that involves input from teachers; professional collections do not have the appropriate number of books and periodicals; the school librarians do not submit an annual budget request or an annual report documenting expenditures; standard procedures for the circulation, maintenance, inventory and weeding of materials have not been established by the district; the district does not conduct a media center program assessment as a basis for developing short and long range strategic plans of improvement; the libraries do not have advocacy committees or public relations plans to publicize the libraries’ resources and services; and none of the libraries have website links with online access to materials on their schools’ home page.
In responding to the findings, Fisher said, “We do this. It’s just not written down and you (the school board) have not approved it. It’s a matter of paper work. We will have this ready for you to approve. We will immediately begin implementing the Mississippi Library Monitoring Rubic to correct these findings. We will also contact Limeul Eubanks in the Office of Elementary who will come in and make sure that we are exactly right.”
• Standard 22, which requires that the school district provide access to an alternative education program which meets the program guidelines outlined in MS Code 37-13-92 and the guidelines established by the state board of education.
MDE found that the school “district’s disciplinary policy does not require a process for the development of an Individual Instructional Plan (IIP) by a committee of teachers, counselors, administrators, or other professional personnel prior to the placement of a student into the alternative learning program.” After reviewing records, MDE discovered that six students assigned to the alternative center had incomplete Individual Instructional Plans.
In response to the deficiency, Fisher said the administration will work with the alternative school administrator in revising the disciplinary procedures to include the formation of an IIP committee and a requirement that an IIP be completed prior to the student admission to the program.
• Standard 29, which requires that the school district comply “with the applicable policies of the state board of education and state and federal laws in the operation of its transportation program.” It is also required that the school district implement “Nathan’s Law as a priority for promoting school bus safety.”
Fisher said the school district’s contracted transportation provider, Ecco, has been made aware of the deficiencies. “That is on their back.”
• Standard 31, which requires that the “school district comply with state board policies and state and federal laws to provide safe schools. Each school must have a comprehensive school safety plan on file that has been approved annually by the local school board.”
MDE findings noted that there are no provisions for alternate evacuation areas; required emergency drills have not been conducted at all schools; open and unlocked classrooms were observed throughout the district, allowing easy access for intruders; Crisis Response Team members, including their contact information, have not been identified at all schools; and school blueprints are not included in the school safety plans.
District administrators said the schools will train administrators in Crisis Response Planning; establish family reunification points and evacuation area; prepare emergency evacuation kits; administrators will become familiar with the National Incident Command System and the Incident Command System; visitors will surrender identification and/or vehicle keys prior to visiting campuses; and school safety officers will attend the next School Safety Office Basic Course.
Fisher said there is an additional deficiency regarding personnel, but that standard was discussed with the trustees in executive session. School board attorney Barry Bridgforth said Wednesday that no action was taken following the discussion.
Fisher said the school district is “very fortunate because everybody works together.”
In other county school board matters, the trustees:
• Approved a request from Black River Antique Lumber to demolish and remove a barn on Section 23, Township 11N, Range 2W for $500.
• Approved resolutions for financing of Schneider Electric projects.
• Approved a request for out-of-state travel for the Yazoo County High School JROTC to attend an NBA game in New Orleans on Feb. 27 for cadets to present colors before the game.
• Accepted the following donations: $50 from Henry, Barbour, Decell and Bridgforth LTD; $100 from Go Fund Me account; $10 from Wells Fargo Community Support Campaign; $500 grant from Exxon Mobil Corp.; $921 from Box Tops for Education; and $100 from Ms. Harris.
• Approved proposed school board redistricting plan submitted by Holland and Rigby Political Redistricting Consulting Group.
• Approved the rescind policy regarding drones. The trustees will consider a new sample policy to replace the rescinded policy during the February meeting.
