No New State Audit Until Mid-February

Sigh. Just heard from someone at the State Auditor's office; no audit until mid-February.

FYI, it's called, "Seattle School District Construction Management performance audit".

Comments

mirmac1 said…
HooBoy, bet it's gonna be like this one:

Port of Seattle CM Audit
1/6/11, 3:24 PM
Melissa Westbrook said…
Funny you should say that Mirmac. It started out in the hands of the same consultants who did the Port Commission audit.
1/6/11, 3:28 PM
Anonymous said…
does anyone think the superintendent will make it through a second crappy audit? i don't. really, how can the downtown crowd, which is all about good business, defend a slamming audit. we shall see. bet the gates and alliance folks are polishing their defense speeches as i type.

-skeptical-
1/6/11, 3:37 PM
Charlie Mas said…
Is mid-February the release date? If so, then the exit interview will come before that, right? Or is mid-February the date for the exit interview?

I understand what skeptical means, but I have seen, time and time again, people completely ignore any facts that contradict their ideology or belief structure - no matter how strong or consistant the data. We are not rational creatures. So the business crowd could continue to support someone who does everything wrong so long as the person continues to make the right noises and project the right image.

Heck, they can just blame all of the failure on the unions or the school board or the students and their families. They can believe that for as long as they have to - regardless of the facts.
1/6/11, 4:29 PM
ParentofThree said…
I don't think a damming second audit is the nail in coffin, rather the exact opposite...more praise and raise from the board. It is actually surreal how they give her more support each time something negative is revealed.
1/6/11, 6:20 PM
mirmac1 said…
The difference is the Port actually made changes! I'm not saying they were good changes, but changes nonetheless. Remember, Mic Dinsmore hit the road.

The Board better be ready for the sh*t to hit the proverbial fan.
1/6/11, 6:33 PM
suep. said…
Mid-Feb sounds good to me. Some of us will be back from and newly energized by the Parents Across America inaugural national conference and forum with Diane Ravitch in NYC, and more than ready to tackle the next SPS or ed reform debacle!

More details here about the PAA event: The Parents Across America Education Forum With Diane Ravitch

It's free and open to the public, just like our PAA/Seattle Ed 2010 forum at Seattle University this past October (where we Skyped Ravitch in to a crowd of about 350), so if any of you are in NY then, come join us. Should be a great night.

--sue p.
1/6/11, 9:02 PM
Melissa Westbrook said…
Charlie, here's the specific wording:

"We are hoping to publish the audit in mid-February."

Again with the hoping stuff. I think there are still serious issues (read: legal) that the SAO wants to iron out before publishing this thing. That can't bode well for it.
1/7/11, 9:15 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Tuesday Open Thread

The speaker list is up for the Board meeting tomorrow; not as packed as I thought with just four people on the waitlist. The majority of the speakers are speaking on high school boundaries (with several wanting to talk about Ballard High). There are only three of us speaking about the Green Dot resolution asking the City to not grant the zoning departures that Green Dot has requested.  It's me, long-time watchdog, Chris Jackins, and the head of the Washington State Charter Schools Association, Patrick D'Amelio.  (I knew Mr. D'Amelio when he headed the Alliance for Education and Big Brothers and Big Sisters; he's a stand-up guy.)
Read more

Breaking It Down: Where the District Might Close Schools

Update 2: an absolutely fabulous interactive map made by parent Beth Day (@thebethocracy on Twitter - she covers Board meetings and is fun to read).   end of update    Update 1: Mea culpa, I did indeed get Decatur and Thornton Creek mixed up. Thanks to all for the correction. end of update   I suspect some who read this post will be irate. Why do this? Because the district seems very hellbent on this effort with no oversight skid marks from the Board.    To clearly state - I do not believe that closing 20 schools is a good idea. I think they hit on 20 because they thought it might bring in the most savings. But the jury is still out on the savings because the district has not shown its work nor its data. I suspect closing schools and THEN leasing/renting them is the big plan but that means the district really has to keep the buildings up.   But this district, with its happy talk about "well-resourced schools" is NOT acknowledging the pain and yes, gr...
Read more

Nepotism in Seattle Schools

Update: Following a scandal at Aki Kurose Middle School, apparently the district has pulled the principal, Caine Lowery who leaves Aki for a promotion to Central Office to support/train/guide principals. Hmm. I also note that former Rainier View Elementary principal Anitra Jones, who was removed from that school, still doesn't show up on the staff roster at Rainier Beach High School where it was stated she would be. Where is she? Who knows?  end of update   This is going to be a difficult post to write because it is sad to see what looks like a norm now at JSCEE. The norm I speak of is largely an occurrence with principals as well as JSCEE senior staff. I also know that this is not going to surprise most who works at JSCEE. The norm I'm referring to is the one where some personnel have personal connections within the district that sees them moving between jobs and even getting promoted based on those relationships. In short, nepotism.  This district is risk-adverse wh...
Read more