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Human resources report: openings drop to 17 but district still struggles to fill special education and paraprofessional roles
Summary
Kevin Brock told the Romulus board the district’s open positions have decreased from more than 40 certified vacancies to 17 total openings, while shortages persist in special education, paraprofessionals, social work and finance.
Kevin Brock, the district’s human resources presenter, told the Romulus Community Schools Board of Education on April 14 that the district has reduced overall staffing openings since his first report but still faces hard-to-fill roles in special education and support services.
"When I first got here, we had over 40 certified staff openings. . . Today, the total number of staffing openings that you'll see are 17," Brock said, noting five of the current openings are certified positions. Brock listed vacancies at the high school (PE, special education, special ed resource room), the middle school (strategic reading/read180), and elementary special education, and he said paraprofessionals remain difficult to recruit despite recent wage increases negotiated in the last contract.
Brock described additional needs across the district: three social workers (middle school, high school, special ed), a psychologist (noting market pressure on psychologists who can command higher private-practice pay), a speech and language clinician, a high-school counselor, a media specialist, and an open director of finance post that has been vacant since Brock started in 2023. He said the district has posted a maintenance-worker position and is seeking trade-skilled candidates (plumbers, electricians) for capital and facility work.
Brock also outlined a planned approach to special-education psychological testing: with interim director Julie Gutman’s involvement, the district has begun working with an external vendor (Wayne Risa) for a virtual psychologist to perform testing, but Brock emphasized the district paused an earlier haphazard approach to make sure students would meet with a familiar adult in the room when virtual testing occurs.
Board members asked Brock to resume a weekly or monthly openings report; Brock said his office will restart a Friday openings email through staff member Miss Gregory. The HR presentation closed with board acknowledgement of active recruitment efforts and an upcoming attendance at the Michigan School Business Officials (MSBO) conference to recruit a candidate for director of finance.
Ending: Brock said hiring remains a district priority and that several interviews are scheduled; he told the board potential candidates for finance and other roles will be brought forward for formal interviews and, if recommended, for board action.
