U.S. Department of Education Chapter of Blacks In ...

U.S. Department of Education Chapter of Blacks In Government (BIG) Report:

The Status of the African American Workforce at the U.S. Department of Education as of the First Quarter of 2013

By Wanda E. Gill, Ed.D.

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Acknowledgments This report would not be possible without the assistance of colleagues at the U.S. Department of Education who have worked diligently to provide both information and access to data. Steven Jefferson of the EEOS Office met with me regularly and fulfilled our data requests. Steven was also responsible for securing support for captioning the three 2013 Black History Month dvds during our 2013 Black History Month Program that is cited as an appended ERIC publication. James Nosal of the Budget Office was insightful and helpful in providing ED- wide data on the number of employees by grade for this report. Gary Jones of the ED Chapter of Blacks In Government (BIG) provided editing services. ED members provided caveats and anecdotal references from their primary offices as well as general support for this publication. David Tsuneishi of the National Library of Education provided some of the online resources, including those published online by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Another major supporter for this work is the National President of Blacks In Government (BIG), Darlene H. Young, for believing in and supporting the work of this chapter. Similarly, Region XI President, Shirley A. Jones, has been a steadfast supporter of the chapter and has used its publications and website as examples of how other chapters can leave a legacy and footprint for future generations, interested in Black employees at the U.S. Department of Education, their treatment and legacy. This document is dedicated to the members of the U.S. Department of Education Chapter of Blacks In Government (BIG) who dare to continue to take a stand and work diligently for a positive work climate for all employees, irrespective of race, gender, national origin, sexual preference, or religious affiliation. The document is also dedicated to my family, my loving husband Bruce, daughters Candace and Kimberly and granddaughter Skye. Nana hopes to help make this a better world for you, Skye, so that you are not judged by the color of your skin but as the brilliant and loving child you are.

Wanda E. Gill, Ed.D. April 30, 2013

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Table of Contents

I. Acknowledgments

p. 2

II. Introduction

p. 4

III. Workforce Data Pay Period 1 in 2013

p. 5

IV. Budget Office Data for Pay Period 5 in 2013

p. 10

V. Workforce Data for Pay Period 8 in 2013

p. 11

VI. Historical Federal Workforce Data Demonstrating Potential Trends

p. 16

VII. Recommendations

p. 18

VIII. Appendix A: U.S. Department of Education Employees by Work Schedule, Office and Grade as of March 11, 2013

p. 19

IX. Appendix B: U.S. Department of Education Quarterly Report to Region XI

p. 94

a. Appendix B:A: March 21, 2013 General Membership Meeting Minutes, Attachments to Minutes and Pictures; Email to members

b. Appendix B:B: ED Notebook March 18-22, 2013: Salutes for Women's History Month

c. Appendix B:C: ERIC Publication U.S. Department of Education Chapter of Blacks In Government (BIG) in Partnership with the EEOS Office at the U.S. Department of Education 2013 Black History Month Programs (ED539843)

d. Appendix B:D: ED Notebook Announcement of

.

Blacks in Government Meeting in LBJ on 3/21/2013

X. Appendix C: U.S. Department of Education Chapter of Blacks In Government's Reaction to the EEOC African American Workgroup Report

p. 299

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Introduction

In December 2012, Wanda E. Gill, President of the U.S. Department of Education Chapter of Blacks In Government (BIG) wrote the U.S. Department of Education Chapter of Blacks In Government (BIG) Report: The Status of the African American Workforce at the U.S. Department of Education in 2013 (ED538186) that is now available through the ERIC Clearinghouse. The report included racial and gender demographic data by grade levels for Pay period 11 in the year 2012 at the U.S. Department of Education in the 4th year of the first term of the Obama Administration. This racial and gender demographic data was compared with a pay period towards the end of the George W. Bush administration and recounted evidence of shortages of African Americans at the SES and senior grade levels. Of particular note were increases in most grade and gender levels during the Obama administration with the exception of decreases in the numbers of White and African American women and increases in both White and African American men. The Report also highlighted implementation of executive orders that impact hiring by race and gender and includes specific recommendations to better track and monitor the implementation of these executive orders. Other national reports were cited that give insight into the status of the African American federal workforce. A case is made for reporting employees' race and gender based on their prevalence in specific geographical areas to more accurately reflect the available workforce by location rather than national demographic figures. The concern is the elimination of Black employees in areas in and around Washington, D.C. and other urban areas to reflect national demographics. In addition to selected White House Executive Orders and Initiatives, the appendices of the Report included the U.S. Department of Education Chapter of BIG's justification for a separate Diversity & Inclusion Office at the U.S. Department of Education and the organization's response and action plan for the White House Initiative on African Americans that was crafted and signed by President Obama. The following were appended to the Report: (1) ED Employee Ethnicity by Gender Data from the Bush Administration; (2) Executive Order 13583; (3) Executive Order--White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans; (4) ED BIG Submitted Justification for a Diversity & Inclusion Office; and (5) ED BIG Reaction Plan for White House Initiative on African Americans.

The 2012 edition was the first report of its kind by the ED Chapter of Blacks In Government (BIG). Members were very pleased with the report and were encouraging more similar reports. Consequently, the 2013 report concentrates on quarters to better track personnel changes across quarters in this time of sequestration and potential furloughs. At the same time, the 2013 report demonstrates the importance of national data on the Black population in the United States as reported in The Black Population 2010: 2010 Census Briefs, published by the U.S. Census Bureau, as a means of demonstrating where agencies and EEO offices secure optimal percentages of employees by race and gender. The data in the 2010 Census Briefs is based on the 2010 Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-172) Summary File, the first to release data on

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race including Hispanic origin that was given to each state for the purpose of legislative redistricting. According to the data, Black or African American alone or in combination represented 13.6 % of the total U.S. population, representing a 15.4% change from data reported in 2000. In other words, out of 308.7 million people, 38.9 million were Black. In the Northeast, Black of African American alone or in combination represent 13.0% of the population. In the Midwest, Black of African American alone or in combination represent 11.3% of the U.S. population. In the South, Black of African American alone or in combination represent 20.2% of the population. In the West, Black of African American alone or in combination represent 5.7% of the population. Locally, the Black population represented over 50% of the population of the District of Columbia. In Maryland, Black of African American alone or in combination represented 30.9% of the population. In Virginia, Black of African American alone or in combination made up 20.7% of the population. The regional racial representation of Blacks in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia indicate Blacks are underrepresented at many federal agencies. At the U.S. Department of Education, using the District of Columbia data demonstrating 50% of the population, Black employees are underrepresented, therefore, strategies to curtail the number of Black employees, especially women, are unwarranted Indeed, the Black population of the District of Columbia decreased by 10% in the same 10 year time frame (2000-2010).

The First Quarter of 2013 report begins with racial and gender data by grade for the permanent and total workforce from the first pay period in 2013 supplied by the EEOS Office. There were a total of 4,299 full- time and part- time employees (intermittent employees were not counted). The budget office provided grade level data by gender in each office for pay period 5. By pay period 5, the total workforce at ED, including full time, part- time and intermittent employees numbered 4,754. The numbers of intermittent employees accounts for the number, 4,754. Additionally, the data supplied by the budget office confirms the data from the EEOS office on full- time and part- time employees. There were a total of 4,299 full and part- time employees by pay period 5, showing no increase in full and part- time employees since the first pay period of the year, suggesting whatever retirements, departures that occurred in the beginning of the second Obama term were filled with new hires.

Workforce Data: Pay Period 1 in 2013

Although workforce data fluctuates between and within pay periods throughout the year due to retirements, hiring, resignations and terminations, the overall employee picture seems to suggest a shrinking workforce over time. Between sequestration that was initiated on March 1, 2013, concerns about continuing budget resolutions, pay freezes and other quality of employment issues faced by federal workers, tensions and stressors are mounting. This document starts with where we currently are at the U.S. Department of Education at the beginning of the Obama Administration and charts the workforce in terms of permanent versus total employees by race

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