About the Merit System
The Merit System
The Merit System is a system of rules and procedures contained in the California Education Code, which governs classified school personnel. The Merit System statutes are similar to those establishing the Federal and State Civil Service Systems. Its fundamental purpose is to ensure that employees are selected, promoted and retained without favoritism or prejudice on the basis of merit and fitness.
Principles of the Merit System
- Hiring and promoting employees by competitive examination
- Providing fair compensation
- Retaining employees on the basis of performance
- Assuring equal and fair personnel practices to applicants and employees without regard to political affiliation, race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, religious creed, and with proper regard for privacy and constitutional rights as citizens.
Statement of Ethics
We, the members of the Ocean View School District Personnel Commission and Classified Personnel Staff believe:
- In the American way of life and in its democratic form of government and will do everything possible to uphold, defend, and protect it.
- That public school service is the noblest of all services; that stewardship is one of public trust; and, endeavor to perform our duties in a manner to bring honor and credit to education in accordance with high moral standards.
- In being mindful of the public trust in the use of property and funds and will endeavor to protect and conserve them.
- That public education is entitled to the best in competence, knowledge, skills, attitude, personal qualifications, and loyalty from its classified employees.
- In equal opportunity for ALL and will allow ALL to present their qualifications under a system of merit selection.
- That a merit system has an obligation to the citizens, to the peoples' elected representatives, to management, and to employees. In fulfilling these obligations, recognize the responsibility to accept changes in federal and state laws so that at all times the will of the people is dominant.
- In acting in accordance with the best interests of sound personnel management; to refrain from partisanship and from pressure brought on by special interest groups; and to uphold the public interest as opposed to individual, private, or group interest.
- In basing all decisions on facts in the interest of the merit system and not for individual gain or recognition.
- That our obligation under a merit system is to provide uniformity of treatment to ALL; to conduct ourselves both on and off the job in such a manner as to create faith in the objectivity and impartiality of our decisions; and, to engage in no activity or enterprise which would impair this standard.
Professional Organizations
Each year the Commissioners and staff participate in a variety of professional personnel management activities to maintain and enhance their ability to administer the Merit System at Ocean View through the following organizations:
- California School Personnel Commissioners Association (CSPCA
- Cooperative Organization for the Development of Employee Selection Procedures (CODESP)
- Personnel Commissioners Association of Southern California (PCASC)
- Personnel Testing Council - Southern California (PTC-SC)
Merit System Rules and Regulations for the Classified Service
There have been some recent merit rule revisions. The updated merit system rules will be uploaded very soon. Please refer to this version of the Merit Rules in the meantime by clicking on the link below.