The SC Dept of Education took over Jasper County School District’s finances Dec. 3 when the district did not turn in two overdue financial audits
The South Carolina Department of Education approved a fiscal takeover Dec. 3 in the Jasper County School District as the district had not submitted financial audits for 2023 and 2024, risking its federal funding being withheld, the department said.
The Jasper County School District said it welcomed assistance from the department concerning its finances and the need to submit the audits.
“We welcome the South Carolina Department of Education, as they will provide guidance and expertise to help us resolve the delays in delivering our 2023 and 2024 financial audits,” Jasper County School District Public Information Officer Travis Washington said. “Additionally, they will assist us in the search for a permanent finance director and help improve our financial practices to ensure quality and efficiency within our finance department.”
SCDE Director of Media Relations Jason Raven said Dec. 5 the purpose of the takeover is to assist the district and provide technical and operational support to the finance team.
Raven said it was important to remember the takeover was “not a complete district takeover, but a remedial measure allowable within the Fiscal Practices declaration of Fiscal Emergency, declared on Aug. 2, 2024, to assist and support the district.”
Washington said in the statement the district was notified by the South Carolina Department of Education of the designation in August 2024. He said prior to that, the district had been given the opportunity to submit a recovery plan, but they were unable to complete it because the 2023 audit had not been finalized.
“The Jasper County School District is delinquent in the submission of their fiscal year 2023 audit which was due Dec. 1, 2023, and now delinquent in the submission of their fiscal year 2024 audit which was due Dec. 2, 2024,” Raven said. “Due to the outstanding 2023 audit, the district runs the risk of federal funding being withheld.”
Raven said as a part of the fiscal takeover process, the Department has been in regular communication with the district CFO, their financial consultant, and their auditing firm throughout the year.
“All parties agree that additional support is needed for the district to successfully complete their outstanding audits and continue day to day operations,” Raven said. “This move will allow the Department to recommend the arrangement of a team of consultants to work with the district finance staff in closing out these outstanding concerns, provide training for existing finance staff in the district, and secure long-term stability in the fiscal operations of the district.”
Ongoing investigation by Inspector General
The state fiscal takeover falls on the heels of an ongoing investigation by South Carolina Inspector General Brian Lamkin upon the Aug. 2 request from State Dept. of Education Superintendent Ellen Weaver. The district also has an acting superintendent following the board’s overall decision to take legal action to fire former superintendent Rechel Anderson.
The investigation was ongoing as of Dec. 12, and the results, when completed will be placed online on the Inspector General’s website at www.oig.sc.gov/reports.
Weaver asked that Lamkin investigate, referencing S.C. Law, Section 1-6-35, which states, “The State Inspector General may only initiate, supervise, and coordinate an investigation of a public-school, public-school district, public charter school, public charter school authorizer, or voluntary association that establishes and enforces bylaws or rules for interscholastic sports competition for public secondary schools in the state upon the request of the State Superintendent of Education.”
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“I am requesting a thorough investigation of the district to determine the existence of fraud, waste, abuse, mismanagement, misconduct, violations of state or federal law and wrongdoing,” Weaver said in the letter to Lamkin. Weaver further explained the request was due in part to a July 18, 2024 article in the Post and Courier discussing allegations of $228,000 in “questionable expenses” for district officials’ travel.
In the letter Weaver said the information in the article was particularly relevant due to the district’s current fiscal practices designation of “fiscal caution.”
Under S.C. Law, Section 59-20-90, Fiscal caution is defined as, “the second level of concern, and is the intermediate level of concern.” The law states that after consultation with the local board chairman and superintendent, the State Superintendent may declare fiscal caution if the district was previously on fiscal watch.
On March 24, 2023, the S.C. Department of Education issued a Declaration of Fiscal Watch due to the district’s late audit, which was provided more than 60 days after Dec. 1, 2022, Weaver said.
“On Feb. 29, 2024, the district (Jasper County School District) was elevated to Fiscal Caution due to the district’s second consecutive year providing a late audit,” Weaver said in the letter.
As of Aug. 2, the district had not provided the required 2023 audit, Weaver said, elevating it to a state of Fiscal Emergency. The third and most severe level of concern under S.C. Law, Section 50-20-90, is Fiscal Emergency.
Not only has the district been operating under a Fiscal Emergency, Weaver also explained in her letter her department had notified Jasper County School District Superintendent Rechel Anderson and Board Chairperson Priscilla Green Dec. 1, 2023 that the district was identified as a underperforming school district for the second consecutive year.
“In order to ensure a bright educational future for the students of Jasper, it is essential that we bring clarity to the financial dealings of the district,” Weaver said.
Source link https://www.blufftontoday.com/story/news/2024/12/16/sc-dept-of-education-takes-over-jasper-school-districts-finances/76945620007/
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