ST. LOUIS – On Tuesday, Missouri State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick will begin to dive into the expenses of Saint Louis Public Schools, who will also be hosting a public meeting to brief everyone on the state of the district with the upcoming school year about to begin.
The audit, which will cover the last three fiscal years, is a response to growing concerns about mismanagement within the district. It comes on the heels of Superintendent Keisha Scarlett’s abrupt departure, just one year into her tenure.
Concerns were raised when it was noted that the district went from a $17 million surplus to a $35 million deficit within one year.
Byron Clemens, representing the American Federation of Teachers Local 420, issued a statement on behalf of several unions, emphasizing their support for the audit and investigation into spending and hiring practices.
“All together, we’re saying that we’re not distracted. We’re ready for the opening of the school year. We’re definitely heartened that they got 20 more buses, cause transportation seems to be the real issue behind everything,” he said.
Clemens went on to say that the stress of the investigation should not disrupt day-to-day operations as the school year kicks off next week.
While Deputy Superintendent Millicent Borishade steps in as acting superintendent, Clemens said the focus remains on ensuring a smooth start to the school year, despite challenges with transportation and aging infrastructure.
“To tell you the truth, before all this blew up, she was running the school district on a day-to-day basis. We have worked with her during that time. We will continue to work with her in the coming days. I think she’s the right person to open the schools at this time,” Clemens said.
Missouri Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick will begin his expedited audit of SLPS Tuesday, citing concerns over financial management and educational quality. The audit seeks to ensure responsible use of taxpayer funds and improve district efficiency.
“This is the first time we’ve had a totally school board in more than a decade. There’s no mayoral appointees, there’s no political appointees, just elected school board members. We say give them a chance. Let’s sort this out,” Clemens said.
The Saint Louis Public Schools board meeting will be held Tuesday at SLPS headquarters at 6:30 p.m., where the board will address the public and how they plan to move forward during this school year.
