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Management Audit Findings

Lewis recommends a state takeover for JCPS.

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8K views16 pages

Management Audit Findings

Lewis recommends a state takeover for JCPS.

Uploaded by

Insider Louisville
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Don Parkinson Matthew 6. Bevin Interim Secrotary Govenner ‘Edvestion and Workforce Development Cabinet Wayne D. Levis, Ph. Interim Commissioner of Education KENTUCKY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 300 SowerSoutvard Frankton, Kentucky 48601 Phone: (02 5643941» wy education April 30, 2018 Dia ATE ARD urs wear. Dz. Martin Pllio, Superintendent Jefferson County Schools 3332 Newburg Road P.0. Box 34020 Louisville, KY 40232 murty.pollio@jefferson kyschools.us Ms, Diane Porter, Board Chair Jefferson County Board of Education 3332 Newburg Road P.O. Box 34020 Louisville, KY 40232 liane jefferson kvschools.ue RE: Management Audit Findings and Recommendation of State Management Dr, Pollo and Board Chair Porter: Since February 14, 2017, the Jefferson County Publi Schools (JCPS) hasundergone @ “management audit” pursuant fo KRS 158.780, KRS 158.785 and 703 KAR 3:205. A. ‘management audit of JCPS was required when the data and information reviewed after a six ‘month management review found the preseace of critically ineffective or inefficient management within JCPS (Attachment 1). On March 14, 2017, JCPS Superintendent Donna Hargens responded in a 33 page leter (Attachment 2) indicating the management review findings did not “tepresent the present reality,” however Dr. Hargens stated thatthe distit would “work proactively with KDE” and “trust the process..." A management audit was conducted to determine if*...here isa pattern of significant lack of efficiency and effectiveness inthe ‘governance or administration of school district” (KRS 138.785). OVERVIEW OF AUDIT PROCESS Over the past year, the audit team, which included more than 50 Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) staff or contractors, conducted more than 800 interviews of ICPS board ee KOMURY™ — seranonrtvinesen Dr. Martin Pollio Diane Porter April 30, 2018 Page 2 of 16 ‘members, staff, teachers, students and community members anda review of thousands of pages ‘of documents related to the management and operstion of JCPS. An on-site review of the district ‘occurred Apri 18-28, 2017, as well as a site visit April 25-26, 2018. Also, a nearly year-long investigation and analysis ofthe governance and administration of SCPS has taken place. nally, reports and findings by olher goveramental agencies atthe slate and federal level have also informed the audit Daring the management audit process, former Commissioner Stephen Pruit became alarmed ‘with some ofthe inital findings of the audit team, He determined that some issues directly affecting students and federal funding were in need of immediate corrective ection, As areslt, ‘on September 20, 2017, he issued a letter to JCPS that required corrective actions inthe areas of career and technical education, implementation of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the use of restraint and seclusion (Attachment 3). On October 31, 2017, then interim superintendent Dr. Marty Pollo responded to these issues in writing (Attachment 4) and identified several strategies to “leverage improvement districtwide.” Since (October 2017, withthe support and guidance of KDE staff, JCPS has been implementing corrective action plans in these areas with fidelity. KDE has monitored the JCPS corrective actions through onsite monitoring visits (October 9, 2017, December 19, 2017, and February 16, 2018) and reviewing the status of deliverables through 30-60-90 day plans (Attachments § and 6. ‘The inital management review of JCPS included more than 30 items determined to be “significant deficiencies.” While JCPS contested some of those deficiencies (Attachment 2), the resulting management audit process dove more in-depth into the initial deficiencies cited by the management review and broadened the scope to focus on the following areas: Planning ‘Operational Support: Food Services, Transportation, and Facilities, (Operational Support: Financial Management (Operational Support: Personnel Administration Instructional Management Physical Restraint and Seclusion of Students Implementation of IDEA Career and Technical Education Implementation of teacher certification requirements Implementation of Head Start Implementation of internal investigations Personnel Administration ‘Attached to this letter are the supporting summary documents for the conclusions and my recommendation, including an executive summary (Attachment 7), the full audit report of findings (Attachment 8), report of findings specifically addressing requirements of the IDEA. Dr. Martin Polio Diane Porter April 30, 2018 Page 3 of 16 and the use of restraint and seclusion (Attachment 9) a report ofthe Office of Education ‘Accountability (OEA) regarding JCPS hiring practices for positions requiring certification (Attachment 10), a report of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services regarding the operation of Head Statin JCPS (Attachment 11), and a JCPS commissioned report regarding the quality of intemal district investigations (Attachment 12) (Other documents included with this eter that reveal information that is of great concem but that 1 did not rely on to support my conclusions and recommendation, include a report detailing concerns with the validity of achievement scores on state standardized examinations in JCPS (Attachment 13). This repor, while not used as direct evidence for the conclusions of the aut, Identifies issues of concem that must be addressed by the district and KDE. ‘Additionally, the district's performance on state standardized examinations over many years, at the district-level and in particular schools is unconscionable. A table illustrating district performance on those examinations, highlighting the incredible continuing racaVethnic and socioeconomic achievement gaps is included as Attachment 14 Finally, an analysis ofthe JCPS collective bargaining agreement for cerified employeesis ‘ongoing and will be provided to the JCPS board on its completion, RECOMMENDATION OF STATE MANAGEMENT ‘Based upon the audit findings Ihave determined thatthe evidence overwhelmingly supports the conclusion that there isa pattern of a significant lack of efficiency and effectiveness the governance and administration of the JCPS. The evidence collected during the ‘management review and audit establishes the following: (a) An existence of a pattern ofa significant lack of efficiency and effectiveness in the governance or administration of JCPS; (b) The pattern ofa significant lack of efficiency and effectiveness in the ‘governance or administration of JCPS continues to exist; and (©) State management is necessary to correct the inefficiencies and ineffectiveness within JCS. All ofthe areas audited contain numerous findings, which when taken together, show a pattern of | significant lack of efficiency and effectiveness within JCPS (Attachments 7-12). These findings are summarized as follows: Planning The comprehensive audit included an on-site review, investigation and analysis ofthe governance and administration ofthe school district. During this process, it was determined that, there is nota protocol in place to ensure proper training and alignment of roles and De. Mastin Pllio Diane Porer April 30, 2018, Page 4 of 16 ‘responsibilities ofthe JCPS administration and bourd members. There is nota distrit-wide formalized plan in place that focuses on two-way communication including horizontzl and vertical internal communication which is consistent aeoss all processes and work groups to support organization-wide goals. At the time of the onsite review in April 2017, the boundaries of the oles and responsibilities ofthe superintendent and the roles and responsibilities of the board members to a level of providing understanding for leadership inefficient operations was unclear. The work at central office was not always aligned with the mission and vision ofthe district due to organizational structure anda lack of clear communication. Cabinet-evel leaders did not always clearly communicate with mid-level managers. Therefore, central offize operations were not connected tothe work going on in schools. During my April 2018 visi tothe district I determined that newly appointed Superintendent Dr. Martin Polio, in the 19 months he has served as interim superintendent and now superintendent, has led the board and the district toward addressing many of the organizational coherence, communications, and culture deficiencies found during the April 2017 onsite review. These steps are significant ard 1 am both hopeful and optimistic about the future, but deficiencies in the organization remain. While the board recently passed a promising reorganization plan which should address some identified deficiencies, this remedy is inthe very early stages of implementation, with postions inthe new organizational structure not yet filled. Given the district's documented patter of inefficiency, ineffectiveness, and organizational eoherence, even with Dr. Polio's incredibly psitve steps, 1 am not yet assured that the district will remedy these deficiencies on its own. Present, there continues to be insufficient evidence ofa culture that holds people accountable for their responsibilities across the district. The identified deficiencies establish a patter ofa significant lack of effectiveness and efficiency in the governance and administration ofthe school district in the area of planning. State management is necessary to correct the inefficiencies and ineffectiveness, Operational Support The audit process included an on-site review, investigation and analysis of the operations ofthe school district. The district eannot meet facility needs without additional funding. During the onsite review in April 2017, there was a clea lack of understanding among the members ofthe ICPS board regarding options to generate additional revenue. During my April 2018 vist, {determined that board members had greater awareness of regarding revenue options, but the district has not developed a plan to uilize current bonding capacity to address critical capital projects. ‘The district does not havea business continuity plan for facilities in the event one should become unusable, Likewise, the district does not maintain a business continuity plan for each bus compound and its flet should that location become unusable. The district does not have a process in place to analyze bus routes (including double run) for the most efficient and effective solution tothe transportation challenges within JCPS. Dz. Martin Polio Diane Porter April 30, 2018 Page 5 of 16 ‘The Student Assignment Plan presents challenges to transportation stafT who manage the bus routing process. The guiding principles ofthe JCPS Student Assignment Plan are choice, quality, diversity, predictability, stability and equity. Based on interviews, choice and divesity are championed above the other principles. There isa significant impact on equity whore the Student ‘Assignment Plan serves some but not all students. The current plan has a distinetregative impact ‘on the most vulnerable populations of JCPS students. ‘The JCPS board did not approve the 4% tax rate during the first year ofthe former Superintendent's tenure. According tothe districts calculations, this negatively impacted the distrit’sresourees atthe rate at $16 million per year and will continue to do so for every year after that. Had it been adopted, a portion of this would have been restricted for faites. ‘The JCPS board has not adopted an additional “nickel” tax to address aging facilities. Interviews

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