Department of Transportation

Personnel Management Technical Briefing

Montgomery County Public Schools
Transportation Assessment Project Deliverable 5 of 5
January 31, 2024
Table of Contents
1.0 | Introduction • 2
Purpose 2
Summary 2
Relationship to the Change Management Plan 2
2.0 | Human Resources Operations Assessment • 3
Assessment Categories 3
Assessment Rubric 4
3.0 | Assessment Results • 6
Onboarding 6
Taking Care of Your People 10
4.0 | Action Items • 14
Immediate 14
Complete Soon 16
Change Management Planning 18
1.0 | Introduction •
Purpose

This technical briefing is the fifth of five work products resulting from the CESO assessment of the
MCPS Department of Transportation (DoT). It provides a more in-depth discussion of CESO’s findings
in the area of personnel management and human resource practices as previously presented in the
Baseline Conditions Assessment. As such, it designed for a more targeted audience of practitioners
and those within the DoT organization who will be tasked with addressing the areas of concern
identified in this functional area, and those who will be involved in executing the planning approach
advocated within the Change Management Plan.

Summary

While this represents the final deliverable for the project, it also represents the first area requiring
focused attention as recommended by CESO. The assessment has revealed the critical importance
of, and the department’s reliance on, the individuals and groups of people that make the
transportation system operate successfully day-by-day. CESO is also calling for a fundamental,
foundational shift in the DoT’s structure and operating philosophy. This core recommendation is
partly a reactive response to the challenges faced in recent years, and partly a recognition that long-
standing internal systems and processes are no longer appropriate to the current day realities facing
the DoT. The manner in which, and how successfully the department responds in the near-term will
be dependent to a large degree on it’s human resources and personnel management infrastructure.

Of critical importance are CESO’s observations that:

• Recognize the uniqueness of the HR function in the DoT as compared with the rest of the
MCPS organizational structure.

• The core challenge of ensuring sufficient bus operator staffing in the short-term underlies all
aspects of the long-term change management plan.

• The process of change will be lengthy and will require staff to continually adapt and to work
temporarily outside of established norms and task boundaries, vastly increasing the need for
robust and supportive HR processes.

Relationship to the Change Management Plan

The need for, and rationale behind a comprehensive change management initiative for the
Department of Transportation is contained throughout this and the companion Technical Briefings
plus the aforementioned Baseline Conditions Assessment. The Change Management Plan itself is
focused on providing an actionable path forward for planning and executing this lengthy and complex
undertaking. This document should serve as a reference tool for those tasked with that planning and
implementation process.

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2.0 | Human Resources Operations Assessment •
Assessment Categories

To understand the current human resources operations of the Montgomery County Public Schools
(MCPS) Department of Transportation (DoT), CESO collected data from identified district leaders
through a qualitative assessment. This assessment’s focus was restricted, to understand the
functions specific to employee recruitment, engagement, and retention. CESO full Human Resources
Operations Assessment (HROA) examines six themes CESO has found to be integral for highly
effective HR operations:

Figure 1 – Holistic Assessment Framework

Process Design
Onboarding Reporting &
Documentation

Taking Care of Contracts & Proactive

Your People Labor Relations Practices

Onboarding

The onboarding process encompasses the actions taken to bring new hires into the system, from the
point a need to hire is identified through a new hire’s first 90 days of employment. This includes the
initial job posting, interviews, candidate selection, hiring, orientation, integration, and new hire
surveys/feedback.

Taking Care of Your People

Taking Care of Your People refers to the actions, systems and processes that are used to engage,
retain, and support an organization’s employees. This includes the organization’s compensation
philosophy, compensation and benefits strategy, benefits, leave and accommodation processes,
workers’ compensation management, development opportunities, feedback systems, recognition
efforts, and incorporates the use of data analytics by an organization to inform its efforts and
understand their impact.

Reporting & Compliance

Every organization is required to complete and submit numerous reports to demonstrate compliance
with federal and state laws. The reporting function refers not only to the completion of these

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mandated reports but also to the processes an organization has in place to support and streamline
their submission.

Contracts & Labor Relations

The area of contracts and labor relations includes key tasks and processes used to support the
organization’s labor relations. This includes the processes used for contract negotiations as well as
items such as seniority lists and performance management/discipline.

Process Design & Documentation

The documentation and design of the organization’s key processes allows the organization to exist
in a more proactive state, and additionally serves to mitigate the risk of knowledge loss that occurs
when an employee departs the organization.

Proactive Practices

Proactive practices refer to the actions that an organization puts in place to support its long-term
goals and strategy, including: the annual staff planning process, strategy to diversify the workforce,
measurement and tracking of People data, and strategic plan.

Assessment Rubric

For each of the categories in this assessment, CESO evaluated the district’s responses and rated
findings on a scale from one (Emerging) to four (Distinguished):

Figure 2 – Assessment Scoring Rubric

Developing Distinguished
Emerging (1) Proficient (3)
(2) (4)

• Low efficiency • Low efficiency • Efficient • High efficiency

• Low effectiveness • Effective • Effective • High effectiveness
• Competitive
advantage

Emerging

An emerging rating is given when a district’s human resources operations are in the beginning stages,
with minimal evidence of identified practices to achieve the department’s strategic goals. Basic tasks
and operations may be completed, but with a low degree of both efficiency and effectiveness.
Practices are not documented, and so critical items may be missed or take a significant amount of
time to complete, with frequent errors.

Developing

A developing rating is given when a district’s human resources operations show some evidence of
some basic practices, but attention is needed to address gaps and improve practices. Basic tasks
and operations are effectively executed to maintain the essential functions of the department but take

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a significant amount of time to complete. Minimal documentation may exist for some practices, but
processes may be reliant on employee knowledge to be executed.

Proficient

A proficient rating is given when a district’s human resources operations are performed consistently
and with intentionality, demonstrating a strategic approach to its practices. The essential functions
of the department are executed efficiently and effectively, allowing for some focus on proactive
practices to continue to improve the function of the human resources department and support the
district’s overall strategic plan.

Distinguished

A distinguished rating is given when a district’s human resources operations demonstrate a deep
understanding of human resources strategy with evidence that exceeds standard performance of
practices. Tasks and projects are completed with a high degree of both effectiveness and efficiency
with minimal time spent correcting errors. Processes are well documented, and the department can
focus its efforts on proactive practices, in alignment with the district’s strategic plan, to position the
district as an employer of choice.

A district’s rating is reflective of a point in time and is not static, as its human resources practices
continue to evolve and staff within the department change.

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3.0 | Assessment Results •
To understand the DoT’s employee recruitment, engagement, and retention, CESO’s assessment
focused on the Onboarding and Taking Care of Your People categories only. It is additionally
important to note that this assessment does not cover the main Montgomery County Public Schools
HR department.

Based on the responses to the questions in CESO’s assessment, DoT HR has been given an overall
score of 1.84, or Emerging:

Figure 3 – Overall DoT HR Rating

This score is generated as the average of the individual scores for each category (Onboarding, Taking
Care of Your People). It is important to note that there is a separation between the main MCPS HR
team and the DoT HR team; many items noted here may be unique to DoT HR. The DoT HR
department has an opportunity to design and implement processes not only to support the
completion of basic tasks and projects but to enable the department to take a proactive, human-
centric approach with its employees.

The sections below provide further detail into each category’s individual score. Recommended action
items in response to this assessment are outlined later in this document.

Onboarding

The DoT HR team responded to a series of questions on 11 topics under the Onboarding category:
talent acquisition, job postings, job descriptions, applications, the interview process, candidate
selection, background checks, hiring, orientation, integration into the system, and data analytics.

Based on the responses to the questions on these topics, DoT HR has been given an overall
onboarding rating of 1.91 or Emerging. This rating is the average of the individual scores for each
topic within the Onboarding category. These scores are illustrated in the following visual.

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 Figure 4 – Onboarding Scoring

Further insights into each topic are highlighted below.

Talent Acquisition

Talent acquisition refers to the actions taken by the district to recruit individuals to work for the
organization.

The MCPS DoT HR department regularly posts its jobs through the district website and on Indeed.
Occasionally, a job may be posted on LinkedIn; this must be requested through the HR main office
and approved. DoT HR sometimes advertises positions through other social media sites. Open
positions are also included in a monthly newsletter to all transportation depots to encourage internal
employees to apply. There is always a bus operator position advertised on the district’s website to
promote recruitment of this critical role in the district; bus attendant positions are only posted when
there is a need to hire this position.

Outside of position advertisements, the DoT HR plans and hosts its own job fairs. Job fairs are
typically hosted in February or March in preparation for the summer, followed by another in June.
While at the job fair, attendees can fill out an employment application with the assistance of the DoT
HR team. DoT HR has requested assistance with these job fairs from the main HR department’s
recruitment team unsuccessfully. DoT HR additionally participates in community events such as
county fairs and has created a “grow-your-own” program for bus attendants to train to be bus
operators.

DoT HR uses several strategies to promote the recruitment and hiring of bus operators. As part of the
hiring process, bus operators are required to pass a physical exam to obtain a DoT card to be able to
test for a CDL permit, complete fingerprinting, and attend a one-week permit class. DoT HR pays for
the cost of the physical exam, fingerprinting, and the permit class. Once a candidate has passed their
CDL permit test, DoT HR will additionally pay the individual to attend bus operator training classes, as
well as a three-hour session to prepare the individual for a pretest. In exchange, DoT HR has a soft
requirement that employees stay with the district for one year; however, this is not enforced, and DoT

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HR is working to put a process in place to recover a portion of these payments for employees who do
not remain in the district for the full year.

Job Postings

DoT HR has a standard job posting used for its positions. These are posted directly by DoT HR, with
no separate approval process. Postings are created through the district’s applicant tracking system.
DoT HR is entirely responsible for creating its job postings; there is not another individual or group of
individuals within DoT who act as hiring managers.

Job Descriptions

DoT HR has standardized job descriptions for each of its positions. These are tied to each job posting
during the posting process. The bus operator job description was most recently updated in 2021 and
the bus attendant description was last updated in 2012.

Applications

All applications to open DoT positions are submitted online through the district’s applicant tracking
system. The application process is cumbersome for applicants; applicants are required to first create
a profile for the system, and then apply for their desired position. The application itself is lengthy and
includes 10 standard questions plus multiple “ace” questions designed by DoT HR specifically for DoT
positions in addition to an applicant’s work history, education history, references, and other items.
DoT HR staff also noted the application is difficult for non-native English speakers and that this makes
up the majority of applicants for DoT positions. There is not an option to complete the application in
another language. Non-native English-speaking applicants will ask DoT HR for assistance with the
application, but DoT HR does not have the capacity to assist.

Interview Process

DoT HR is responsible for interviewing all DoT applicants. To assist with this process, DoT HR has
trained an identified group of six individuals who are available to help interview. These individuals are
not compensated for this. To provide support to this group, the Staffing Manager has created a video
of herself conducting an interview for interviewers to use as a resource.

Interviews are conducted primarily over the phone; this practice has been in place since the COVID-
19 pandemic. DoT HR will also set up interviews over Zoom or in person on request. Interviewers
receive a link to a Google Form with a list of approximately 10 set questions that are asked, and
interviews last no longer than 30 minutes. The DoT HR team expressed a desire to simplify the
questions asked in the interview to make them easier to understand.

Candidate Selection

After identification of a potential candidate for hire, the applicant receives a link to forward to their
current/former supervisor to complete as a reference check. This process happens entirely
electronically, and no telephone reference checks are conducted. Once completed, the form returns
to a Dropbox attached to the district’s applicant tracking system. DoT HR sometimes reviews these
but has not been able to review for every applicant due to current staffing levels. The questions
included in this electronic reference check form are standard for each employee. A supervisor is not
required; a reference can also be clergy or another character reference. DoT HR previously required
three reference checks, but the current practice is to complete one.

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Background Check

Transportation employees must pass an array of screenings to be hired. In addition to the physical
required to obtain a CDL permit, bus operators must clear fingerprinting, a criminal background check,
driving history check through the state’s license monitoring system, and drug testing. The individual’s
driving history is checked for the state of Maryland or another state/country if the individual is being
hired from outside the state.

Although driving history is checked prior to the interview stage and fingerprinting/the criminal
background check is conducted after the DoT physical, drug testing is not conducted until after the
candidate has been hired, attended permit class, and obtained their CDL permit. A clear drug test is a
condition of employment as a bus operator, and individuals who do not pass drug testing must be
terminated.

Hiring

DoT HR does not send new hires an offer letter with the details of their new position. Job offers are
made verbally to candidates. If the candidate accepts, DoT HR sends the reference request and an
email to the employee with a copy of their job description and a “mandatory requirements” form. This
form specifies certain conditions of the job: agreement to complete a physical exam, notification that
the employee is subject to random drug tests, agreement to work both shifts Monday through Friday,
notification that the employee cannot choose their depot assignment, and the requirement to work
with the district for a minimum of one year. New hires do not sign any document acknowledging their
rate of pay.

Bus operators are initially hired at the point when they attend their CDL permit class. While an
individual is attending class and earning their CDL, they are considered a temporary or substitute
employee. Once an individual has their CDL and has completed an additional month of training, the
employee is then assigned to a depot and issued a permanent employee badge. At this point the
individual is also offered benefits.

Bus attendants are also initially hired as temporary or substitute employees while they complete
training. After training is complete, the individual remains temporary and is not eligible for benefits
until DoT has enough staffing to be able to offer them a permanent position with benefits. DoT HR
reported this waiting period is approximately one to two months for bus attendants, but that it has
taken up to two years in the past. In total, the hiring process takes two to three months from the time
the individual first applies to when they become a permanent employee. A hire is considered fast if
the process takes six to eight weeks to complete.

Orientation

On the first day of training, DoT HR presents information to individuals on depot locations, the types
of buses operated by the district, and mandatory compliance topics. DoT HR has also included a slide
with pictures of the HR team for individuals. Individuals who already had their CDL at the time they
applied to work in the district do not attend this class or receive this information. Once an employee
has been offered a permanent position, they attend a separate orientation with the district’s main HR
team to receive information on their permanent status, probationary period, benefits, leave, and the
union. Employees otherwise do not have the opportunity to participate in an orientation with an
introduction to the district and their role within it.

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Integration

Integration (also known as onboarding) is a longer-term process during which a new hire builds
relationships and integrates into the organizational culture.

After an employee has finished their training and has been assigned to a depot, both bus operators
and attendants are assigned a mentor for three days. This mentorship program has been in place for
some time prior to a district-wide push for this support for new employees.

DoT HR has also developed a New Employee Coordinator (NEC) program for its new employees so
that employees also have an NEC to access for help after their three-day mentorship is complete. The
role of the NEC is to show the new employee around the depot and help them access important
information for their job (i.e., how to get a copy of their paystub, how the route bidding system works,
how to access email, etc.). NECs are paid an extra two hours per day to promote participation in this
program. Employees are guaranteed six hours per day of pay as a baseline, so serving as an NEC
increases the guaranteed pay to eight hours per day. The DoT HR team shared during the assessment
that each depot is asked in the hiring process to identify a new employee’s mentor and NEC, and that
this happens inconsistently; one depot has never provided mentor or NEC names, so DoT HR is unsure
whether this depot is participating in the program.

The DoT HR team additionally noted that employees need additional training. The training provided
as a new employee has been centered around the requirements to obtain their CDL and be able to
operate a school bus; additional training is needed on what it is like to be a bus operator.

Minimal support is in place for employees who are non-native English speakers. Available trainings
and CDL tests are all done in English and the DoT HR team notifies its employees that an intermediate
level of English is required to be able to perform the role. There is not an option to complete training
and testing in another language or for other assistance with this (such as extra time for testing or
other supports). The majority of applicants for DoT positions are non-native English speakers.

Data Analytics

Data analytics related to onboarding include gathering employee feedback on their new hire
experience as well as measuring and tracking data related to hiring such as the time to fill open
positions, cost per hire, and hiring sources. These metrics provide an organization with valuable
insight into key elements of the hiring process that can inform future talent acquisition and
onboarding efforts.

The DoT HR team has created a survey for employees who attend the CDL permit class to understand
their experience with this training. The team is otherwise not tracking or measuring data related to
the onboarding process.

Taking Care of Your People

The DoT HR team responded to a series of questions on seven topics under the Taking Care of Your
People category: leaves, workplace injuries, benefits, development, the employee experience,
compensation, and data analytics.

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Based on responses to the questions in CESO’s assessment, DoT HR has been given an overall score
of 1.71 or Emerging. This rating is the average of the individual scores for each topic within the Taking
Care of Your People category. These scores are illustrated in the visual below.

Figure 5 – Taking Care of your People Scoring

Further insights into each topic are highlighted below.

Leaves

Employees accrue both sick and personal leave. The district has leave forms that employees can fill
out when they need to be absent for a partial day, full day, short-term leave (five to 60 days), or long-
term leave (more than 60 days). Leave forms are sent to a separate leave department for approval.

DoT HR noted that same-day callouts are an area of concern. Employees frequently call in an absence
right before their shift starts; when this happens the route dispatcher becomes responsible for finding
coverage for that route. The HR team stated these last-minute absences occur frequently on payday,
Fridays, the day before or after a holiday, rainy days, and other bad weather days. DoT HR expressed
a desire to offer an incentive to employees for not calling out for a certain length of time.

To help with coverage, DoT HR has over 90 substitute drivers; this is a combination of individuals who
have not yet completed training and dedicated substitutes to cover routes. Substitutes report to work
every day for both shifts and are paid standby if they report to work and no route is available for them.
DoT HR would like to be able to offer additional training for substitutes while they are waiting to better
occupy their time.

Workplace Injuries

DoT HR reported a high number of workplace injuries and worker’s compensation claims. DoT HR
also stated that there are several employees who get injured repeatedly or falsely report an injury.
Injuries are reported on a paper form that is completed with the depot secretary. MCPS has a third-
party administrator for these claims; the TPA is responsible for follow-up on claims.

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Benefits

MCPS employees are offered benefits right away. Because DoT employees start working as
temporary/substitute employees while they complete training, their benefits do not begin until they
are offered a permanent position. DoT HR stated employees wait approximately one to two months
before benefits are available to them. Temporary employees can sign up for voluntary benefits such
as a 403(b). Insurance benefits are managed by the main MCPS HR team.

DoT HR offers a robust wellness program to its employees, including items such as: weekly exercise
classes at each depot, monthly seminars on wellness topics (ex., stress management, diabetes, blood
pressure, preventive care, etc.), yearly hiking opportunities, free recreation center passes, wellness
challenges, biometric screenings, vaccinations, and pre-recorded weekly fitness videos. This program
is promoted primarily through the MCPS email system, flyers posted in employee lounges, and some
communication on the two-way radio system used by bus operators. The DoT HR team shared that
despite these promotion efforts, employees lack awareness of the program.

Development

MCPS provides online professional learning for all employees. The online learning platform does not
have specific learning modules for DoT employees, but DoT HR has hired an external organization to
develop this for the DoT and provided a list of 30 topics. During the hiring process, DoT employees
receive training to obtain their CDL. Employees also must attend two mandatory COMAR meetings
for continuing education. DoT HR would like to implement additional training for its trainers on how
to effectively engage participants.

Employee Experience

Employee experience refers to what efforts are made by the district to recognize, celebrate, and
acknowledge its employees, how employees give and receive feedback, and how employee
complaints or issues are addressed.

DoT HR expressed that the past two years have been very stressful for the department and that there
is not much recognition for employees right now. Employees are recognized by the union for items
such as perfect attendance or years of service. DoT HR hosts a cookout each year after school ends
as well as a holiday lunch in the winter. Employees have also received a small gift for school bus
safety week. DoT HR shared that other recognition efforts previously existed but are not currently in
place such as monetary awards to recognize employees who go above and beyond.

There is not a process in place for employees to give feedback. DoT HR shared a desire to implement
something like a QR code to have employees share feedback in this manner. An exit interview was
previously created by DoT HR, but this has not been used since the COVID-19 pandemic.

When an employee has a complaint or an issue, DoT HR stated they try to get both sides of the story
and will involve upper management as needed, but expressed uncertainty that everything that can be
done to resolve the issue is done. DoT HR also shared a perception that DoT employees are looked
down on in the district, and stated DoT HR receives complaints about how employees are treated.

Compensation

DoT HR has worked to increase compensation for DoT employees through multiple avenues.
Following a comparison study of other counties, pay for DoT positions was increased beyond the

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entire area in 2022. DoT HR has also increased the number of guaranteed paid hours from four per
day to six per day (or eight per day for NECs). The bus operator position was also reclassified to a
higher grade in 2021.

DoT HR noted that pay is a frequent question from employees; employees struggle to understand
why they are paid what they’re paid, how hours of pay are calculated, and why pay may have changed.
Each depot has a timekeeper, but timekeepers are unable to take the time to explain changes in
employees’ pay. DoT HR would like to develop a resource for employees to help them understand
their pay.

Data Analytics

DoT HR has worked to increase compensation for DoT employees through multiple avenues.
Following a comparison study of other counties, pay for DoT positions was increased beyond the
entire area in 2022. DoT HR has also increased the number of guaranteed paid hours from four per
day to six per day (or eight per day for NECs). The bus operator position was also reclassified to a
higher grade in 2021.

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4.0 | Action Items •
CESO has identified areas of opportunity for the Department of Transportation to make its HR
operations more effective and efficient. These opportunities are outlined below, and have been
prioritized by items to complete immediately, items to accomplish as soon as feasible, and items that
can be delayed, becoming part of the overall change management initiative described in the Change
Management Plan. The immediate action items are areas of focus CESO believes necessary to fortify
current operations, and to support the early planning phases as described in that document.

Immediate

Address Leadership Gap

DoT HR identified a gap in leadership within the DoT following the departure of its director and a lack
of closure for employees following this event. If closure is not provided for these employees, this may
have long-lasting negative impacts on organizational culture. Explicitly addressing the forward-
looking plan for the MCPS DoT with staff will provide necessary closure and will mitigate the potential
for longer-term negative cultural impacts on the overall change management plan.

Revise Hiring Practices

To help MCPS DoT HR quickly, efficiently, and consistently hire necessary staff, particularly bus
operators, CESO recommends that the district revise key elements of its hiring process as follows:

• Prioritize rapid response to candidates identified for hire to avoid a gap in communication
and potential loss of these individuals. This prioritization should also include follow-up with
new hires who have attended the district’s CDL permit class but have yet to obtain their
permit.

• Review what items in the hiring process may be completed simultaneously to shorten the
length of time between an individual’s initial application and their first day of work.

• Establish a consistent practice of checking and reviewing a candidate’s references prior to

extending an offer of employment.

• Include drug testing earlier in the hiring process with other background checks to eliminate
the use of resources to hire, train and support candidates who ultimately are terminated for
failing to pass this condition of employment. All conditions of employment must be met
before an individual can begin employment.

• Create a standardized offer letter to send to new employees outlining the details of their
position to improve clarity for new hires on the terms and conditions of their employment.
This offer letter should also require acknowledgement by the new employee.

Talent Acquisition Support

DoT HR uses an array of tools and strategies to recruit individuals to fill open DoT positions and does
not receive support from the main HR department’s recruitment team for these efforts. To help MCPS
continue to recruit talented staff to come work in the district, CESO recommends that the district
consolidate its talent acquisition efforts with the main HR department’s recruitment team. This will

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promote closer collaboration between DoT HR and the main HR department as well as free up DoT
HR to support DoT employees more effectively.

New Hire Support

To provide a consistent employee experience for new hires, CESO recommends development and
consistent application of the following resources for new employees:

• A new employee orientation providing employees with a broad introduction to the district,
their role within it, and other pertinent information for new employees such as payroll
processes, how to request time off, and other new hire topics.

• Assignment of a mentor and a New Employee Coordinator (NEC) consistent with the existing
mentorship and NEC programs in place within DoT. CESO additionally recommends following
up with all managers on the expectations of mentor and NEC assignments and addressing
gaps in implementation to eliminate disparities in this program across depots.

Online Application Review and Updates

DoT HR shared that the current online application is lengthy and is difficult for non-native English
speakers who make up the majority of DoT position applicants. This has made the application
process cumbersome and may be a barrier for potential candidates. To support talent acquisition
efforts and streamline operations, CESO recommends the district review and redesign its online
application to improve accessibility for all job applicants. CESO additionally recommends the district
review what resources may be available to support non-native English speakers with the application
process.

Position-Specific Learning

DoT HR shared that employees receive training during the hiring process which centers around the
requirements to obtain a commercial driver’s license (CDL) and operate a school bus, but that
employees do not otherwise have access to learning opportunities around the real-life experience of
being a bus driver. To further support the success of employees in DoT positions, CESO recommends
designing, creating, and implementing learning opportunities for DoT individuals on how to handle
different scenarios which may be experienced in the course of their work on a school bus.

Time Off Audit

DoT HR noted in the assessment process that same-day callouts by employees are an area of
concern, and that absences frequently occur on similar days (i.e., Fridays, days immediately preceding
or following a holiday, etc.). To effectively plan for employee absences, CESO recommends
conducting an audit of recorded absences to better understand actual employee short-notice
absence patterns. Following the results of this audit, CESO recommends creating a plan to proactively
address staffing needs on anticipated high-absence days. This may or may not include offering an
incentive to employees.

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Complete Soon

Resources for Hiring Managers

CESO recommends developing the following resources for hiring managers, so they are well equipped
to perform their work and support employees:

• Hiring guide for hiring managers including processes and guidance on:
o Job postings
o Application review
o Interviews and candidate selection
o Reference checks
o Onboarding

• Regular learning opportunity for hiring managers to understand the hiring process from start
to finish.

Documentation of common processes may be included in an electronic playbook to facilitate the

onboarding of new managers and ongoing learning for this group.

Data Analytics

To better understand the impact of the district’s initiatives, systems, and processes, CESO
recommends periodically extracting and analyzing data for key metrics. This information can then
provide the district with the tools and insights needed to make decisions. This also provides the
district with the ability to examine its trends, see how its makeup changes over time, and understand
its larger story. Examples of these metrics include:

• Metrics related to onboarding

o Time to fill open positions
o Cost per hire
o Hires by referral source
o Selection rates/yield ratios

• Metrics related to retention

o Key talent retention
o Exit survey data
o Promotion patterns
o Success ratios
o Attrition metrics
o Employee attendance, time off usage

• Employee demographics
o Race/ethnicity
o Gender
o Average age
o Average total compensation
o Highest education completed

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CESO additionally recommends developing a process to share this information with leadership and
the wider organization.

Design and Implement Employee Feedback System – New Hires

CESO recommends developing and implementing a new hire survey to be conducted annually,
starting with the district’s current school year (2023-2024) new hires. Seeking feedback from new
hires on the onboarding process can be used as one method of employee engagement and provides
the district with key insight into the employee experience. The results of new hire surveys can then be
used to continue to refine the onboarding process.

Design and Implement Employee Feedback System – Existing Employees

CESO additionally recommends that the district design feedback systems for its current employees
to understand employee engagement and exit interviews to understand what factors may be causing
employees to leave the district. Prior to implementing these systems, CESO recommends working
with district senior leadership to gain support for this initiative as the district will need to be prepared
and committed to act on the results of any employee engagement survey. A lack of action following
a survey of this nature will hinder employees from participating in future engagement efforts.

Resources for Employees

To provide additional support and clarity for employees, CESO recommends developing the following
resources to share with staff:

• Guide for employees on the depot assignment process including processes and guidance on:
o How depot assignments are made
o How to request a new depot assignment
o The bidding system
o Key contact information

• Payroll resources for employees including:

o How pay is calculated
o How to access paystubs
o What to do if an employee believes there is an error in their pay
o Key contact information for HR and payroll

• Regular learning opportunity and/or communication for employees around these processes

Documentation of these processes may also be posted to the district’s website/staff intranet to
facilitate access for employees. CESO additionally recommends creating a clean, safe, accessible
space for employees to use computers in each depot to be able to access this information and use
their MCPS email.

Training and Testing Accessibility

As shared during the interview process, the district has been able to provide minimal support to
employees who are non-native English speakers with required testing or training. Non-native English
speakers make up the majority of applicants for DoT positions. As a critical talent source for the
district, it is vital the district provides the necessary support for individuals to be successful so the
district can sustain and improve its talent pipeline for DoT positions. CESO recommends evaluating

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where updates to training and testing may be made to improve accessibility and available supports
for non-native English-speaking applicants.

Information Management

The district has been working to implement electronic resources and systems; however, the district
continues to rely on paper for information transfer. To reduce the amount of time spent moving paper
forms physically between depots and minimize the risk of information loss, CESO recommends
identifying where existing forms, tools, resources, and other documents may be transitioned from
paper to electronic formats. This transition further frees up employee time to invest in employee
relations, engagement, or other critical operational areas.

Change Management Planning

Retrieval of Costs

The district invests a significant amount of money in new hires for DoT positions to entice candidates
to apply, through paying the cost of candidate screenings (fingerprinting and physical exam) and
compensating candidates for attendance in CDL permit and training classes. In return for this
investment, the district notifies candidates they are required to work in the district for one year;
however, the district currently has no ability to enforce this requirement. DoT HR is in the process of
working with the district’s legal department to implement a way to retrieve a portion of these costs. If
DoT HR finishes this work and successfully implements cost retrieval, this may provide a deterrent
for short-term attrition and save money for the district.

Professional Learning Opportunities - Substitutes

To help cover DoT staffing needs, the district employs many substitute drivers (approximately 90 at
the time of this assessment). These substitutes are assigned to a depot and report to work every day.
When a route is not available, individuals remain at the depot waiting in case one becomes available
during the course of their shift. CESO recommends offering additional learning opportunities for
individuals who are waiting for a route assignment to continue to invest in employees and
constructively occupy employees’ time.

Professional Learning Opportunities – All Employees

All Montgomery County Public Schools employees have access to online professional learning
opportunities; however, these online learning modules do not contain specific learning for
transportation employees. DoT HR has provided a list of topics and is working to develop learning
modules for this group; CESO recommends continuing to develop and implement additional learning
opportunities for transportation employees.

Employee Absence Reporting

Same-day callouts are an area of concern for DoT HR, requiring additional resources to be spent on
substitute staffing and for route dispatchers to spend a portion of their day finding coverage for last-
minute absences. Absences are inconsistently reported across depots. To improve the accuracy of
staffing forecasts and lessen the commmitment of resources required on staffing substitutes, CESO
recommends that DoT HR design and implement, in partnership with depots, a consistent process
for reporting same-day absences by employees.

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Expand Reach of Job Postings

DoT HR consistently has a hiring need and has had difficulty filling positions in the past. Positions are
regularly posted on the district website and Indeed, and sometimes advertised through other avenues.
To improve the reach of bus operator and attendant job postings and candidate pipelines, CESO
recommends consistently utilizing additional posting resources such as social media sites and
multilingual job boards.

Job Posting Approvals

DoT HR is accountable for all DoT job postings and does not have another individual or group of
individuals within DoT who act as hiring managers. To provide additional time for DoT HR to engage
in other operational tasks, CESO recommends developing a group of hiring managers within the DoT
and implementing a system where hiring managers are responsible for posting and hiring positions
in partnership with HR. In this model, HR is responsible for reviewing/approving job posting requests
for alignment with current staffing needs and processing new hires while hiring managers request
job postings, interview, and select candidates for hire.

Redesign Interview Questions

DoT HR has a series of interview questions that are used with applicants during the interview process
and identified a desire to simplify these questions for candidates. CESO recommends reviewing the
current bank of interview questions to identify where questions may be shortened or otherwise
simplified to improve candidate understanding and answer quality.

Wellness Opportunities

During the assessment DoT HR highlighted a robust series of wellness offerings for DoT employees.
These are offered to employees at no cost and are underutilized. To improve the reach of these
programs and continue to position the district as an employer of choice, CESO recommends
extensive promotion of these offerings through district and union leadership communications,
employee newsletters, flyers, enrollment campaigns, and other avenues. CESO additionally
recommends the district continue to evaluate and expand employee access to wellbeing services as
part of a larger retention strategy.

Employee Experience

Although part of the DoT efforts in previous years, DoT currently provides limited employee
recognition. To improve employee engagement and retention, CESO recommends the district seek
input from employees to learn what recognition practices are meaningful to them, and then
implementing formal and informal recognition and celebration opportunities for the work employees
are doing across the district.

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