A legislative textbook audit released Thursday revealed missing information and data discrepancies from a spring 2000 audit.
The legislative audit subcommittee wants some explanations, and so does the Utah State Office of Education.
Grand, Kane, Logan and Piute school districts did not supply information for the audit. Jordan and Box Elder school districts gave different information from the spring audit. And at least eight districts don't meet the minimum per-student spending requirements for textbooks and classroom supplies.
Piute did not provide the information because of confusion during a staff change. Grand, Kane, and Jordan districts thought they supplied the correct information when requested and were surprised by the results.
"We're confident that the information is what they asked for and that it's factual," said Jordan spokeswoman Melinda Colton.
Logan business administrator Paul Jensen said he never received word of the audit and that district spending practices are sound. Said Box Elder District Superintendent Martell Menlove: "I have not personally provided any of those numbers, but I plan to meet with the business administrator."
Textbook supplies have been an issue for Utah schools for years. Teachers often complain of outdated and crumbling books and not having enough to go around.
Lawmakers, however, wanted to know how that was possible when they were sinking tens of millions of dollars a year into textbooks and supplies. They called for an audit last Legislature.
Results were made available last November, and it was found that some districts were supplanting money when the state gave extra. It also found more than $30 million was needed to fix the textbook problem.
The committee requested the new audit because it wanted up-to-date information for the 2001 session.
The amount of money the Legislature needs to "fix" the textbook funding problem depends on the districts' cycles of textbook replacement. The shorter the cycle, the more money is needed per year, Truscott said.
When following a five-year cycle, districts need approximately $24 million a year for textbooks, but they are spending an average of only $18.3 million. That difference, when multiplied by the five years of the cycle, equates to a $28.5 million shortfall — which roughly corresponds to the $30.6 million needed for textbooks disclosed in the November audit, Truscott said.
Stephens adjusted HB40 funds from $30.6 million to $23.8 million after district summer purchases and a $6 million appropriation from the 2000 Legislature.
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