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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.
⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings 16 findings
F1
The CUSD superintendent's office concurred in an April 7, 2005, response that "Funds collected from parents and students fundraising were deposited in both the CHS foundation and ASB accounts. Generally speaking, parent contributions went to the foundation and student-raised funds went into an ASB account, but CHS does not have specific records to show that. CUSD does not have a policy authorizing or not authorizing school involvement with Foundations." California law specifically prohibits the deposit of student-raised money in non-insured accounts outside of the ASB funding mechanism.
F2
Allowing students to go on a field trip that has not been paid for by the students attending, and withholding diplomas from those who do not pay, places the district in a questionable posture. Attempting to put a site administrator/educator in a position of responsibility for enforcing school board policy and accounting for over $100,000 in funds that are maintained under questionable practices does not improve that posture.
F3
The current CUSD Board Policy for the required bonding of CUSD employees is insufficient for the large sums of money currently being handled by district employees.
F4
Generally, receipt books and accounting methods, other than comptroller issued and approved systems, have been used for collecting and accounting for money.
F5
NVCF is accepting checks made payable to Chico High School as part of a fundraising effort by CHS students and paying bills on behalf of CHS without requisite signatures.
F6
CHS has no control over how NVCF invests their monies. According to FCMAT, it is illegal for any bank account associated with the district to be opened unless it meets specific criteria and is school board approved.
F7
Having a successful magazine drive or fundraiser can be an asset to any school. With proper controls in place, the student educational experience can be greatly enhanced by their own efforts.
F8
During the peak times in fundraising, there is insufficient support available at school sites to insure timely deposits.
F9
In addition to the above items, we found instances where $583 was spent on a washer and dryer, $2,533 was sent to the District to cover an overage in the Marsh Site budget, $150 was spent on a salad bar PTSO lunch, $1,447 was spent on furniture from Austin's for the staff lounge, $162 was spent on toner cartridges for copiers, $278 for a computer screen for a staff member when the ASB turned down the request, $302 was spent on two stereos for classrooms, funds were spent on bottled water for staff and students, $105 was spent on facility request forms, and $3,129 was spent on new furniture in the gym. Under the supervision of the Marsh Principal, the ASB accounts, which were authorized by the CUSD School Board entirely for the co-curricular benefit of students, have become an unauthorized source of funding for the Principal and staff. This practice has personally benefited the Principal of Marsh and disadvantaged Junior High students and staff from BJHS and CJHS. The fact that ASB funds were used to purchase classroom roment. supplies, equipment and furniture created a learning environment advantage for Marsh students over other junior high students in the district. Spending ASB funds on classroom supplies and district equipment may seem like a worthy cause, however Ed Code section 48934 deals specifically with prohibited expenditures by an ASB. Among these prohibited expenditures are equipment, supplies, forms and postage for curricular or classroom use or for district business and repairs and maintenance of district-owned equipment and gifts. What we have discovered at Marsh is a perfect example of why the Legislature prohibited the use of student body funds for curricular and classroom activities. In the operation of the Marsh Associated Student Body financial activities, the Principal has shown a blatant disregard for Ed. Code, Board Policy, Administrative Regulations and CDE's Accounting for Student Organizations. AR 5340.1 places the responsibility of the financial activities of an ASB directly on the shoulders of the Principal. 74 2004-2005 BUTTE COUNTY GRAND JURY Biggs Report Reason for Investigation The 2003/04 Grand Jury investigated the Biggs Unified School District and made
F10
As witnesses, BUSD Trustees failed to cooperate with our investigation through evasion, claimed ignorance, or through outright refusal to attend scheduled interviews without a subpoena. They hid behind what appeared to be a coached claim that they were unable to cooperate based on confidentiality. It was evident that they were either trying to protect someone, had serious deficiencies to hide, or were truly uninformed about critical district matters.
F11
Some personnel legal actions over recent years have resulted in additional damage to the reputation of the district. Moreover, there was at least one legal action which was lost by the district and for which it has yet to make restitution to the injured party. It is apparent that this district continues to allow management to behave outside the norms of acceptable employment practices and to push legal boundaries. It has apparently not learned lessons from its prior mistakes.
F12
Testimony reveals that, based on excessive targeting of older, more costly teachers, interference with union activities, display of sexually explicit photographs, and frequent poorly justified disciplinary actions taken against 82 2004-2005 BUTTE COUNTY GRAND JURY "Hit List" teachers, recent conduct by the district administration has opened the district to additional legal claims.
F13
Current teachers demonstrate daily courage by showing up to serve the needs of their students and are doing an adequate job despite the hostile environment. This jury believes that teachers are the core of the educational process and that teachers who have long term experience are a valuable commodity that ought not be abused or squandered.
F14
The trustees of the school board apparently do not have a mechanism to effectively monitor grievances and complaints against the district.
F15
The principal of the elementary school and her administration were not found to participate in or follow or be affected by the high/middle administration.
F16
Based on the results created by this administration, is reasonable to conclude that they have exactly the educational environment they intended.
Recommendations 9
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R1CUSD superintendent and school site administrators should abide by all of the adopted policies of the CUSD Board; if there is a policy that needs to be amended, it should be revised by the Board before procedures are altered. 46 2004-2005 BUTTE COUNTY GRAND JURY
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R2The ASB funds at all of the schools are ultimately the responsibility of the superintendent of the district and can be better managed by the CUSD business office. All school comptrollers and staff responsible for management of ASB funds should answer to the District Business Office. Training of the responsible staff should be standardized and complete, adopting a standard of best management practices approved by the CUSD School Board.
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R3All monies generated by student activities should be deposited in the federally insured ASB account. Any and all donations to any foundation should be clearly marked as such on any check and delivered directly without the involvement of a CUSD employee during working hours. These donations should not be designated for the use of any specific student and applied only to the base amount of the cost of the activity.
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R4A full and independent audit of all ASB accounts and accounting practices should be requested and directed by a committee of CUSD school board members. Audit results should be used to direct independent consultants to recommend a set of policies that comply with all legal requirements with respect to fees, donations, ASB accounting, and handling of cash and Independent consultants should monitor checks in the classroom. compliance of teachers, administrators, and district officials for not less than three years after the completion of the report.
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R5Thereafter, annual training should be provided by CUSD for all CUSD teachers, administrators, and district office staff.
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R6Only a district-designated comptroller/assistant should collect money and issue receipts to students. Monthly copies of reconciliation reports should be forwarded to both the CUSD Business Office and a subcommittee of the CUSD school board.
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R7The use of the NVCF for accepting donations for classroom activities or field trips and paying for the classroom activities or field trips from those Those donations made to the accounts should be discontinued. foundation identified for a particular cause or purpose should be acknowledged by the CUSD School Board in a public hearing and deposited into the corresponding district or school account for which it was designated.
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R8The practices of withholding diplomas and credit bureau reporting for students that owe fees should be discontinued immediately.
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R9The CUSD manual, Parent's Rights and Responsibilities, should be updated to include specific language about donations and fees, a list of charges that the California Education Code explicitly allows with the 47 2004-2005 BUTTE COUNTY GRAND JURY corresponding code section, and a statement that all other charges are voluntary. This change should be reviewed and, adopted by the CUSD school board. Responses Required (Penal Code § 933 & 933.05) Board of Education CUSD Principal CHS Superintendent CUSD 48 2004-2005 BUTTE COUNTY GRAND JURY Exhibit A SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS Chico Unified AND QUESTIONED COSTS School District June 30, 2004 SECTION II FINDINGS FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AUDIT INTERNAL CONTROL (Student Body) 30000 (04-1) Reportable Condition Condition Our tests of internal controls over student body accounts at Chico Junior High School, Fair View High School, Marsh Junior High School, and Pleasant Valley High School resulted in the following: