Caddo Parish School Board fields staff concerns over new UKG time-and-attendance system

Superintendent Burton asked HR staff to present the district's new time-and-attendance system, UKG Ready, and spent much of the Caddo Parish School Board meeting answering questions after a presentation from HR staff. The rollout, which began in 2023, uses wall-mounted clocks and a facial-scan option but district officials said employees may sign in with an employee identification number or—eventually—badges.

The presentation: why the district says it was needed

At the board meeting Superintendent Burton said the district had employed “50 plus versions of timekeeping systems” and needed a single system that would feed directly into payroll. Ms. Stanford, who led the presentation for HR and implementation staff, told the board the system is “centered around efficiency, empowerment, and safety.” She described features staff can use to request leave, see leave balances and run reports showing who is on campus during an emergency.

“Everything is on that button, and you are in control of your own timekeeping,” Ms. Stanford said during the presentation. She also told the board “No images or personal identifiable information is stored in this system,” and that the vendor stores only an employee’s name, position and location, which she said are public records.

What staff and public commenters asked

Board members and more than a dozen employees addressed the system’s mechanics, costs and privacy safeguards. Union and classroom leaders, paraprofessionals and bus drivers said communication about the rollout had been inconsistent, that some employees felt pressured to complete facial scans before a December break, and that the system did not yet reflect…