5 October 2023
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – A legislative audit shows several Kansas school districts misused state funding set aside for at-risk children. At-risk students include those who are homeless, often absent from school, or falling behind in class.
Of the 20 school districts analyzed in the report, Wichita had the highest percentage of misplaced dollars.
The legislature ordered the audit after one in 2019, which found some money never made it back to the students it was supposed to benefit.
The more recent audit looked at the 2021 to 2022 school year and showed a lack of improvement.
The report by the Kansas Legislative Division of Post Audit found almost half of the money set aside for at-risk students was illegally spent by school districts.
Some misused funds paid for non-teaching staff with no involvement in at-risk programs, according to audit supervisor Heidi Zimmerman.
“We also saw a lot of office supplies purchased with at-risk funds,” Zimmerman said. “We saw TVs and Sam’s Club memberships and food.”
Wichita public schools had the largest percentage of misused funds of all of the districts audited.
The report found that 80% of the $1.8 million the school received for at-risk students was spent inappropriately.
Most of it went to an adult diploma completion program.
Wichita public schools gave a statement saying they’ve followed recommendations from the audit and are now using other funds for the diploma program.
According to them, the audit applied a more literal interpretation for how funds were supposed to be used.
We have historically used KSDE At Risk guidelines to determine appropriate use of at-risk funding for programs and positions. Legislative Post Audit, during an examination of our at-risk expenditures, applied a more literal statutory interpretation of allowable expenditures in the At-Risk fund. We provided a response to their findings. Subsequently, we have followed the recommendations in the audit and moved expenditures noted by LPA to other funds and in turn, moved other allowable expenditures into the At-Risk fund in their place. With over 37,000 students with at risk needs, we have expenditures in several other funds that qualify as at-risk expenditures. The audit didn’t have any impact on our overall budget. It simply changed where we fund certain programs based on LPA’s stricter guidance.
USD 259
Zimmerman wants this audit to lead to better enforcement to fix the widespread misuse of funds.
“Ideally, when districts spend their money on things that are effective, hopefully, that would result in some better outcomes for these kids that are obviously struggling,” Zimmerman said.
The legislature is beginning to discuss ways to encourage districts to spend at-risk funds in ways that line up with state guidelines.
The legislative session does not start until January, so there likely won’t be any policy changes until then.