Report 2015-101 All Recommendation Responses

Report 2015-101: Inglewood Unified School District: The State Superintendent of Public Instruction Needs to Better Communicate His Approach for Reforming the District (Release Date: November 2015)

Recommendation for Legislative Action

To ensure a transparent and accountable process, any future state emergency funding for a school district appropriated by the Legislature should specifically require the state superintendent to document the selection and appointment process of a state administrator, including the rationales for progressing certain candidates once screened or reasons that particular individuals were ultimately selected to serve as state administrator. Additionally, it should define the county superintendent's role in the appointment process for a state administrator.

Description of Legislative Action

As of November 5, 2020, the Legislature has not taken action to address this specific recommendation.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: No Action Taken

Description of Legislative Action

The Legislature has not taken action to address this specific recommendation.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: No Action Taken

Description of Legislative Action

The Legislature has not taken action to address this specific recommendation.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: No Action Taken

Description of Legislative Action

Legislation has not been introduced to address this specific recommendation.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: No Action Taken

Description of Legislative Action

Legislation has not been introduced to address this recommendation.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: No Action Taken

Recommendation #2 To: Education, Department of

To assist the district with establishing priorities, and to ensure that the public is aware of those priorities, the state superintendent should direct his state administrator to develop annual performance objectives and an action plan to address FCMAT's findings and recommendations. Such an action plan should describe for the public why certain findings were prioritized and what steps the state administrator plans to take to improve the district's FCMAT scores.

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2018

FCMAT completed a comprehensive follow-up review in July 2018; we anticipate the report will be released in the coming months.

On September 17, 2018, the Governor signed Assembly Bill 1840, Chapter 426 (2018) that shifted duties and revised statutory provisions relating to oversight of school districts with emergency loans, including the Inglewood Unified School District (Inglewood). Education Code, Section 41320.1 now requires the following:

The administrator shall serve under the direction and supervision of the county superintendent of schools, with concurrence from both the Superintendent and the president of the state board or his or her designee, until terminated by the county superintendent of schools, with concurrence from both the Superintendent and the president of the state board or his or her designee, at their discretion.

As a result of this change in law, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction is transitioning direct oversight for Inglewood to the Los Angeles County Office of Education effective September 17, 2018.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Resolved

Although not fully implemented, we agree that the reassignment of responsibility for Inglewood's state administrator to the county superintendent does "resolve" our recommendation.

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From November 2017

Education continues to work with the State Administrator regarding the annual performance objectives and the action plan to address FCMAT's findings and recommendations. On October 18, 2017, the State Administrator requested that FCMAT conduct a presentation to the district's elected board members during a public meeting study session. The presentation provided general background information and denoted the progress made by the district in implementing the FCMAT recommendations. The District's senior staff also presented information on how several of the FCMAT recommendations were already being implemented.

Additionally, during the 2017-18 school year, ongoing presentations will be made at public board meetings and will include discussions regarding plans and actions taken to address the FCMAT findings; thus continuing to ensure that the public remains aware of the priorities.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Pending

1-Year Agency Response

In July 2016, FCMAT released the district progress report. Based on the latest results, Education will continue to work with the State Administrator to update the recovery plan as necessary.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Partially Implemented

As described in the six-month response, we continue to believe the district's February 2016 recovery plan falls short of implementing our recommendation. Education does indicate in its one-year response that it has directed the State Administrator to update the district's recovery plan based on the July 2016 FCMAT report or to more fully implement our recommendation.

6-Month Agency Response

In February 2016, Dr. Vincent Matthews, State Administrator, approved a district recovery plan, which includes actions that specifically address FCMAT's findings and recommendations. The recovery plan was a key performance objective and a priority for the State Administrator; the recovery plan is prominently placed on the school district Web site at www.iusd.net. Education will continue to work with the State Administrator to further improve the districts FCMAT scores.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Partially Implemented

The California Department of Education's (Education) response is incomplete and does not fully address our report's recommendation. Education cites a February 2016 recovery plan that does not establish annual performance objectives that would allow the public to monitor the district's progress and hold state officials accountable for the expected level of improvement. Further, the recovery plan does not establish an action plan describing what specific steps will be taken and when to improve the district's FCMAT scores. Instead, the district's recovery plan only lists "observations" of deficiencies and general "recommendations" for improvement.

60-Day Agency Response

Dr. Vincent Matthews, the recently appointed State Administrator, began leading the district in late October 2015. Dr. Matthews posted his 60- and 90-day entry plan on the district Web site, which is available at:

http://myiusd.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/IUSD-Entry-plan-PP.pdf and http://myiusd.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Inglewood-State-Administrator-Entry-Plan-PP.pdf.

The plan includes reviewing the FCMAT report to identify areas of focus. Beginning in early January 2016, after Dr. Matthews has identified the district strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities, Education will meet with him to discuss his performance objectives and action steps to address FCMAT's findings and recommendations.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: No Action Taken

Recommendation #3 To: Education, Department of

To provide the public an opportunity to fully understand the requirements for and the progress made toward restoring local control to the district's governing board, the state superintendent should direct his state administrator to establish a web page on the district's website listing the specific exit criteria, indicating which criteria have been satisfied, and what the state administrator's and state superintendent's expectations and plans are for satisfying remaining exit requirements. One way the state superintendent could do this would be to provide regularly updated information in a format that is similar to the information we present in the Appendix of this audit report.

1-Year Agency Response

As previously reported as an update to the CSA, the district added; (1) a link on the front page of the district's Web site related to fiscal recovery that includes a summary of the FCMAT scores and the district's February 2016 recovery plan in both English and Spanish; and (2) the online agenda for school board meetings, which ties most board actions to the FCMAT standards. As another step to keep the public informed of its recovery progress, the district added a table to the Web site that lists the specific exit criteria, and which criteria have been satisfied.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Fully Implemented

6-Month Agency Response

The district has added a link on the front page of the district's Web site related to fiscal recovery that includes a summary of the FCMAT scores and the district's February 2016 recovery plan in both English and Spanish. Additionally, in order to show progress, the online agenda for school board meetings now ties most board actions to the FCMAT standards. Education continues to discuss with the district the content and timeframe for developing a Web page that describes the criteria for returning the district to local control.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: No Action Taken

As noted in its response, the California Department of Education (Education) has not developed a Web page describing the specific criteria for returning the district to local control. By listing the specific exit criteria and identifying those requirements that still remain outstanding and why, Education could better clarify for the public what work remains before the state superintendent feels confident in returning the district to local control.

60-Day Agency Response

After Dr. Matthews has identified the district's strengths, weaknesses and opportunities, as described in his 60- and 90-day entry plan, Education will meet with him to discuss the content and timeframe for developing the recommended Web site.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: No Action Taken

Recommendation #4 To: Education, Department of

To provide the public an opportunity to fully understand the requirements for and the progress made toward restoring local control to the district's governing board, the state superintendent should direct his state administrator to establish regular advisory board agenda items to answer the public's questions concerning the efforts made toward achieving the exit criteria.

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2018

At the January 24, 2018 Special Board Meeting and Workshop, a mid-year review report was provided for each operational area in the July 2017 FCMAT comprehensive follow-up review. This meeting served to update the public regarding the status and progress made by the district.

On September 17, 2018, the Governor signed Assembly Bill 1840, Chapter 426 (2018) that shifted duties and revised statutory provisions relating to oversight of school districts with emergency loans, including the Inglewood Unified School District (Inglewood). Education Code, Section 41320.1 now requires the following:

The administrator shall serve under the direction and supervision of the county superintendent of schools, with concurrence from both the Superintendent and the president of the state board or his or her designee, until terminated by the county superintendent of schools, with concurrence from both the Superintendent and the president of the state board or his or her designee, at their discretion.

As a result of this change in law, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction is transitioning direct oversight for Inglewood to the Los Angeles County Office of Education effective September 17, 2018.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Resolved

Although not fully implemented, we agree that the reassignment of responsibility for Inglewood's state administrator to the county superintendent does "resolve" our recommendation.

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From November 2017

Education has directed the State Administrator to establish regular advisory board agenda items to answer the public's questions and concerns. The district has agreed to provide regular advisory board items to provide the public and the board with updates on progress being made in implementing the FCMAT recommendations and standards.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Pending

1-Year Agency Response

As previously reported as an update to the CSA, the district's school board agendas now tie most of the board actions to one or more FCMAT standards. In addition to demonstrating to the public how the district is moving towards recovery, related discussions are promoted at the board meetings. Furthermore, advisory board members are able to pull items from the agenda for discussion and public comment regarding any item or strategy the district is undertaking towards recovery.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: No Action Taken

As we stated in our assessment of Education's six-month response, we do not see evidence of the state administrator creating a regularly-occurring board agenda item to discuss efforts made toward achieving exit criteria.

6-Month Agency Response

As included on the February 2016 board agenda, the State Administrator presented and approved the district recovery plan. The district's school board agendas now tie most of the board actions to one or more FCMAT standards. In addition to demonstrating to the public how the district's actions are moving the district towards recovery, this promotes discussion about recovery at the board meetings. Furthermore, advisory board members are able to pull items for discussion from the agenda and the public is able to comment regarding any item or strategy the district is undertaking. This continually allows board members and the public regular information regarding the district's strategies towards recovery. Education will continue to work with the State Administrator to ensure that the public is provided opportunities to discuss the district's progress for regaining local control at board meetings.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: No Action Taken

We did not see evidence of the state administrator's effort to establish regular advisory board agenda items to answer the public's questions concerning the efforts made toward achieving the exit criteria.

60-Day Agency Response

Education has discussed the recommendation with Dr. Matthews. After he has identified the district's strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities, as described in his 60- and 90-day entry plan, Education will meet with him to discuss how the district could periodically place an item on the agenda to share information related to the district's progress for regaining local control.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: No Action Taken

All Recommendations in 2015-101

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.