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Extracted from Consolidated Report

This investigation was originally published as part of a larger consolidated report containing multiple investigations. View the consolidated PDF for the complete document.

Sacramento County Grand Jury • 2010-2011

Lack of Trust + Lost Opportunities = Children’s Loss

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Findings 14 findings

F1 Page 84
0 Measure B promised the voters the new district would have a streamlined administration and the cost savings would allow for more dollars for students in the classrooms. When compared to other large school districts in Sacramento County, the grand jury has found Twin Rivers has a higher number of administrators.
F2 Page 84
0 Measure B promised the voters the district would have an articulated pre K– 12 curriculum. After three years, some curriculum has been aligned using existing materials from the four districts and is fragmented at best, with little or no social studies or science being taught in elementary schools.
F3 Page 84
0 The decision to hire a superintendent without unification experience, without secondary school leadership experience and without construction management experience has impeded the unification goals of Twin Rivers.
F4 Page 84
0 The history of unification attempts and testimony to the grand jury clearly shows animosity and negativity towards the former Grant district and its employees.
F5 Page 84
0 The Board of Trustees has acquired additional property for its district office, in the form of a 99 year lease and at a cost of $14M, despite the availability of existing district property.
F6 Page 84
0 The Board of Trustees voted to stop the ENEC project resulting in approximately a $60M closure cost.
F7 Page 85
0 As of April 1, 2011, the storage and insurance costs for some building materials is $132,000 and continues at $3,000 per month. The security and utility bill for the closed ENEC project is $12,500 per month. This does not include unknown amounts for storage costs of building materials in Texas.
F8 Page 85
0 After almost three years as a unified school district, the district has not merged equipment inventories nor has it completed a physical inventory of the four unifying districts.
F9 Page 85
0 In the opinion of the grand jury, the use of outside counsel hired by the Twin Rivers Board of Trustees has consumed too much general fund money.
F10 Page 85
0 Twin Rivers Board of Trustees’ decision to file four lawsuits against former Grant district personnel and companies that have done business with the Grant district, led to the spending of nearly $1M of general fund money to date.
F11 Page 85
0 The Sacramento County Grand Jury questions whether it is illegal or, at best, ill-advised for Fund 24 bond money to be used in the litigation against a party that is not engaged in construction projects. Twin Rivers Unified School District: Lack of Trust + Lost Opportunities = Children’s Loss 73
F12 Page 86
0 According to witness testimony to the grand jury, geographic and ethnic communities are not being adequately represented by board members who are elected at large by the entire district.
F13 Page 86
0 Many sixth grade students transitioning to middle school have not been afforded the opportunity to select from the various middle school options, because the district office has limited the invitations to special programs.
F14 Page 86
0 Some community members from various ethnic groups do not believe they are respected by the Board of Trustees and the Twin Rivers Superintendent. These community members have stated that the needs and concerns they have repeatedly expressed continue to be disregarded.

Recommendations 14