History of the Merit System & Personnel Commissions

What is a Merit System?

The Merit System is a hiring framework grounded in the principles of fairness, equity, and efficiency. Under this system, individuals in the classified service are hired, retained, and promoted based on their qualifications, abilities, and performance—ensuring that staffing decisions are made without favoritism or bias. This approach promotes public trust by ensuring that employees are selected based on their fitness for the job, ultimately supporting a more effective and accountable public education system.

What initiated the Merit System?

The foundation for merit-based employment began with the passage of the federal Civil Service Act of 1883 (Pendleton Act), which introduced fair hiring practices to federal, city, and county employment. In the 1930s, California extended these protections to public school systems after widespread cronyism in Los Angeles Unified School District led to the dismissal of hundreds of employees to make room for political appointees. In response, state legislation enacted on September 15, 1935, added the Merit System to the California Education Code, allowing school districts to adopt the system through a majority vote of their classified employees.

The Merit System in Lynwood Unified School District

Lynwood Unified School District - which opened its first school in 1893 and became a unified school district in 1950 - adopted the Merit System in 1966, reinforcing the District’s commitment to fair and equitable employment practices for classified employees. Oversight of this system is provided by the Personnel Commission, an independent body responsible for ensuring that recruitment, selection, and promotion processes are based solely on merit and fitness.

The Personnel Commission develops and administers rules and procedures that support the District’s mission of excellence in education. Working closely with District leadership, the Director of Classified Personnel carries out the day-to-day operations of the Commission, providing guidance and oversight to staff in support of the classified service and, ultimately, the success of Lynwood Unified students.