APS charter school audit reveals 'troubling' patterns

State Auditor Hector Balderas announced today that the 2009 Albuquerque Public Schools (APS) financial audit performed by Moss Adams contained 378 findings, the vast majority of which exhibit poor financial management and failure to adhere to internal controls in many of the District’s charter schools.

“In these difficult economic times, it’s imperative that school districts manage funds responsibly and I will continue to highlight areas of concern,” Balderas said. “My office will continue to partner with APS and the District’s charter schools to strengthen their fiscal accountability.”

Of the 378 findings, over 120 were identified in previous years but had not been corrected. Balderas called upon the governing bodies of APS and those charter schools identified by the audit to reduce risks to public school funds and work together to address the findings.

"The recent audits of the Jemez Mountain and Mora School Districts have highlighted that sound fiscal management of public school funds must be a priority,” Balderas stated. “It’s critical that the state’s largest school district correct these troubling trends in order to prevent fraud and the inappropriate use of public funds.”

Many of the District’s charter schools had the most findings, including Christine Duncan, The Learning Community, Academia de Lengua y Cultura, La Academia de Esperanza, La Resolana Leadership Academy, Corrales International and Albuquerque Talent Development. The findings included non-approved journal entries and overall issues relating to cash controls.

More specifically, for certain schools the findings cited no receipts completed for cash received; no evidence of payroll registers having authorization or review sign offs; invoices were not approved before they were paid , cell phones were paid for contractors without monitoring personal use; proper procurement procedures for competitive bidding on contracts were not followed; and there was no segregation of duties when preparing and depositing money.

School Changing Name to Honor Alice King

The APS Board of Education's Policy Committee voted this morning to allow the North Albuquerque Cooperative Community Charter School to change its name to the Alice King Community School.

King, was the wife of three-term governor Bruce King, died last December at the age of 78 after dedicated most of her public service life as an advocate for the state's children.

In December, Attorney General Gary King told Kate Nash at the SF New Mexican, "She cared about all the other kids in New Mexico. She spent most of her time and energy working to improve kids' lives in New Mexico."

King, who was a major supporter of the Carrie Tingley Children's Hospital, was chairwoman of the New Mexico Children's Trust Fund. She is also credited with creating the state's Children, Youth and Families Department.

"No one could have cared more for all New Mexico children and all of our citizens," King told Nash.

Nash wrote in her tribute article to King that the former first lady "forged her own role in the governor's office man sion and gave new Mexico a fresh focus on families.

for Pete's Sake - I remember Mrs. King. When I was in elementary school in Albuquerque we went on a field trip to the state capitol and then the governor's mansion. It was my first time to Santa Fe and I remember her personally scooping ice cream and giving us all ice cream cones.

Her personal touch is remembered and appreciated. Now her name will be a living legacy for many school kids for decades to come.

[hap tip Ched MacQuigg, Diogenes' Six]