LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- State lawmakers want to inspect Jefferson County Public Schools' finances and management from top to bottom. It adds to the list of the district's two other pending audits into its transportation system.

Ten years ago, the state conducted a similar audit that found JCPS spent more money on administrators than instruction compared to other districts similar in size. A decade later, and after a botched start to the school year due to transportation issues, lawmakers want to check back in. 

In a letter signed by Louisville's Republican state lawmakers, it asks State Auditor Mike Harmon for a comprehensive financial and management audit of JCPS.

"Ten years ago an audit was done by Adam Edelen, and that audit had some eye-popping findings," Kentucky Rep. Jason Nemes, R-District 33, said.

Lawmakers said in the letter that recent bus system failures were just the "tip of the iceberg" and pointed to several other downfalls in JCPS that need reform, like students bringing guns to school and failing reading scores.

"We've had some significant failures in JCPS we've seen recently. It has a massive budget that has doubled in the last 10 years," said Nemes. "I don't know anybody that has all the answers. What we're trying to do is kick off a real conversation. Where the only wrong answer is the status quo."

In response, the district said it's not "surprised" by the audit request. 

"We cannot ignore the concerns that this audit may be politically motivated rather than an impartial review of our operations. It is essential to emphasize that JCPS and other public school systems are focused on, and must maintain their focus on, educating our students and utilizing resources efficiently," district Spokesperson Carolyn Callahan said. "Instead of forcing JCPS to spend money on this audit, the legislature should prioritize investing in our schools directly to ensure quality education for all students.

"This audit request is another way some lawmakers are distracting from the excellent work going on in our schools every day," she continued. "We call upon the Jefferson County delegation to focus their attention on ways the state can help outcomes for all students, including the growing number of vulnerable students without adequate home resources."

JCPS said since 2017, the district has undergone and effectively responded to the following audits and reviews: 

  • 2017 - Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) Initial Management Audit (276 corrective action items identified)
  • 2018 - Council of the Great City Schools Organizational Review of Central Office
  • 2018 - Kentucky Department of Education Consolidated Monitoring Report (review of 7 state/federal programs)
  • 2019 - AdvancED Performance Accreditation and Engagement Review 
  • 2020 - Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) Final Management Audit (All corrective action items identified in 2017 were corrected) 
  • 2023 - Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) District Diagnostic Review
  • Annual independent financial audits and KDE school reviews 

The auditor's office hasn't said if it will take on the request.

In addition, JCPS has two other pending audits. Both will evaluate the district's transportation system, and what went wrong the first day of the 2023-24 school year. The first day was plagued with bus delays in the morning and the afternoon as the district had implemented new school start times and bus routes. Some students' buses never showed up that morning, and others didn't get dropped off from school that evening until almost 10 p.m.

JCPS canceled classes for a week as it addressed short-term changes to improve its transportation system.

Part of the long-term change was to conduct an internal audit into its transportation system.

In response, the JCPS Board of Education requested an external audit as well.

"Our internal audit team is going to take a deeper look into what happened," board member Corrie Shull said at the Aug. 15 board meeting. 

The external audit requires JCPS to put out a request for proposals, or RFP, for companies to bid for the contract. 

On Tuesday, Gov. Andy Beshear said an evaluation of the busing issue is needed so a similar situation doesn't happen again.

"The General Assembly is making that call and has to do their part, they shorted Jefferson County $18 million last year in transportation costs and they refused to provide the types of raises that would give enough bus drivers to get our kids to school," Beshear said. "They are going to be bus issues if we don't have enough bus drivers."

This Wednesday, Sept. 13, the JCPS Audit and Risk Management Advisory Committee will meet. Slated on the agenda is an "overview of the transportation program assessment request for proposal."

"They will discuss at a high level the RFP and possibly scope and objectives of that RFP for the Transportation Assessment," Callahan said. "They will not be discussing the transportation situation or any improvements/changes/work that’s been done and being done."

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