School Districts Caught Misstating Data For Funding

State auditors have caught school districts misstating data, such as the experience of teachers or the number of students, 83 times in the past four years.

More often than not, the mistakes brought some extra money to the school districts. The state pays more for educating or transporting more students and for employing better-credentialed teachers.

The Stanwood School District, for instance, overstated the qualifications of the teaching staff and got $34,355 in extra money.

In Bremerton, neglecting to report student dropouts gave the district an excess of $200,000 over four years.

State Auditor Brian Sonntag and state Superintendent of Public Instruction Teresa Bergeson both said they believe most of the wrong numbers were reported by accident.

Sonntag alleged deliberate falsification in only two of the 83 cases - in the Peninsula and Ocosta districts, where managers took in an undetermined amount of undeserved money by exaggerating the number of students riding school buses.

But the mistakes are frequent enough that state budget writers are trying to crack down on wayward districts. Former Gov. Mike Lowry estimated the state could save $2.5 million a year if it took audits more seriously.

Republican lawmakers say ending overstatements by school districts will be a key part of the budget they propose.

School districts that exaggerate the amount of money they are owed by the state sometimes get to keep the money.

That would change under a bill that would require the Superintendent of Public Instruction to withhold or recover the money. The bill passed the Senate 48-0 on March 6 and awaits House action.