Jefferson County gets good midterm score for moving to fix audit problems

BUT, the full ‘Term’ is far from over, and a lot still remains to be done

WDRB reports that Kentucky Auditor of Public Accounts Adam Edelen gave the Jefferson County Public Schools an ‘A’ a couple of days ago at a Louisville Forum luncheon for the way the district is moving out in response to a major and critical audit his office conducted about a half a year ago.

That is good news, because initially there was a lot of denial in Louisville when the audit was released.

Still, other comments in the WDRB report make it clear that Auditor Edelen’s grade is only a mid-term report, and a lot of work remains before any final scores can be assigned.

For example, the audit was very critical of Jefferson County’s bloated and overpaid staff. Instead of meeting this one head on by themselves, the district is going to spend $192,000 of taxpayer money to buy cover with an independent staffing study from Management Advisory Group International, Inc. So far, I don’t know if a single job has been cut, but this study contract would just about pay for two more of those high-priced Jefferson County staffers. Any performance grades for this important and expensive area are premature, at present.

Also, the district’s new fiscal transparency web site is behind schedule. The district promises it is coming, but this effort clearly gets an “Incomplete” grade, at best, right now.

However, it is encouraging that Jefferson County has apparently worked through its denial issues and is moving to make changes. Whether this traditionally rather ingrown school system can actually fill its audit response portfolio with all the required items conducted with acceptable levels of performance remains to be seen.