Again...
It was a bad day for the boys in San Antonio.
Apparently an investigation that was launched in October 2010, released its audit findings on July 21, 2012 (ummm – that sure took a long time), citing among other things, that “A months-long state audit of the Cosmos Foundation — which operates the Harmony network of charter schools — found $186,197 in misspent federal grant money intended to improve education for students with disabilities or those from low-income families.” Auditors from the Texas Education Agency , “Determined as “unallowable” 34 percent of expenses they examined, which is 16.1 percent of the total expenses associated with the grants.”
So what exactly did the boys spent the grant money on? We would like to see the audit in its entirety – because $186,197 in tax dollars is a lot of dough to be “misappropriated,” especially when it was earmarked to “improve the education of students….”
We already know what the boys think about when it comes to spending money on special education (read “Discrimination 101), so it’s really not a surprise to learn that they squirreled the designated funds away, shifting them around to suit their needs and not those of the students.
But wait – isn’t that their collective credo? “We are here for the students.” Which students would that be – clearly in this case it was not the students from low-income families or special needs?
According to San Antonio Express-News, Harmony Public School Superintendent, Soner Tarim “ Issued a statement saying that “The network had “implemented a range of accountability and transparency improvements to address the original issues highlighted by the TEA” while the audit was being conducted. Well, we guess the "network" did – the threat of federal prison is often an incentive to cooperate with the feds (and tell us again why none of these guys are getting arrested?).
So this is just one audit – how many schools were actually included in this particular audit? It seems to us that if the feds and other authorities wanted to spend some quality time at the Harmony Public Schools accountants’ offices that they might in fact find a treasure trove of “misappropriated funds” in their respective ledger columns.
As a matter of fact, instead of focusing on the Harmony Public Schools’ “glorious test scores,” how about shifting the focus to the creative bookkeeping skills that they have so masterfully honed over the past 11 years?
Below is a story about the audit written by Lindsay Kastner from Mysanantonio.com:
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/education/article/Auditors-say-funds-misspent-for-Harmony-campuses-3747674.php
Auditors say funds misspent for Harmony campuses Lindsay Kastne, Express-News Copyright 2012 Express-News. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
By Lindsay Kastner Updated 12:23 a.m., Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/education/article/Auditors-say-funds-misspent-for-Harmony-campuses-3747674.php#ixzz22ahXPvXq
A months-long state audit of the Cosmos Foundation — which operates the Harmony network of charter schools — found $186,197 in misspent federal grant money intended to improve education for students with disabilities or those from low-income families.
Texas Education Agency auditors determined as “unallowable” 34 percent of expenses they examined, which is 16.1 percent of the total expenses associated with the grants, according to the report.
Cosmos could be required to pay back some or all of the money in question, TEA spokeswoman Suzanne Marchman said.
The audit, dated July 17 and released to the San Antonio Express-News on Monday in response to a public information request, was launched in October 2010. Marchman said she did not know what prompted the review.
Harmony Public Schools Superintendent Soner Tarim issued a statement that said the network had “implemented a range of accountability and transparency improvements to address the original issues highlighted by the TEA” while the audit was being conducted.
“We believe we have addressed those concerns effectively, and we are pleased that the TEA considers this audit closed,” the statement said.
He did not return a call seeking comment.
The swiftly growing charter network serves more students than any other such network in Texas, and last year, two Harmony schools were dubbed “miracle high schools” by Newsweek magazine.
Based on state test scores, Harmony schools are some of the highest rated in the state. Its two San Antonio campuses were rated “academically acceptable” in 2011, the most recent year available.
But the state's audit is not the only time the schools have come under scrutiny.
Founded by Turkish immigrants, the schools have become a lightning rod for criticism over murky ties to religious leader Fethullah Gulen, procurement practices that often favor other Turkish-run businesses with lucrative contracts, and the hiring of large numbers of foreign — often Turkish — employees on H1-B visas.
Supporters have condemned the criticism as little more than thinly-veiled xenophobia. But this year, the Republican Party of Texas included in its platform a statement about “foreign culture charter schools,” including a demand for U.S. citizenship of board trustees.
Last year, such concerns nearly caused a second special legislative session, until lawmakers agreed to launch a House investigation of all Texas charter schools.
“It's still an ongoing investigation for us. We haven't closed the books,” said Rep. Chuck Hopson, R-Jacksonville, chairman of the House General Investigating and Ethics Committee.
“It started out originally we were looking at some of the Turkish charter schools, and it's evolved from there,” he said.
The TEA audit did not evaluate Harmony's procurement practices or reliance on foreign workers, sticking instead to the organization's use of federal dollars awarded for two grant programs: Title I, Part A, for high-poverty schools, and IDEA-B, for students with disabilities.
In one instance, Title I money was spent at a noneligible campus. In another, the grant money was improperly used to cover payroll costs.
In response to a preliminary version of the audit released to Cosmos last year, the organization's attorney, Joseph Hoffer of San Antonio, issued a letter disagreeing with many of the state's findings.
“While Cosmos respectfully disagrees with the report's determination that it ‘misused' funds, Cosmos recognizes that the unparalleled success of its educational programs has fostered unprecedented growth and with it a need for constant introspection, self-evaluation and system improvements,” Hoffer wrote.
[email protected]
Twitter: lkastner
Apparently an investigation that was launched in October 2010, released its audit findings on July 21, 2012 (ummm – that sure took a long time), citing among other things, that “A months-long state audit of the Cosmos Foundation — which operates the Harmony network of charter schools — found $186,197 in misspent federal grant money intended to improve education for students with disabilities or those from low-income families.” Auditors from the Texas Education Agency , “Determined as “unallowable” 34 percent of expenses they examined, which is 16.1 percent of the total expenses associated with the grants.”
So what exactly did the boys spent the grant money on? We would like to see the audit in its entirety – because $186,197 in tax dollars is a lot of dough to be “misappropriated,” especially when it was earmarked to “improve the education of students….”
We already know what the boys think about when it comes to spending money on special education (read “Discrimination 101), so it’s really not a surprise to learn that they squirreled the designated funds away, shifting them around to suit their needs and not those of the students.
But wait – isn’t that their collective credo? “We are here for the students.” Which students would that be – clearly in this case it was not the students from low-income families or special needs?
According to San Antonio Express-News, Harmony Public School Superintendent, Soner Tarim “ Issued a statement saying that “The network had “implemented a range of accountability and transparency improvements to address the original issues highlighted by the TEA” while the audit was being conducted. Well, we guess the "network" did – the threat of federal prison is often an incentive to cooperate with the feds (and tell us again why none of these guys are getting arrested?).
So this is just one audit – how many schools were actually included in this particular audit? It seems to us that if the feds and other authorities wanted to spend some quality time at the Harmony Public Schools accountants’ offices that they might in fact find a treasure trove of “misappropriated funds” in their respective ledger columns.
As a matter of fact, instead of focusing on the Harmony Public Schools’ “glorious test scores,” how about shifting the focus to the creative bookkeeping skills that they have so masterfully honed over the past 11 years?
Below is a story about the audit written by Lindsay Kastner from Mysanantonio.com:
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/education/article/Auditors-say-funds-misspent-for-Harmony-campuses-3747674.php
Auditors say funds misspent for Harmony campuses Lindsay Kastne, Express-News Copyright 2012 Express-News. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
By Lindsay Kastner Updated 12:23 a.m., Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/education/article/Auditors-say-funds-misspent-for-Harmony-campuses-3747674.php#ixzz22ahXPvXq
A months-long state audit of the Cosmos Foundation — which operates the Harmony network of charter schools — found $186,197 in misspent federal grant money intended to improve education for students with disabilities or those from low-income families.
Texas Education Agency auditors determined as “unallowable” 34 percent of expenses they examined, which is 16.1 percent of the total expenses associated with the grants, according to the report.
Cosmos could be required to pay back some or all of the money in question, TEA spokeswoman Suzanne Marchman said.
The audit, dated July 17 and released to the San Antonio Express-News on Monday in response to a public information request, was launched in October 2010. Marchman said she did not know what prompted the review.
Harmony Public Schools Superintendent Soner Tarim issued a statement that said the network had “implemented a range of accountability and transparency improvements to address the original issues highlighted by the TEA” while the audit was being conducted.
“We believe we have addressed those concerns effectively, and we are pleased that the TEA considers this audit closed,” the statement said.
He did not return a call seeking comment.
The swiftly growing charter network serves more students than any other such network in Texas, and last year, two Harmony schools were dubbed “miracle high schools” by Newsweek magazine.
Based on state test scores, Harmony schools are some of the highest rated in the state. Its two San Antonio campuses were rated “academically acceptable” in 2011, the most recent year available.
But the state's audit is not the only time the schools have come under scrutiny.
Founded by Turkish immigrants, the schools have become a lightning rod for criticism over murky ties to religious leader Fethullah Gulen, procurement practices that often favor other Turkish-run businesses with lucrative contracts, and the hiring of large numbers of foreign — often Turkish — employees on H1-B visas.
Supporters have condemned the criticism as little more than thinly-veiled xenophobia. But this year, the Republican Party of Texas included in its platform a statement about “foreign culture charter schools,” including a demand for U.S. citizenship of board trustees.
Last year, such concerns nearly caused a second special legislative session, until lawmakers agreed to launch a House investigation of all Texas charter schools.
“It's still an ongoing investigation for us. We haven't closed the books,” said Rep. Chuck Hopson, R-Jacksonville, chairman of the House General Investigating and Ethics Committee.
“It started out originally we were looking at some of the Turkish charter schools, and it's evolved from there,” he said.
The TEA audit did not evaluate Harmony's procurement practices or reliance on foreign workers, sticking instead to the organization's use of federal dollars awarded for two grant programs: Title I, Part A, for high-poverty schools, and IDEA-B, for students with disabilities.
In one instance, Title I money was spent at a noneligible campus. In another, the grant money was improperly used to cover payroll costs.
In response to a preliminary version of the audit released to Cosmos last year, the organization's attorney, Joseph Hoffer of San Antonio, issued a letter disagreeing with many of the state's findings.
“While Cosmos respectfully disagrees with the report's determination that it ‘misused' funds, Cosmos recognizes that the unparalleled success of its educational programs has fostered unprecedented growth and with it a need for constant introspection, self-evaluation and system improvements,” Hoffer wrote.
[email protected]
Twitter: lkastner
