Standard 4: Resources and Support Systems

Indicator 4.1 – The agency engages in a systematic process to recruit, employ, and retain a sufficient number of qualified professional and support staff to fulfill their roles and responsibilities and support the purpose and direction of the agency.

Rating:  3 - Policies, processes, and procedures ensure that agency leaders hire, place, and retainqualified professional and support staff. Agency leaders systematically determine staffing needs to support school purposes, educational programs, and continuous improvement throughout the agency. Sustained fiscal resources are available to fund positions critical to achieving the purpose and direction of the agency.

Policies, processes, and procedures ensure that agency leaders hire, place, and retain qualified professional and support staff.

• All school districts in Montcalm County use Applitrack. This allows district to view and choose personnel who meet specific district needs.

Agency leaders systematically determine staffing needs to support school purposes, educational programs, and continuous improvement throughout the agency.

• MAISD maintains Board policies that guide the determination of staffing needs.

Sustained fiscal resources are available to fund positions critical to achieving the purpose and direction of the agency.

• Budget figures for the general education, special education, and CTE funds best show our dedication to providing the staff needed to best provide for our students.

Indicator 4.2 – Material and fiscal resources are sufficient to support the purpose and direction of the agency.

Rating:  3 - Material and fiscal resources are focused on supporting the purpose and direction of the agency’s operations. Agency leaders work to secure material and fiscal resources to meet the needs of all constituents and improve the effectiveness of the agency. Agency leaders demonstrate that material and fiscal resources are allocated so that all constituents have equitable opportunities to attain challenging learning experiences or support.

Material and fiscal resources are focused on supporting the purpose and direction of the agency’s operations. Agency leaders work to secure material and fiscal resources to meet the needs of all constituents and improve the effectiveness of the agency.

• MAISD maintains both a special education millage and a CTE millage that help to support and sustain services for local districts as evidence in the local portion of the revenues for these budgets.

Agency leaders demonstrate that material and fiscal resources are allocated so that all constituents have equitable opportunities to attain challenging learning experiences or support.

• Montcalm County was fortunate to pass a special education millage in 2014. This has allowed us to distribute greater funding to our local districts.

The Montcalm Area Intermediate School District employs a systematic process using the Applitrack on-line system to recruit and employ qualified staff.  In addition, MAISD uses various advertising methods such as newspapers, job fairs, University websites and Michigan Works. Retention of employees consists of adequate compensation, benefits, professional development offerings and advancement opportunities. For example, this past year we adjusted our support staff salary scale in order to be more competitive. We do know that the recent turn over in staff, including a new superintendent and a new Associate Superintendent for Special Education, while positive moves, have caused us pause. We realize that we need to make sure we are doing all that we can to ensure we can keep the quality employees we typically attract. Being small, we are limited somewhat with material and fiscal resources, but do continually look for grants and resources of funding. 

Staff are encouraged to become experts in their field and excel to meet the needs of their students.  Curriculum, instruction and assessment are clearly articulated and evidence based materials are provided within the school budget.  The ISD facilitates long range planning through the strategic planning and budget planning processes.  Maintenance of facilities and equipment is exceptional.  Technology infrastructure exists through shared services, including server and software hosting, shared technology staff and regular countywide collaborative meetings.

Each program offered by MAISD is evaluated overall with the strategic planning cycle.  Local district staff give provide feedback to the ISD regarding needed programs and services to guide the direction of the next strategic plan.

Indicator 4.3 – The agency maintains facilities, services, and equipment to provide a safe, clean, and healthy environment for all.

Rating:  3 - Agency leaders have created or adopted clear expectations for maintaining a safe, clean, and healthy environment and have shared these definitions and expectations with stakeholders. Agency personnel are accountable for maintaining these expectations. Measures are in place that allow for continuous tracking of these conditions. Improvement plans are developed and implemented by appropriate personnel as necessary to improve these conditions. Results of improvement efforts are evaluated.

Agency leaders have created or adopted clear expectations for maintaining a safe, clean, and healthy environment and have shared these definitions and expectations with stakeholders. Agency personnel are accountable for maintaining these expectations.

• MAISD has participated in a hazard assessment and worked to follow recommendations of the report.

Measures are in place that allow for continuous tracking of these conditions. Improvement plans are developed and implemented by appropriate personnel as necessary to improve these conditions. Results of improvement efforts are evaluated.

• MAISD maintains a work order system for both maintenance and technology issues. Problems are reviewed, prioritized, and rectified accordingly.
• Additionally, as specified by the bargaining agreement between the MAISD's Board of Education and its certified employees, there are steps employees can take if they feel existing facilities are inadequate and/or unsafe.

Indicator 4.4 – The agency demonstrates strategic resource management that includes long-range planning in support of the purpose and direction of the agency.

Rating: 3 - The agency has policies and procedures for resource management. The agency employs a long-range strategic planning process to manage budgets, facilities, and other agency components. The strategic planning process is evaluated for effectiveness, and improvement plans related to the process are developed and implemented when necessary. Strategic plans are implemented with fidelity by the governing body and agency leaders, and have built-in measures used to monitor implementation and completion.

The agency has policies and procedures for resource management. The agency employs a long-range strategic planning process to manage budgets, facilities, and other agency components.

• MAISD's Maintenance Department follows a 5-year building renewal plan that ensures students and staff have updated and clean facilities.
• Each program at the MACC also completes a plan for program improvement that estimates costs to keep the program updated.

The strategic planning process is evaluated for effectiveness, and improvement plans related to the process are developed and implemented when necessary. Strategic plans are implemented with fidelity by the governing body and agency leaders, and have built-in measures used to monitor implementation and completion.

• The departments of maintenance, transportation, and technology all keep and work from plans developed as part of MAISD's strategic planning process.
• The business office at MAISD also keeps a project list. MAISD departments and schools use this list to keep the organization leadership up-to-date on needs. The business office uses the list for capital planning.
• In 2015, MAISD set aside over $600,000 into a capital funds account as a way of planning for future needs.

Indicator 4.5 – The agency provides, coordinates, and evaluates the effectiveness of programs and services delivered to constituent schools and systems.

Rating:  3 - The agency provides, coordinates, and evaluates the effectiveness of programs and services to ensure that all schools and systems have access to the resources necessary to achieve the educational programs of the agency and its schools. The agency implements and evaluates processes to ensure highly qualified personnel are recruited, hired, and retained to effectively deliver its programs and services.

The agency provides, coordinates, and evaluates the effectiveness of programs and services to ensure that all schools and systems have access to the resources necessary to achieve the educational programs of the agency and its schools.

• MAISD is continuallly evaluating its programs and services. The largest review was done in preparation for the special education millage vote in 2014.
• In an effort to retain effective and qualified staff, MAISD permits tuition reimbursement.
• The technology department has an ongoing survey of its services that helps them adapt to the needs of staff and the agency.
• The MAISD superintendent meets with each local district superintendent each year to discuss MAISD programming and local district needs.

The agency implements and evaluates processes to ensure highly qualified personnel are recruited, hired, and retained to effectively deliver its programs and services.

• When the Montcalm Area Career Center did a review of all of its programming, it was decided that some academic credits could, upon proper completion of course work, be counted as academic credit toward graduation. This led to a hiring of someone to teach mathematics and English at the MACC.
• As part of its MTSS efforts, MAISD is revising job descriptions to include work with MTSS.

Indicator 4.6 – The agency provides technology infrastructure and equipment to support the teaching, informational, and operational needs of the agency and the schools/systems it serves.

Rating:  3 - The agency provides a modern, functional technology infrastructure; modern, updated equipment; and a qualified technical support staff to meet the teaching, learning, and operational needs of all stakeholders throughout the system. Agency personnel collect data concerning needs and use the resulting data to develop and implement a technology plan to continuously improve technology services, infrastructure, and equipment.

The agency provides a modern, functional technology infrastructure; modern, updated equipment; and a qualified technical support staff to meet the teaching, learning, and operational needs of all stakeholders throughout the system.

• Our technology department maintains a thorough list of what MAISD  technology equipment is located around the county in our classrooms.
• We are frequently updating our equipment as the need arises. This Promethean Board was added during the summer of 2016.

Agency personnel collect data concerning needs and use the resulting data to develop and implement a technology plan to continuously improve technology services, infrastructure, and equipment.

• On the technology department website at MAISD, there is an ongoing survey called "How Are We Doing?" that provides an avenue for staff to request the purchase of certain equipment as well as make suggestions for improvements in technology and the technology department. Further, the department maintains a Help Desk where issues can be communicated to the technology staff for attention.

Indicator 4.7 – Instructional time, material resources, and fiscal resources are sufficient to support the purpose and direction of the agency and its schools.

Rating:  3 - Instructional time, material resources, and fiscal resources are focused on supporting  the purpose and direction of the agency and its schools. Instructional time is protected in policy and practice. Agency and school leaders work to secure material and fiscal resources to meet the needs of all students. Agency and school leaders demonstrate that instructional time, material resources, and fiscal resources are allocated so that all students have equitable opportunities to attain challenging learning expectations. Efforts toward the continuous improvement of instruction and operations include achieving the purpose and direction of the agency and its schools.

Instructional time, material resources, and fiscal resources are focused on supporting the purpose and direction of the agency and its schools. Instructional time is protected in policy
and practice. Agency and school leaders work to secure material and fiscal resources to meet
the needs of all students. 

• Building level survey results indicate that MAISD and the Seiter Center do a good job meeting this standards.
• Budget figures show increasing spending over the years.

Agency and school leaders demonstrate that instructional time, material resources, and fiscal resources are allocated so that all students have equitable opportunities to attain challenging learning expectations. Efforts toward the continuous improvement of instruction and operations include achieving the purpose and direction of the agency and its schools.

• To better meet the needs of students and staff, MAISD special education programs have adopted a balanced calendar. This helps to maximize student learning time.

Indicator 4.8 – The agency provides, coordinates, and evaluates the effectiveness of information resources and related personnel to support its schools’ educational programs throughout the agency.

Rating:  3 - The system provides, coordinates, and evaluates the effectiveness of information resources
and related personnel to ensure that students and school personnel have access to media and information resources necessary to achieve the educational programs of the school. Qualified personnel are available to assist students and school personnel in learning about the tools and locations for finding and retrieving information.

The system provides, coordinates, and evaluates the effectiveness of information resources
and related personnel to ensure that students and school personnel have access to media and information resources necessary to achieve the educational programs of the school.

• In recently updating its website, MAISD took care to provide access to staff on a variety of resources.
• Additionally, MAISD employs an Assistive Technology consultant to make sure students can access information resources.

Qualified personnel are available to assist students and school personnel in learning about the tools and locations for finding and retrieving information.

• MAISD maintains a full technology department where individuals are trained to assist school personnel with tools and locations for finding and retrieving information.

Indicator 4.9 – The agency provides, coordinates, and evaluates the effectiveness of support systems to meet the physical, social, and emotional needs of the student population being served.

Rating:  3 - Agency and school personnel implement a process to determine the physical, social, and emotional needs of each student in the school. Agency and school personnel provide or coordinate programs to meet the needs of students as necessary. Measures of program effectiveness are in place, and agency and school personnel use the data from these measures to evaluate all programs. Improvement plans related to these programs are designed and implemented when needed to more effectively meet the needs of students.

Agency and school personnel implement a process to determine the physical, social, and emotional needs of each student in the school. Agency and school personnel provide or coordinate programs to meet the needs of students as necessary.

• At the Seiter Center, the staff survey show that the building staff do work to meet student needs. Their Positive Behavior Intervention Support triangle shows the range of strategies to meet student needs.

Measures of program effectiveness are in place, and agency and school personnel use the data from these measures to evaluate all programs. Improvement plans related to these programs are designed and implemented when needed to more effectively meet the needs of students.

• As part of the school improvement planning process, the Seiter Center completes a program evaluation each year.

Indicator 4.10 – The agency provides services that support the counseling, assessment, referral, educational, and career planning needs of all students.

Rating:  3 - The agency has designed and implemented a process to determine the counseling, assessment, referral, educational, and career planning needs of all students. Agency and school personnel provide or coordinate programs necessary to meet the needs of students whenever possible. Measures of program effectiveness are in place, and agency and school personnel use the data from these measures to evaluate all programs. Improvement plans related to these programs are designed and implemented when needed to more effectively meet the needs of students.

The agency has designed and implemented a process to determine the counseling, assessment, referral, educational, and career planning needs of all students. Agency and school personnel provide or coordinate programs necessary to meet the needs of students whenever possible. Measures of program effectiveness are in place, and agency and school personnel use the data from these measures to evaluate all programs. Improvement plans related to these programs are designed and implemented when needed to more effectively meet the needs of students. 

• Montcalm Area ISD has several processes in place to show it meets this indicator.
  1. The MACC surveys school counselors each year regarding their use of the Career Cruising Program.
  2. We employee school nurses through Spectrum Health to help with our students who require medical services and/or support while at school.