Elkhart Community Schools audit finds inconsistent reference checks; district moves to tighten hiring procedures
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Summary
A district review found background checks met state standards but pre-employment reference checks were inconsistently executed; Superintendent Dr. Hough and legal and HR officials described immediate corrective steps including mandatory reference forms, policy language changes and training.
Superintendent Dr. Hough told the Elkhart Community Schools board on March 24 that a recent audit into human-resources and transportation hiring practices identified execution gaps in pre-employment reference checks and other parts of the hiring process.
"Background checks document history. They do not predict future behaviors," Dr. Hough said, noting the district completes statutory checks before an employee's first day. He said the audit examined hundreds of personnel files across employee groups and identified inconsistent reference-check practices from 2020 through 2024.
In-house counsel Greg Hixenbaugh said his review found no systemic deficiency in the district's criminal- or child-protection background checks but did identify multiple instances where applicants listed only colleagues as references, failed to provide prior supervisors, or submitted fewer than the required three references. "Anything less than a scrupulous attention to detail in your reference-checking process will increase the risk that an employer hires applicants who are not ideally suited to fill a vacancy," Hixenbaugh said. He recommended revising policy 31-21 ACS to require background checks before the first day of work and to codify mandatory pre-employment reference checks.
Human-resources director Miss Lozano described near-term corrective actions already underway. She said the district will make the reference-check form in Frontline a required element for all hiring recommendations, require a minimum of three references (two from the most current or recent employer when applicable), strengthen the questions asked of references (including whether a candidate is eligible for rehire), and conduct regular file audits. "Neither layer will move without the other," Lozano said, describing a two-layer process where hiring managers lead and HR verifies completeness.
Board members said they welcomed the transparency and the corrective plan. The superintendent and counsel emphasized that background checks are limited to arrests, convictions and substantiated reports and therefore strengthen the need for robust reference checks and consistent hiring practices going forward.
The board did not take any formal disciplinary action during the meeting; administrators said they would return with policy language updates and administrative guidelines reflecting the corrective measures.
