Stanislaus civil grand jury: LaGrange school district violate construction, spending rules

By TIM MORAN
tmoran@modbee.com

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A Stanislaus County civil grand jury report released Monday contends that La Grange Elementary School District put up mobile classrooms without state approval and without proper safety equipment, failed to conduct safety drills or inspections, spent funds without the proper oversight and improperly recorded student attendance.

The report also says the school board failed to define the duties of or evaluate the superintendent and was unaware of its role in the district's operations. The superintendent did not meet his responsibilities, and the district did not keep proper records, according to the report.

District Superintendent Joseph Magnu said Monday that the district board has not met with its attorney to review the report. "We will be doing that and formulating a response," he said. That meeting is happening today, according to Magnu, and a statement is supposed to be released by the district's lawyer.

The school district is tiny, and for several years one person served as the superintendent, principal and the only classroom teacher, according to the report. The district had about 15 students in two classrooms.

The district expanded about three years ago, adding a charter school that boosted the student population to 77, the report says.

That caused the district to put up six portable classrooms, without the approval of the Division of the State Architect as required by law,

according to the report. No construction inspections were performed, and the classrooms lack fire alarm boxes, telephones for reporting emergencies or an alarm that could be heard in the classrooms, the report says.

The grand jury also found:

Safety drills and fire inspections had not been regularly performed for several years, contrary to state law.

The district spent state funds it was allotted without forming a required school site council or having authorization for the expenditures.

Services to special education students were not evaluated and reported consistently.

Attendance accounting procedures, which determine the district's funding level, were irregular. Absent students were marked present when their missed day's work was assigned to them by the teacher, which doesn't comply with California Department of Education procedures.

The duties of the superintendent-principal were not specified or evaluated.

The school board appeared unaware of its responsibilities in overseeing the management and operations of the district.

The superintendent-principal has not fully met the duties and responsibilities of the job.

Several school district documents requested by the grand jury were either unavailable, lost or did not exist.

The grand jury had dozens of recommendations to correct the situation, from immediate state inspections of the portable classrooms and removal of students from unapproved buildings, to audits of special education services and attendance procedures.

Policies should be put in place defining the superintendent's duties, safety procedures, record-keeping procedures and training requirements for school board members, the report says.

The grand jury also recommended that the Stanislaus County Office of Education, which serves the La Grange district, get involved in oversight of all local district construction, and withhold funds if a district doesn't get approval from the state for the project.

The county office also should develop a program to ensure compliance with state school safety plan requirements, and set up a training program for school board members, the report says.

The county Department of Education is reviewing the report and will provide a response, Assistant County Superintendent Jane Johnston said.

Bee staff writer Tim Moran can be reached at tmoran@modbee.com or 578-2349.