School Board OKs $4M ACPS Budget Transfer
Transfer request stems from funds mismanagement by employees no longer with Alexandria City Public Schools.
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Alexandria City Public Schools superintendent asked the School Board for $4 million to cover outstanding vendor payments after a preliminary investigation revealed budget mismanagement.
Superintendent Morton Sherman sought a $4.04 million Capital Improvement Project budget transfer request. The request is based on $3.3 million in pending invoices, which have been reviewed and found to comply with Virginia law, according to ACPS. He’s also asked for about $700,000 for work scheduled for completion.
The transfer request is necessary due to the actions of staff members no longer with ACPS, which included inaccurate initial cost estimates and expenditure authorizations that exceeded the budget, according to a statement from ACPS.
Sherman in September initiated a review of CIP expenditures after concerns arose, including authorization of contracts in excess of budgeted funds and transfer of funds between projects without School Board approval.
Independent audit firm Robinson, Farmer, Cox Associates is conducting a review.
RFCA has delivered the financial reporting component of the audit with the internal controls component scheduled to be delivered to ACPS later this month.
“The complete audit was originally expected to be delivered in December. The first component has been received and is being reviewed by the board this evening,” Sherman said. “The final component on internal controls is expected to be received during the first week in February after which the complete findings will be made public.”
Art Finkel
7:28 pm on Thursday, January 26, 2012
There is a bigger story here worth examining when your Chief Financial Officer resigns alleging a "hostile work environment" has been created with the school system.
http://www.alexandrianews.org/2012/01/acps-cfo-resigns-alleges-hostile-work-environment/
And on top of that, the Chief Executive Officer of Jefferson Houston, who is also the Transformation Officer of T.C., announces that they will leave the school system in February. Parents, concerned citizens, and the Patch should be finding out just what is happening within our system.
Sharon McLoone
7:43 pm on Thursday, January 26, 2012
Thanks for your comment, Art. ACPS announced some significant administrative changes this afternoon. I'm looking into it.
Gail G
2:27 pm on Friday, January 27, 2012
Has ACPS issues a press release or made some other announcement about administrative changes? Have any school board members commented?
Andrea Saunders
7:03 pm on Friday, January 27, 2012
Significant administrative changes are occurring at a staggering pace within ACPS. Why are these changes occurring in a school district so small? How are these changes impacting the quality of public education within the city? Student achievement has dropped throughout the district in many academic areas. Are these constant changes one of the root causes of that decline? What is the School Board doing to address these issues? As a taxpayer, I am very concerned with what is taking place in our school system and want answers regarding the mismanagement of funds, the reorganization/resignation/termination of staff, and the apparent hostile work place environment which has been created. These events impact not only central office, but impact our schools, and thus impact the educational lives of our children. I ask Ms. McLoone, the Patch, and other local media to pursue these stories to the fullest. Our City expects and should demand better than what we are seeing in our school system as of late. We owe it to our fellow taxpayers who ultimately hold the purse and more importantly we owe it to our children who hold the future.
Gail G
9:11 am on Saturday, January 28, 2012
I second Ms. Saunders' comments. I am waiting for the big announcement from ACPS about "significant administrative changes." The quality of our public schools impacts everyone in Alexandria, not just those with kids at ACPS. It effects our general quality of life, our economy, etc. Mort Sherman has not instilled confidence in the people of Alexandria and the school board seems disengaged. I hope we see new people running for school board this year, although it's the most thankless job in Alexandria, so I'm not sure how many people will be willing to take it on.