ALBANY – Schools in 13 districts statewide did not always post required financial information in a clear and comprehensive manner on their websites, according to a report released by State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli. When they did post the information, it was often hard to find, according to the comptroller.
Auditors examined 13 randomly selected school districts from around the state. The audit, covering the period from July 1, 2018, to June 30, 2019, found that while each district maintained a website, many did not post all mandatory financial information including final budgets, external audits, and corrective action plans
Locally, the New Lebanon Central School District in Columbia County and the Beacon School District in Dutchess were included in the report.
Both local districts were criticized for posting original budget information on their websites in a manner that was not easy to locate. DiNapoli was critical of New Lebanon for posting a budget online that was missing critical information. The missing information included fund balance, salary disclosures, and property tax report cards. Officials at the New Lebanon district told auditors they were unaware that information is required.
“Taxpayers should have easy access to information about their school districts’ finances,” DiNapoli said. “Voters need this information to make informed decisions on how they will vote on school budgets. District officials have a responsibility to foster public trust by operating with the greatest possible transparency and making comprehensive information readily available to the public.”
Comptroller DiNapoli’s recommendations to the Beacon City School District can be found here and the New Lebanon report is available here
