Raptor Technology and JDP Transform Volunteer Background Checks for Houston ISD
The Challenge
Overwhelming Workload and Slow Processes
The process of clearing background checks for volunteers was manual, slow, and labor-intensive. It took up to three weeks to clear a volunteer, with the department handling frequent calls from volunteers inquiring about their clearance status. With nearly 42,000 active volunteers, this not only delayed volunteer onboarding but also placed a heavy workload on the department’s 4-person staff.
Lack of Insight into Department Workload
The department lacked the ability to effectively report on and analyze its workload. This made it difficult to provide upper management with data on the department’s efficiency and the volume of work being processed. Without insights into the department’s operations, making informed decisions and improvements was challenging.
How the Raptor and JDP Integration Helped
Streamlined and Automated Background Checks
The integration of Raptor and JDP greatly improved the volunteer clearance process’s efficiency. Automating background checks to verify a volunteer met state requirements significantly reduced the time to get volunteers through the process. This allowed the department to swiftly focus on individuals with hits on their criminal records, speeding up decision-making on volunteer clearances. Automating the application and review process with leading technology removes countless hours of tedious work.
And, because Raptor Volunteer Management also instantly screens each applicant against the sex offender registry in all 50 U.S. states and territories and custom databases, they can rest assured knowing their volunteers meet state requirements and district protocols for safe individuals working in Houston ISD schools.
Enhanced Reporting Capabilities
The ability to pull reports from Raptor provided the department with valuable data that could be shared with upper management, showcasing the volume of work and the efficiency improvements gained through the integration. These insights were instrumental in highlighting the department’s achievements and areas for further optimization.
The Results
Reduced Clearance Time
The integration cut the volunteer background check process from up to three weeks and manual review process to an automatic procedure, saving time and effort.
The turnaround time for completion of background checks ranges:
- Level 1 background screenings take an average of 8 hours.
- Level 2 background screenings take an average of 12 hours.
- Level 3 background screenings take an average of 30 hours.
Decreased Inquiries
There was a noticeable decrease in phone calls from volunteers regarding the clearance process, indicating clearer communication and expectations.
Efficiency in Handling Cases with Hits
The team can now quickly focus on individuals who require further review, improving the speed and accuracy of clearance decisions.
Valuable Data for Management
The ability to generate reports provided insights into the department’s workload and the impact of the integration, supporting data-driven management decisions.
Houston ISD Usage of Raptor Volunteer Management
- Total number of active volunteers: 41,937
- Total number of individual volunteers who have signed in at least once: 16,545
- Total number of denied volunteer applications this school year: 1,070
- Total number of volunteer sign-ins this year: 47,072
- Total number of volunteer sign-ins since 2007: 117,745
- Customer
Houston Independent School District serves 193,727 students across 280 buildings. They implemented Raptor Volunteer Management in 2007 and added the JDP integration in August 2020 .
- Challenge
- Overwhelming Workload and Slow Processes
- Lack of Insight into Department Workload
- Product
- Solution
- Streamlined and Automated Background Checks Accelerating the Clearance Process
- Enhanced Reporting Capabilities Allowed for Focusing on Workload Efficiencies
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