"The bottom line is we need a safe learning environment," said Pennsylvania Auditor General Jack Wagner as he rolled out a 75-page audit of the /*Philadelphia School District*/.
The audit has been four years in the making. The audit's number one finding? Wagner wants a return of the Safe Schools Advocate position. That office's state funding was cut during the depths of the recession. But given chronic school violence, Wagner says the district should lobby the state for a return of the $350,000-a-year program. He said signaling a strong advocate will give parents a sense of comfort.
"This is about the safety of the children," said Wagner.
The school district's response: it was the state that slashed the money for the Advocate. Right now the district is focusing on a sea of red ink from proposed new cuts from Harrisburg.
"The governor and the legislature have the ability to restore that item if, in their judgment, it deserves to be restored before many of the other cuts that were made," said schools CFO Michael Masch.
Wagner also questioned the school district's accuracy in taking daily attendance. In 2006 and 2007 Wagner's office compared the school system's official computerized records sent to Harrisburg with paper records from a certain school on a certain day.
"Those records don't match up with the district's computer records," said Deputy Auditor General Thomas Marks.
The school district says it has made great strides in attendance-taking since 2007.
"We asked the Auditor General's office if we could review the changes that we have made and they said, 'No we want to focus on the past,'" said Masch.
The audit found other issues. But for Wagner the top shortcoming is the lack of a safe schools advocate. Budget meltdown or no budget meltdown he seems to be saying that Philadelphia needs one now.
