Report 2021-108 Recommendation 14 Responses
Report 2021-108: Bellflower Unified School District: Has Not Used Its Significant Financial Resources to Fully Address Student Needs (Release Date: June 2022)
Recommendation #14 To: Bellflower Unified School District
To ensure compliance with state laws and to improve transparency and communication with the public, Bellflower should do the following by August 2022:
-Before all board meetings, provide the board and the public with the same documentation, such as detailed reports of expenditures and full information on budget revisions, except to the extent such information is confidential and exempt from public disclosure by state law.
1-Year Agency Response
Board Items have been revised to include additional information that may have previously been provided as a Board Gram to the Board to help prepare them for the meeting. Any additional information that was previously provided via a Board Gram is also found attached as part of the agenda under additional information. Any presentations are provided to both the Board and the Public at the time of the meeting if they are not part of the posted agenda. Additionally all presentations are shared via BUSD News as a recap of the meeting.
- Completion Date: March 2023
- Response Date: July 2023
California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Fully Implemented
6-Month Agency Response
The District provides the Public with the same Board Book agenda that this posted on agenda online. Documents are attached to the agenda online prior to the meeting. When the Board is provided with presentation documents or any other documents during the meeting, those documents are made available on a back table for the public to also view if needed. Additionally, the public may make a Public Records request for documents.
- Completion Date: December 2022
- Response Date: January 2023
California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Partially Implemented
Although the district provides the public with more information in documents it attaches to its board agendas, we found it has not done so consistently. For example, the district provides its board and the public with a detailed report of expenditures by purchase order, which the district did not previously provide the public. However, the district did not provide the public with full information about revisions to its fiscal year 2022-23 budget that the board voted to approve at its December 15, 2022, regular meeting.
- Auditee did not address all aspects of the recommendation
60-Day Agency Response
Commencing the June Board meeting the District has been providing detailed reports of expenditures as part of the posted agenda. During the meeting the District has copies available of any additional documentation being provided to the Board as part of their decision making. Additionally, any presentation provided at the Board meeting is provided as part of a BUSD news update that goes out on Fridays.
- Completion Date: June 2022
- Response Date: August 2022
California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Partially Implemented
Bellflower did not substantiate that it fully implemented the recommendation. Specifically, Bellflower stated that it made copies available of additional documentation provided to the board, but it could not provide evidence that this was done. Furthermore, the attachments Bellflower made available online for select board meetings in 2022 showed that the district provided limited information about budget revisions and transfers of funds between major classifications.
- Auditee did not substantiate its claim of full implementation
- Auditee did not address all aspects of the recommendation
All Recommendations in 2021-108
Agency responses received are posted verbatim.