Audit may answer questions

Friday, March 24, 2006 | 7:15 a.m.

Clark County educators are expecting vindication. Their critics in the Nevada Legislature are hoping for fresh ammunition. Either way, both sides say an unprecedented audit of the School District that began this week will help bridge a gap between facts and public perception.

That gap becomes important every legislative session. The nation's fifth-largest largest school district typically pleads for additional funding, arguing it already does more with less than can reasonably be expected. Opponents question why, with more than half of Nevada's budget already committed to K-12 education, the academic performance of Clark County's students remains lackluster.

The debate usually crescendos as lawmakers cast their final votes on education funding.

Now, however, the district is undergoing a top-to-bottom performance review. "I'm hopeful this will lay it all out there and dispel the rumors," said Assemblyman Marcus Conklin, D-Las Vegas, a lead sponsor of the bill behind the audit.

"Some people think the district is quite inefficient and others believe just the opposite," Conklin said. "Right now people don't want to pay more for education because they don't believe the return on their investment is there. Let's shine the light and the public will have more faith."

MGT of America, a Florida-based company with more than 30 years experience auditing school district operations, will be paid $300,000 by the state to determine whether the Clark County School District's programs and operations are efficient and effective.

This is the second audit of the district ordered by the Legislature in two years. A narrower audit of fiscal operations, completed by the Legislative Counsel Bureau in 2004, was generally favorable. Several recommendations for better oversight and processes, including employee vehicle use and food services operations, have already been implemented.

"Sometimes we feel like we're the most audited agency in the state, but perhaps for good reason because we are the largest consumer of tax resources," said Walt Rulffes, Clark County schools superintendent. "If we're going to ask the Legislature to make greater investments in educational improvements, then taxpayers need to be assured that the dollars are well used."

Rulffes said as the district's new superintendent the audit comes at an opportune time for him.

"It will validate that what we're doing is positive or it will give us ideas for improvements," Rulffes said. "If they can find ways we can be more efficient or save money, it's a win-win situation."

Every hard drive, filing cabinet and office door in the district will be open to the auditors, Rulffes said.

"I want them to have full access so they can understand our challenges in regards to our performance," Rulffes said. "They really need to do an in-depth analysis to see the ongoing dynamics given the growth, the teacher shortages, the cost of living, the dropout environment, the needs of our ELL (English Language Learner) students. That all has to be factored into the critique of what we do."

Some School District observers worry that lawmakers will pull out the audit findings that support their own positions or disregard data that is favorable to the district.

"The last audit had good news so it was deemed inaccurate by a number of legislators," said Mary Jo Parise-Malloy of the nonpartisan community group Nevadans for Quality Education. "I hope people will look at this as an opportunity to come up with some real solutions to the challenges our schools are facing and not play the blame game."

Sen. Sandra Tiffany, R-Henderson, said she was looking forward to the findings. For each of the last three legislative sessions, Tiffany has advocated breaking up the Clark County School District into smaller geographic parcels.

"I would like to see if there is duplication of services, problems with accounting practices or inefficiencies within the bureaucracy," Tiffany said. "And, of course, I'd love for them to come out and say we should deconsolidate."

The audit will be monitored by an oversight committee made up of district employees, parents and representatives from the state teachers' association and the state Board of Education.

Silverado High School Principal Mark Coleman, who was selected to serve on the oversight committee by the Nevada Association of School Administrators, said he hopes the findings will prove the district is doing a superior job with the meager funding.

"Every time there's a audit, they say let's do another audit until they get what they want, which is proof that the district is engaged in some dastardly deeds," Coleman said. "I'd like to see some of the critics in the Legislature finally stand up, no matter what the results are, and say here's what we got, we paid for it and now let's stand behind it."

JoAnn Cox, MGT's project director for the School District audit, said the contract with the Legislature is fairly standard, with the exception of creating the oversight committee.

"We think it's a great idea and we hope more states will catch up," Cox said. "We have representatives from all of the stakeholders. If they see our methodology isn't quite what they think it should be for this community, they'll be a guiding light for us."

Cox and two other auditors held preliminary meetings this week with district staff, and conducted a two-hour session to collect public input. The team of 15 auditors will return in April for five days.

The public input session, held at the Greer Education Center on Wednesday, drew a handful of parents and employees.

Carrie Amen made the 90-minute drive from Searchlight to meet the auditors and tell them that rural Harry Reid Elementary School, where her children are students, doesn't receive the same resources as the district's metropolitan campuses.

"We've voiced our concerns but haven't gotten anywhere," Amen said. "Maybe if there's a third party involved we'll be more successful."

The audit will be an important piece of deliberations during the next legislative session, when Clark County, along with the state's 16 other school districts, ask for an increase in per-pupil funding as well as monies for programs and services.

Auditors will also conduct a community telephone poll. An online survey of teachers, administrators and support staff is already under way.

Assemblyman Lynn Hettrick, R-Gardnerville, said that if the audit is favorable - as he expects it to be - "it may satisfy or at least delay the fears of some of the naysayers who think the district is totally off base.

"It's going to carry some weight if the audit comes back saying that money is an issue as to why they (Clark County) can't perform well," Hettrick said. "But it's a two-edged sword for the School District. If the audit says they're performing well, then why do they need more money?"