A new audit says the state-managed Recovery School District can’t locate $7 million in property, including items such as computers and equipment. As The Associated Press reports, it marks the eighth year in a row that Legislative Auditor Daryl Purpera’s office has found the same problem for the school district, which is a network of public charter schools administered by the Louisiana Department of Education.
The auditor’s review, released this morning, says RSD schools don’t have proper standards for monitoring equipment and district management officials don’t properly train employees to keep track of items.
In a written response, RSD Superintendent Patrick Dobard disagrees with the value of the missing items, saying they have depreciated and are worth $1.1 million. He says many missing items are worthless because they are outdated computer software and systems.
But Dobard also says the district has worked to improve inventory tracking.
Also, for the eighth consecutive year, the report says the district has “inadequate controls” over recording the separation dates of some employees, which “increases the risk that employees will be paid improperly.” The report says the RSD “failed to timely enter employee separation dates in its payroll system for 62 of its employees” during fiscal year 2014, potentially resulting in $5,803 of overpayments to 16 workers. See the complete audit, which includes Dobard’s full response.
