Policy 7000 – Workforce Diversity and Inclusion

The Board will comply fully with all applicable federal, State, and local nondiscrimination laws with regard to equal employment opportunities.

Discrimination is forbidden in any employment policy or practice, including the recruitment, employment, assignment, recognition, compensation, promotion, retention, support, and transfer of HCPSS employees.

In accordance with Policy 1010 Anti-Discrimination, a HCPSS employee or third party may file any discrimination complaint with the Office of Compliance and Investigations, school-based administrator, or supervisor as appropriate. All such reports will be forwarded to the Office of Compliance and Investigations.

HCPSS will strive to achieve a diverse and inclusive workforce in order to provide an enriched experience for students, families, HCPSS employees, and community members.

HCPSS will incorporate strategies including, but not limited to, attracting and recruiting candidates by developing and maintaining partnerships with institutes of higher education, local trade and professional associations, and community organizations. Additionally, HCPSS will evaluate and enhance the teacher induction staff onboarding programs to build, retain, support, and promote a workforce of highly qualified candidates while addressing underrepresentation of a particular race, ethnicity, or gender within appropriate employment positions, prioritizing those with the most significant underrepresentation.

The Board will receive available and legally permissible workforce diversity and inclusion data in the Human Resources Annual Report, which will be presented annually within the third quarter.

The Department of Human Resources and hiring managers will utilize interview protocols that establish equitable and inclusive practices that aim to mitigate bias in order to provide all candidates with fair opportunities during the interview phase of hiring.

The Board will monitor progress according to the following metrics:

The Superintendent/designee will strive to achieve and monitor progress towards a diverse and inclusive workforce in order to provide an enriched experience for students, families, HCPSS employees, and community members.

The Superintendent/designee will report on the performance of all metrics defined in this policy annually through the Human Resources Annual Report.

The Superintendent/designee will actively attempt to partner with teacher preparation programs, trade organizations, and the community to successfully recruit and develop a diverse candidate pool.

Reports of discrimination will be reviewed and investigated in compliance with Policy 1010 Anti-Discrimination.

The Superintendent will collaborate with the Department of Human Resources to attract, recruit, and hire a diverse workforce by developing and maintaining a strategic recruitment plan that establishes annual measurable and attainable goals for increasing the diversity of applicants and identifies specific activities that will increase the likelihood of receiving job applications from candidates (e.g., race/ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, language, culture, religion/beliefs, mental and physical ability, age, and national origin, etc.).

The Superintendent/designee will collaborate with leadership across all divisions to retain, develop, and support a diverse workforce by incorporating strategies including, but not limited to, mentorship, employee recognition, affinity group spaces, relationship building, wellness and employee engagement initiatives.

Attrition Rate – The percentage of teachers who were employed at the start of the school year and voluntarily resigned during that school year or decided not to return for the succeeding school year.

Bias – The attitudes and stereotypes that affect our understanding, actions, and decisions. These biases, which encompass both favorable and unfavorable assessments, may be activated involuntarily and without an individual’s awareness or intentional control.

Discrimination – Any act or omission due to an individual’s status or perceived status in a protected class that creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working or educational environment; or substantially interferes with an individual’s work or education; or otherwise is sufficiently serious to limit an individual’s employment opportunities, or to limit a student’s ability to participate in or benefit from an educational program.

Diverse Workforce – A work environment in which employees of all backgrounds work together amongst their similarities and differences including, but not limited to, race/ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, language, culture, religion/beliefs, mental and physical ability, age, and national origin.

Diversity – Recognizing, accepting and respecting that individuals come from many different life experiences with various frames of reference and perspectives. While diversity values unique perspectives and individual differences, it also values the commonalities we all share. Diversity includes, but is not limited to, race/ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, language, culture, religion/beliefs, mental and physical ability, age, and national origin.

Equity – Providing the access, opportunities and supports needed to help students, families, and HCPSS employees reach their full potential by removing barriers to success that individuals face. It does not mean equal or giving everyone the same thing.

HCPSS Employee – An individual who is a permanent or temporary employee of the HCPSS whose compensation is paid in whole or part by the Board including but not limited to, school-based administrators, teachers, substitute teachers, paraeducators, and other school-based and Central Office support staff.

Inclusion –Individuals see their unique identities reflected in all facets of education, including staffing, curriculum, instruction, and activities. All students, families, and HCPSS employees feel valued, respected, appreciated, and involved.

Retention Rate – The percentage of teachers who were employed at the start of the school year and remain employed by HCPSS for the succeeding school year.

Termination Rate – The percentage of teachers who were employed at the start of the school year and were involuntarily terminated during that school year or prior to returning for the succeeding school year.

Underrepresentation – The percentage of employees not proportionately represented in the HCPSS workforce relative to the overall population of the HCPSS workforce.