FAQs

Q: Why might my school or district be interested in a product like ECOC-STATE?

A: Virtually any employee conduct problem has the potential to impact student achievement on a negative basis. Indicators of the potential need to develop or update an employee code of conduct include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Persistent designation as an “underperforming” or “non- performing” school or district by the state department of education
• Difficulty achieving year-over-year student achievement gains
• Large numbers of discipline-related grievances or complaints of unfair labor practices vs. peer schools or districts
• Excessive allegations of inconsistent, inequitable or unreasonable staff discipline
• Identification of high risk disciplinary practices during insurance renewal reviews

Q: Aren’t my current ethics standards, policies, employee handbooks or master agreements enough?

A: Rarely. Professional codes of ethics apply only to licensed/certified staff, and neither they nor board policies provide specific guidance regarding what appropriate conduct “looks like.” While it is clearly important to incorporate both of these sources of authority into any employee code of conduct, no single source document provides the level of procedural detail needed to effectively and defensibly manage all types of conduct issues.

Similarly, Employee handbooks and master agreements address multiple employment and work-related concerns and rarely provide a complete picture of the disciplinary process within a school or district. For quality assurance purposes, all or these documents should be informed by the code of conduct rather than substituting for one.

Q: Why choose ECOC-STATE?

A: As a national leader in the school reform process, UpSlope Solutions has partnered with nearly 800 school districts in their efforts to put accountability related research into practice since 2004.