State to Probe Butte Schools (MT)

May 26, 2010

An investigation is planned into a Butte school employee’s complaint alleging that a district administrator misspent money designated for special education.

Investigators with the Montana Office of Public Instruction will come to Butte this week to look into whether Title I money was spent on items federal law bars. The investigation is in response to a formal complaint filed by Lisa Andrews, administrative assistant at the Butte High Career Center, the alternative high school.

“This investigation will include the following: Interviews with the appropriate parties, a review of all financial documents and expenditure reports regarding Title I monies,” Jack O’Connor, state assistant Title I director, wrote in a letter written to Andrews.

Linda Reksten, Butte superintendent, said at this point the allegations are just that and have not been proved. She expressed confidence that the district will pass the review because she personally has reviewed the district’s books.

“I just strongly believe that it’s going to be found not to be true,” she said. “I’ve looked at the data myself and I don’t see people going on cruises or taking off on shopping sprees with Title I funds.”

Reksten said at her previous job in California she oversaw several million dollars in Title I money and is familiar with the requirements. Title I money is strictly monitored by OPI and the district has just passed an audit. And she added that Title I money cannot be spent on core curriculum items, such as textbooks or lab equipment for the regular high school.

Ninety percent of Title I money is spent on salaries for teachers whose expertise is in special education.

“Most of Title I funds support services to kids that are behind — it’s above and beyond our general fund expenditure,” she said. “If you buy materials that you should be spending general funds for, it’s called supplanting.”

Andrews has complained that the alternative school lacks basic equipment for its science classes, among other things. She told The Montana Standard her motivation in filing the complaint is to ensure the kids at the Career Center get the materials to which they’re entitled for a quality education.
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That’s not happening, she said.

She said her allegations are a continuation of a complaint she made last year that wasn’t followed through by OPI.

She filed a complaint with the agency last year that Kathy Cannon, Butte director of special education, was illegally destroying records of special education students.

The state investigated and found that in fact records were being destroyed that federal law requires be kept. OPI ordered Butte schools to fix the problem to ensure future records are kept.