(The Center Square) – Wisconsin’s top education official did not attend the committee review of an audit of the state agency’s financial reporting policies and requirements for the state’s school districts, drawing the ire of the committee’s co-chairs.
The audit showed that 370 of Wisconsin’s 421 school districts had at least one material deficiency in its audit, 281 had repeat deficiencies, 96 submitted their 2022-23 financial statements late and the Department of Public Instruction did not begin reviewing reports for an average of 74.7 days after the Dec. 15 deadline.
“In our time as co-chairs of the Audit Committee, Superintendent [Jill] Underly is the first department head who has failed to appear before us when invited to discuss an audit,” co-chairs Sen. Eric Wimberger, R-Oconto, and Rep. Robert Wittke, R-Caledonia, said in a joint statement after the hearing. “What can possibly be more important to her than ensuring transparency in how our schools spend and report their funds?”
Wittke asked Deputy State Superintendent Tom McCarthy directly why Underly chose not to attend to start the hearing.
“She’s an elected official,” McCarthy responded. “You don’t get the governor at every hearing, do you?”
During testimony on the audit, McCarthy commented on both the responses to Milwaukee’s late financial reporting and those of other districts.
McCarthy said that the department has now changed some of its processes based upon Milwaukee’s late reports, including informing a full board of education instead of just the board president if the financial paperwork is late.
“Wisconsin’s students, parents, and taxpayers deserve responsible leadership of our schools, and Superintendent Underly betrays their trust by believing she can pick and choose which crises she chooses to address,” the co-chairs said.
