August 12, 2009

Is CISD a 21st Century Secret Society?

Audit Finds $49,000 That May Have to Be Repaid

by Harold Gentry

“Is the common man really as stupid as the elite seem to believe? If he is, then maybe the average citizen is better off ignorant, being manipulated this way and that, whenever the elite deem it necessary.” Yale University, Skull & Bones Society.

Public schools are operated with public funds. So why do they conduct their business secretively as though everything they do is a matter of national security? After looking into district issues at CISD over the past several years I have come to the conclusion that school districts in general are the 21st century’s new secret society.

Could this be one example? How many of you know that an audit of CISD records has evidently uncovered another $49,000 that will probably have to be repaid.

Recently the special education director resigned from CISD. Despite the pretty story put out by CISD public relations spokesperson, Lisa Magers, here is a little known fact that shows CISD is still not telling taxpayers the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

On July 21, 2009 at 7:13 am I emailed CFO David Johnson and asked him this question:

*** my email to David Johnson ***

 “Can you just fill me in on the SHARS problem? If I understand it right we are being asked to repay $49,000 or produce some paperwork that we had not turned in since '06.”JW is pretty sharp and we have Dr. Geren and Dr. Vaughn but how did this get by us? I would not expect you to know but somebody should have caught this somewhere. I understand that this is a Special Education program and I have read about it on the internet.

“School Health and Related Services (SHARS) is a Medicaid financing program and is a joint program of the Texas Education Agency and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC). SHARS allows local school districts / shared services arrangements (ssa’s) to obtain Medicaid reimbursement for certain health-related services provided to students in special education. Using existing state and local special education allocations as the state match, SHARS providers are reimbursed the federal share of the established reimbursement rate.

“Like all Medicaid programs, the SHARS program requires a state/local and federal funding match. Participating school districts and cooperatives must certify and document that the "state share" has been expended from state and/or local funds. Federal special education funds cannot be used for the "state share." School district claims for reimbursement and the certification that the ‘"state share" was expended from non-federal funds are subject to federal review.”

***end of my email to David Johnson ***

This was David Johnson’s reply:

*** David Johnson’s email to me ***

”These are Medicaid cost reports that were due April 2008 for the 06-07 school year ($40k), and April 09 for the 07-08 school year ($9k). 

“I did not receive the letter about the one due in April 09 until mid-July.  Our special education director is working on getting the information for both years,

“How did this get by everyone?  Not sure - it’s been a hectic year to say the least with a huge focus on many things, and it appears it temporarily slipped through the cracks - I will fix somehow.

“In any event, I am doing everything I can to rectify the situation, and am attending training in August to make sure we get things on the right track for this.”

*** end of David Johnson’s email to me ***

Taxpayers, David Johnson is going far and above the call of duty when it comes to straightening out this mess. It will take him at minimum another year or two. I have complete confidence in his ability to handle the finances of the district in an ethical and responsible manner. Mr. Johnson is the answer, not the problem.

My problem as a taxpayer is with the public relations person to whom we pay a salary $65,849 a year plus expenses, retirement benefits and health care. As a taxpayer we have the right to know how our money is being spent and I want to hear the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to CISD. In light of all that we have gone through with a TEA investigation, improper student/coach relations, child pornography issues and a controversial book issue you would think by now that public relations would have learned that honesty is the best policy.

Mr. Superintendent, is this the school district’s idea of complete transparency? How can taxpayers let go of looking over the district’s shoulder when these unreported incidences keep cropping up?

Taxpayers, the question that begs to be answered now is, “Did the special education director provide all the necessary paperwork before she left or do taxpayers have to repay $49,000?”

By the way, CISD, what happened to the Irving school fire that was under investigation? As a shareholder of your ghost corporation run by a ghost board of trustees with a ghost CEO, I want to know whether or not someone purposely tried to set fire to our 70 million dollar corporate investment.

Is there anything else you possibly want to share with taxpayers before I reveal another example?