Seattle Schools Community Forum

State Auditor Troy Keller released his office's report on SPS's " financial statements and compliance with federal laws and regulations." It's a lengthy report but that is because it contains page after page of district financial reports.  It makes for interesting reading if you have the time.   Page 49 has the investments that the City puts into SPS. There were no major issues with financial statements or internal controls over major programs.  The programs reviewed were: Child Nutrition - School Breakfast program Child Nutrition - National School Lunch program Title I, Part A Cluster - Title I grants to local educational agencies High school graduation initiative ARRA School Improvement Grants Head Start

The district had what is called an "exit conference" yesterday from a regularly scheduled state audit.  Two items of note turned up. For the FOURTH year, the district claimed more students than they could justify for the federal grant for Native American students.  According to the Times, they received about $6k more than they should.  The district has returned nearly $330k over the last 3 years to the feds. Not good and really, truly - there is no excuse.  (I'm sure the district had one but I'm glad I was not there to hear it.)  And people wonder why the Native American parents are mistrustful of the district.  And, the district was questioned in the spending of federal grant money for preventing high school students from dropping out to the tune of about $490k.  The district got the grant in 2010 for about $12M over five years and apparently the questioned spending was not part of what was in the district's original application.  Fro...