Columbus – Implementing a sick leave policy and increasing transportation efficiency would contribute to potential savings of more than $767,000, according to a performance audit of Mechanicsburg Exempted Village School District released today by Auditor of State Dave Yost. 

“Mechanicsburg Schools started its recovery before we were asked to go in,” Auditor Yost said. “These recommendations will help keep the district headed down the path of fiscal stability.”

Prior to the audit period, the district eliminated 14.3 positions. Even with those eliminations, auditors found that the district may need to reduce teaching positions to the state minimum standards, administrative staff positions to peer levels and maintenance staff to the American Schools and University benchmark. The elimination of an additional 13 positions would save the district approximately $660,900 annually.  

The district could increase its transportation efficiency by eliminating one bus route and by sharing the cost of transporting its students to Ohio Hi-Point Career Center with another district in the region. These changes would save $68,700 annually. 

The audit also found that the district’s elementary school teachers used an average of 30.4 more sick leave hours than the Department of Administrative Services’ benchmark. Implementing a sick leave policy to reduce sick leave usage to the benchmark would save $12,300 annually in substitute expenses. Additionally, renegotiating sick leave severance payouts to the state minimum would save approximately $25,700 annually. 

The Ohio Department of Education (ODE) requested and funded this performance audit after the district’s October 2013 five-year forecast projected deficits of more than $4 million. This audit was conducted using the ODE-approved October 2013 forecast. The district produced a new five-year forecast in March, showing a significantly improved financial condition as a result of higher projected revenues, which included a renewal levy that failed on March 6, 2014.

A full copy of this performance audit may be accessed online.

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The Auditor of State’s office, one of five independently elected statewide offices in Ohio, is responsible for auditing more than 5,800 state and local government agencies.  Under the direction of Auditor Dave Yost, the office also provides financial services to local governments, investigates and prevents fraud in public agencies and promotes transparency in government.

Contact:
Carrie Bartunek
Press Secretary
614-644-1111