Administrators at deaf, blind school in hot seat

The State Board of Education today will discuss whether Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind administrators should keep their jobs in light of an unflattering financial audit.

The action comes at the behest of the Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee. The subcommittee Thursday discussed a legislative audit that found the USDB had $850,000 it could have used to hire teachers but instead reported the funds were restricted and left the jobs vacant, among other financial concerns.

The subcommittee asked the school board and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Steve Laing to consider and recommend administrative personnel changes.

"When you have children who have so many needs, so many specific needs, and you leave these positions vacant when you have the money to hire the teachers . . . I would say it is a gross mismanagement of funds," said Rep. Karen Morgan, D-Cottonwood Heights. "I have my own personal feelings about (administrative) personnel changes that should take place, but I would like that recommendation to come from (Laing and the school board), and I would like it as soon as possible."

There are perhaps three people at USDB who would meet the definition of at-will administrative employees, including the school's budgeter and its superintendent, Lee Robinson, Laing acknowledged.

The personnel recommendation must be submitted within two months. Today's discussion, under protocol for personnel matters, will not be open to the public.

"I'm not surprised they're asking for it," Laing said.

Robinson declined to comment on Thursday's action.

In summer 2002, legislative budgeters discovered the USDB had a cash surplus of $1.75 million, and recommended half of that be used to help cover the state's budget deficit. In doing so, lawmakers stressed the reduction should not hurt classroom instruction.

Shortly afterward, USDB reported the budget cut would end up reducing its operating budget because remaining surplus money was restricted. So it decided to leave positions unfilled — nine in all, the audit found.

In January 2003, legislators requested an audit to see whether those cuts were needed.

The answer: No, according to the audit released this week.

Auditors found the schools had $850,000 in surplus money last fiscal year that was not restricted or otherwise committed, and could have been used to hire needed teachers.