HR presents hiring criteria overview; trustees ask about job-description consistency and screening

ANTHONY, N.M. — The board received part one of a three-part Human Resources report Wednesday that outlined hiring criteria, licensure verification and background‑check requirements for certified and hourly staff.

Miss Perciaga, presenting for HR, summarized state requirements and district practice. She said licensure standards are set by the New Mexico Public Education Department and noted the district’s process for supporting applicants working toward certification. "Typically, the Department of Education will give them 2 years to complete their licensure to get that teaching certificate. We do here at Gadsden sign off on 1 additional year. So, really, it's a total of 3 years that they have to get that teaching license," Perciaga said.

Nut graf: The presentation covered differences between certification requirements for elementary and secondary teachers (secondary positions require subject-matter credits), paraprofessional qualifications (high school diploma or paraprofessional exam, or 48 specified college credits), verification for ancillary professionals (nurses, social workers, therapists) and trade certifications (journeyman licenses, HVAC credentials). HR staff also described fingerprint-based background checks and the role of job descriptions in setting local preferences beyond state minimums.

Board questions: Trustee Plurisk asked how the district determines when a preferred qualification (for example, four years of assistant-principal experience) becomes a required one and how the district avoids perceptions of inconsistent yardsticks. Perciaga said job descriptions are reviewed by the district leadership team; directors proposing changes bring recommendations to central office and the leadership team vets and approves updates. She also noted many job descriptions use the word "preferred," which allows some flexibility in hiring if the applicant pool does not meet stricter experience requirements.

Ending: HR said subsequent reports will cover vetting and interview scoring at the next board meeting and onboarding processes in April. Trustees asked HR to consider standardizing job description language and screening protocols to ensure consistent, transparent hiring practices across the district.