Running head: LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT IN CHARLES 1

Maryann Andrews
Learning and Development in Charles County Public Schools
DETT 621
June 30, 2019
LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT AT CHARLES COUNTY SCHOOLS 2

Learning and Development at Charles County Public Schools (CCPS)

Introduction

Each state requires school district employees to complete annual professional

development and staff development training following the state and local standards. The

occurrence of serious events involving school staff often warrants the completion of additional

professional development training. A Maryland news story from 2016 shared that after a six-

month investigation, a Charles County Public Schools coach/school aide pleaded guilty to sexual

misconduct (Chamberlain, January 6, 2018). According to Monique Poole, (a current CCPS

employee), the district added additional mandatory professional development to be completed by

all district employees in response to this crime (personal communication, June 19, 2019). This

case study focuses on the overall Learning and Development (L&D) system used by Charles

County Public Schools and their effectiveness at meeting the district’s goal of eliminating further

occasions of abuse.

Description of Organization

The Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) is located in Charles County, Maryland.

This county public school district’s Employee Manual (2015) outlines that the organizational

mission “is to provide an opportunity for all school-aged children to receive an academically

challenging, quality education that builds character, equips for leadership and prepares for life, in

an environment that is safe and conducive to learning” (p. 2). As per the CCPS website (2018),

the district’s goals are:

to increase student achievement by utilizing the integration of best practices in

technology and instruction, to provide a safe, orderly and caring environment for students
LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT AT CHARLES COUNTY SCHOOLS 3

and staff, recruit and retain a qualified, highly effective, and diverse workforce, and

communicate, engage, and partner with our parents and community.

According to the Department of Business and Economic Development, (2013) Charles

County covers over 541 square miles and within that area are located 21 elementary schools,

eight middle schools, seven high schools, and four centers, serving over 27,000 students. Per the

CCPS website (2018), the most recent data shows that the district employs 3,542 people,

including 2,079 teaching staff, 1,122 support staff, 114 technical employees, and 227

administrators.

To fulfill state and local training requirements, CCPS provides staff development training

offerings through the CCPS portal. To meet the mandatory training requirements, CCPS through

a partnership with the Maryland Boards of Education and Vector Solutions, secures the required

modules using the Safe Schools LMS. Safe Schools creates safety and compliance modules that

are added to customized training plans by the school district representatives and assigned to

employees via an automated system.

Case Study Data

Tools and Technology

Employees of the CCPS are provided two avenues to achieve their annual professional

development requirements and individual staff development related to their specific teaching

areas and relevant education topics. The department of staff development offers professional

development opportunities for all CCPS employees through collaborative efforts with local

entities. Employees are encouraged to self-enroll in opportunities for both online and face to

face training events through a centralized registration site via the following portals; Charles

County Public Schools, Thinkport Education, and the Maryland State Department of Education.
LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT AT CHARLES COUNTY SCHOOLS 4

A partnership with nearby St. Mary’s County allows CCPS staff to participate in continuing

professional development courses provided to employees of St. Mary’s Public Schools.

Additionally, the CCPS (2019) website provides employees with access to information on degree

and certification programs offered by a variety of institutions of higher learning.

To address the recent incidences of sexual misconduct by Charles County employees,

CCPS requires the annual completion of professional development training modules provided

through the Safe Schools LMS. These modules include:

Mandatory Training-Completed annually

-Bloodborne Pathogen Exposure Prevention

-Charles County Public Schools Child Abuse and Neglect

-Charles County Public Schools Suicide Awareness and Prevention

-Diversity Awareness: Staff-to-Staff

-Fire Extinguisher Safety

-School Finance Responsibilities

-Sexual Harassment: Staff-to-Staff

-Staff/Student Relationships

Supplemental Training Courses

-Emergency Management - 10 courses

-Environmental - 48 courses

-Health -26 courses

-Human Resources - 24 courses

-Information Technology - 4 courses

-Miscellaneous - 9 courses
LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT AT CHARLES COUNTY SCHOOLS 5

-Nutrition Services - 8 courses

-Policy - 17 courses

-Security - 7 courses

-Social and Behavioral - 22 courses

-Transportation - 10 courses

As of yet, the organization shows no plans for future changes to this delivery system or

the required modules. The partnership outlining the delivery of training through the Safe

Schools LMS continues to be utilized by CCPS. The Charles County Public Schools supports

the use of social media only as a means of communication that may be viewed by the general

public. The district policy requires transparency between all participants, and currently, avoids

the use of social media as a method for staff development or professional development.

Analytics

Subject matter experts employed by Vector Solutions develop the required professional

development courses with delivery through the Safe Schools LMS. Modules are completed

using any computer and are accessed using the employee’s unique ID number as the login. The

Safe Schools LMS tracks each participant’s progress by linking their employee ID number to

module completion. Each staff member is required to complete all of the assigned modules as a

condition of their employment. Training is measured and evaluated by earning a score of 80% or

better on each module’s assessment. Employees must repeat the entire module and quiz until

they receive a passing score. The Safe Schools website (2019) notes that a tracking system

provides school administrators with a list of employees that have not completed the training by

the initial deadline. As per Sandy Rooney, Secretary to the Principal of CTE (Career Technical

Education), Coordinator of
LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT AT CHARLES COUNTY SCHOOLS 6

CTE and the Social Media Coordinator for Stethem Educational Center, those employees are

then notified of their delinquency by a CCPS administrator and provided with a new deadline for

compliance. The Human Resources department contacts any employees that have not completed

the training by the second deadline, to inform them of possible disciplinary action, to date, there

has not been an employee that has missed the second due date (personal communication, June

23, 2019).

The implementation of these modules and subsequent annual completion by each CCPS

employee represents a return on district expectations. The assignment of mandatory modules

was meant to eliminate the incidences of alleged school employee misconduct, but the results

show otherwise. Further accusations of sexual misconduct with students have been alleged even

after district-wide compliance of module completion. In regards to meeting overall training

requirements, the CCPS has achieved those stipulations through the use of the Safe Schools LMS

and in-house staff development offerings but has not fulfilled the mission of providing a safe

environment.

Competencies

Using the ATD Competency Model (2014) as a guide, the CCPS demonstrates an attempt

at a global mindset by hiring professionally qualified people regardless of their age or culture

and providing the training modules in English and Spanish. As per the CCPS website (2019),

new employees must meet minimum requirements related to their position. For example,

teachers must have completed an undergraduate degree and meet the Maryland State Department

of Education certification requirements. The CCPS requires that staff agree to maintain and add

to their industry knowledge by completing their training plans and participating in staff

development. The Negotiated Teachers Agreement (2018) outlines the four domains on which
LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT AT CHARLES COUNTY SCHOOLS 7

teachers are rated to include: “Planning and Preparation, Classroom Environment, Instruction,

and Professional Responsibilities” (Education Association of Charles County & Charles County

Board of Education, pp. 83-106). Requirements for the employment of support staff range from

the completion of a high school diploma, job-related experience, and the successful completion

of an undergraduate or graduate degree related to the position held. The employee’s

measurement of competency is dependent on their professional assignment within the district.

For example, teacher ratings depend on state-mandated requirements regarding the student’s

education. Gauging the adaptability of personal skills and the demonstration of continuous

learning is conducted by annual formative feedback with the school principal in respect to each

teacher’s demonstration of professional practice from the previous school year. Support staff,

i.e., custodians, administrative assistants, and food service workers, are not required to meet such

stringent competencies. Evidence is not available online showing how to support staff is rated or

evaluated on an annual review, but as per Monique Poole, all district employees meet with their

direct supervisors to discuss the completion of mandatory training (personal communication,

June 25, 2019). All employees must establish technology literacy to access and complete the

modules that are on their annual training plan.

The organization’s capability to provide a safe environment for students and staff is

directly dependent on the competency of the employees. Thus, their completion of training and

implementation of learned skills is imperative to meeting the CCPS goal of providing a safe

school environment.

Jobs and Roles

Vector Solutions employs the major role players involved in the development and

delivery of the PD required courses. As per the Vector Solutions Fact Sheet (2018), over 250
LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT AT CHARLES COUNTY SCHOOLS 8

subject matter experts develop new courses and update the existing library with a variety of

online delivery methods encouraging participation and to reinforce learning. The Vector

Solutions web page (2019) shows that the development team focused on school safety courses is

comprised of over fifty K-12 subject matter experts. The organization also employs a team of

editors that create relevant courses on safety and compliance topics. Course introductions

include the course description, subject matter, category, and authors. The courses and services

offered by Safe Schools are predominantly automated. Users receive information from the

system on each employee’s time-stamped course completion, review, and acceptance of assigned

policies, training plans for all staff, e-mail reminders and archived reports for later reference. To

maintain the automated system and to ensure all components are currently properly a team of

qualified information technology staff are employed.

The learning and development jobs and roles within CCPS are sparse as a result of the

use of a third party, or local entities to provide online training. This author believes that CCPS

does not have the workforce necessary to meet the training demands of their employees and

therefore, have chosen to outsource the training. The current delivery platform and module

requirements appear to be meeting the need for mandated training of the CCPS employee groups

that are typically abled. There is no evidence identifying module modifications for employees

with special needs. Research has not shown any indication of challenges related to a

multigenerational workforce or with differently abled employees within CCPS.

Future Planning

Unfortunately, the successful completion of training has not produced the desired

outcome related to the improper interactions between students and district staff. As per Ms.

Rooney, the current plan will remain in place, and additional modules may be added in the future
LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT AT CHARLES COUNTY SCHOOLS 9

if necessary (personal communication, June 23, 2019). Therefore, the addition of face to face

training and active dialogue between all interested parties should be put into practice to mitigate

the occurrence of additional indictments.

The current implementation of the L&D system places employees on the honor system

allowing them to use their unique identification number to log in and complete training.

Presently, there are no platforms in place assuring that individual employees are completing their

training plans. The inclusion of a biometrics component eliminates the possibility of employees

completing one another’s programs out of convenience or for monetary benefit. The

organizational culture of CCPS must place a stronger emphasis on training and follow up to

support the vision and values of the district and to keep employees and students safe.

Analysis of Learning and Development Maturity

Based on data gathered for this case study, the Charles County Public Schools

professional development training and staff development programs have a maturity level of

Stage 2: Consistent L&D events. As described on the Stages of Learning and Development

document, “the organization's technological capability and people can support learning and

development activities” (University of Maryland University College, n.d.). Through the

partnership with Safe Schools and local entities, CCPS has consolidated operations to provide its

employees with e-learning access to the planned annual training. The assigned modules support

the CCPS vision for staff training and completion of the Education Association of Charles

County Negotiated Agreement (2018) standards provide data for qualitative analytics through

compliance with professional development training based on the needs of the school, the

teachers, and students (p. 113). Although the third-party vendor adequately provides training

modules, CCPS lacks the needed follow up with employees. There is no evidence showing
LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT AT CHARLES COUNTY SCHOOLS 10

communication with staff and management regarding the effectiveness of the training, especially

for the sensitive topics directly related to staff-student interaction. The automated system

delivers quantitative proof of module completion to the responsible parties, but this is merely an

indication of information access, not necessarily knowledge building. The lack of evidence that

CCPS employees develop any of the staff development curricula also supports the Level 2

maturity rating. Information on numerous opportunities for staff development (both in-seat and

online) accessible through the CCPS website is evident, but content does not indicate ongoing

follow up with administrative staff.

The key areas to be addressed on the future training needs analysis include the periodic

review of the module content, increased involvement from supporting departments, and

immediate face to face training after subsequent violations of employee protocol. The annual

completion of predictable modules is fodder for complacency. CCPS administrative staff

should consider a yearly review of module content to ensure the district’s vision remains

supported. Moreover, the suggested increase in practical involvement from the Human

Resources Department adds another layer of evaluation when considering training

compliance. Immediate face to face training with all staff on site should occur after any event

of inappropriate behavior.

Conclusion

This case study has determined that Charles County Public Schools can significantly

improve their Learning & Development plan by working in association with the contracted

third party and local entities to deliver high-quality training and staff development with

consistent site level reinforcement. The CCPS vision statement outlined in the Employee

Manual (2015) declares that students should be in a safe environment conducive to learning
LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT AT CHARLES COUNTY SCHOOLS 11

(p. 2). The opportunity still exists for the successful accomplishment of the CCPS vision by

directly aligning the training plan to meet this goal. But, as long as students are victims of

district employees, the evidence shows that the current culture and training plans are

ineffectual. This author ranks the organization’s level of Learning and Development maturity

at Stage 2. At present, there are no projected changes to the training program, but the ongoing

incidences warrant at the very least a review by the Charles County Public Schools to improve

the level of L&D maturity.

LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT AT CHARLES COUNTY SCHOOLS 12

References

ATD. (2014). ATD competency model; The talent development profession redefined to create

a competitive advantage. Retrieved from https://www.td.org/certification/atd-

competency-model

CCPS Terms of employment. (n.d.) Retrieved from

https://www.applitrack.com/ccboe/onlineapp/1BrowseFile.aspx?id=102966

Chamberlain, S. (2018, January 6). HIV positive ex-school aide pleads guilty to multiple child

sex abuse charges. Retrieved from https://nypost.com/2018/01/06/hiv-positive-ex-school-

aide-pleads-guilty-to-multiple-child-sex-abuse-charges/

Charles County, Maryland. (2013). Brief economic facts. Retrieved from

http://m.charlescountymd.gov/sites/default/files/ed/2013%20Brief%20Economic%20Fact

s.pdf

Charles County Public Schools. (2018). CCPS facts. Retrieved from

https://www.ccboe.com/index.php/ccps-at-a-glance

Charles County Public Schools. (2015, September). Charles County public schools employee

manual. Retrieved from

https://www.ccboe.com/myccps/images/pdfs/FinalEmployeeManual15-16.pdf

Charles County Public Schools. (2019). Staff development. Retrieved from

https://www.ccboe.com/index.php/staff-development

Education Association of Charles County & Charles County Board of Education. (2018).

Negotiated agreement. Retrieved from

https://www.ccboe.com/myccps/images/pdfs/documents/NegotiatedTeachersAgreement.

pdf
LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT AT CHARLES COUNTY SCHOOLS 13

Safe Schools by Vector Solutions. (2019). Training management system. Retrieved

from https://www.safeschools.com/suite/online-safety-training/

University of Maryland University College. (n.d.). Stages of learning and development:

Capability/maturity. Document posted in University of Maryland University College

DETT 621 9040 online classroom, archived at http://campus.umuc.edu

Vector Solutions. (2018). Fact sheet. Retrieved from https://www.vectorsolutions.com/wp-

content/uploads/2018/02/2018-Vector-Solutions-Media-Kit.pdf