[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6649865,"mediaKeyId","2511071-d62c6bea5cdc166f294032f865aa5bde","parentId",2511071,"title","Parents and staff urge Liberty district to reinstate assistant principal, oppose cuts to reading interventions","audioSeconds",408,"startMs",6210000,"endMs",6618000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2511071-d62c6bea5cdc166f294032f865aa5bde&start=6210&end=6618","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2511071-d62c6bea5cdc166f294032f865aa5bde/thumbnail_6210000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6649865/Arizona/Parents-and-staff-urge-Liberty-district-to-reinstate-assistant-principal-oppose-cuts-to-reading-interventions","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6649865-679ced2c6360f2b4422ac1938b8365c6/orig.mp4?Expires=1774875938&Signature=OUR3qCkQWHlPLVu66sR1vuuaCMUXKKfxpX~LliQ1aATDSkrDKS8THMehb9Ljiz2qXHT6xgl3w4My0qPLvGNn2nVGauiIF7XzACcErNqZqbJyyg8xkIZjrelMZjT4doKnoNOotKYDb~lK7cf-rX9LSakY-nVYtLgPFiwaOgKfVU6Z52KoVIAIsRZijQ1wnbAARAgAcpjDU5RRDfDps-3Ldvo5ur5csBZzGNcXNZCi5QLwgtQI2nUXvPPcImxZ~ZiJz0Q28Id7nx~I5Zo5P7UHcOIxOtfNIweJxGj~qIwVtO7i7qJD6qmLNUZtAMR4bhuzmU8aPRmGxGYyFJWxKc17qg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Liberty Elementary District","date","2025-03-06T01:22:19.113Z","article","Dozens of parents, teachers and staff used the district's public‑comment period to press the Liberty Elementary School District governing board to reverse recent personnel moves, reinstate assistant principal Lauren Velasquez at Freedom Elementary and preserve reading‑intervention positions that commenters said serve hundreds of students.

Speakers described Velasquez as a stabilizing presence and urged the board and superintendent to return him to Freedom now that the school's assistant principal post is vacant. Several teachers, parents and school staff described Velasquez's leadership as a direct driver of recent academic progress at Freedom and asked the board to prioritize continuity in campus leadership.

Teacher and parent concerns about staffing and communications

- Multiple teachers and support staff described late‑notice contract changes and the loss of education‑support positions. One reading interventionist said she and colleagues received late Friday notices about reassignment or nonrenewal and asked the board to consider the instructional ramifications for students who currently receive daily intervention time.

- Commenters said reading interventionists support roughly 750 students districtwide with tiered interventions and that removing the positions would both reduce academic supports and increase supervision and safety burdens for remaining staff.

- Parents and staff described a pattern of rapid reassignments, staff departures and what they characterized as poor communication from administration. Several speakers asked the board to require clearer notice and to prioritize retention of positions that directly support classroom instruction.

Voices at the meeting

- Emily Miller, a fifth‑grade teacher at Freedom Elementary, urged the board to consider returning Velasquez to Freedom, saying his return would provide continuity and immediate leadership for a school that helped raise its rating while he served there.

- Marcy McBride, a school counselor, said of Velasquez: \"He is a good man. He is not only a good leader, but he is compassionate, and in my opinion, the most important, he is honest.\" McBride said the presence of calm, caring adults in schools mitigates trauma and supports student learning.

- Other speakers — including a reading interventionist, a parent group representative and former district staffers from other Arizona districts — urged stronger board oversight of superintendent decisions and more transparent, timely communication about personnel and program choices.

Why it matters

Board actions about staffing and programs are central to classroom instruction and student supports. Reading interventionists, counselors and site leadership play a measurable role in early reading outcomes; commenters argued that cuts to those positions would increase risk for struggling students and would compound instructional challenges amid the district's budget pressures.

District response and next steps

Board members acknowledged the public comments and asked administration to provide follow‑up information about staffing decisions and the process for contracts and reassignments. Some trustees said they would review the circumstances that led to the personnel decisions and asked staff to return with clarification about which positions are funded by which sources and how proposed cuts would affect day‑to‑day student services.

Speakers

- Lauren Velasquez — Assistant Principal (role referenced by multiple commenters)
- Emily Miller — Fifth‑grade teacher, Freedom Elementary
- Marcy McBride — School counselor, Freedom Elementary (and district lead counselor)
- Erin Bridal — Reading interventionist (commented on late notice and duties)
- Patricia Ybarra — Freedom Elementary school secretary
- Corey Nao — Community member and parent
- Multiple parents and community members active during public comment (Mark Maguire, Paul Bixler and others participated in later comments)

Clarifying details

- Commenters said reading interventionists serve approximately 750 students across the district and that many students receive two intervention blocks daily; district administration was asked to confirm the exact number and to present program costs and alternatives.
- Several speakers asked the board to provide assurances about whether any staff will be nonrenewed or laid off and to provide a timeline for decisions.

Searchable_tags:[\"personnel\",\"reading_intervention\",\"Freedom Elementary\",\"Lauren Velasquez\",\"public_comment\",\"staff_turnover\"],

provenance:{\"transcript_segments\":[{\"block_id\":\"public_blk_1\",\"local_start\":10310,\"local_end\":10340,\"evidence_excerpt\":\"I'm here today to bring your attention to the fact that Lauren Velasquez, vice principal at Blue Horizons, has been forced to resign his position in lieu of non renewal.\",\"reason_code\":\"topicintro\"},{\"block_id\":\"public_blk_2\",\"local_start\":12420,\"local_end\":12458,\"evidence_excerpt\":\"He is a good man. He is not only a good leader, but he is compassionate, and in my opinion, the most important, he is honest.\",\"reason_code\":\"topicfinish\"}] }","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","03/04/25 LESD#25 Work Study Session and Governing Board Meeting Part1","oneSentenceSummary","Dozens of parents, teachers and community members used the public‑comment period to press the board to reinstate Freedom Elementary assistant principal Lauren Velasquez, to preserve reading‑intervention positions and to demand clearer communication about personnel and contract decisions amid the district's budget concerns.","taxTitle","Liberty Elementary District (4266), School Districts, Arizona","taxId",64408,"location","Arizona","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6649868,"Auditor General identifies financial‑control weaknesses, high‑risk budget measures at Liberty Elementary District",352,3504000,3856000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2511071-d62c6bea5cdc166f294032f865aa5bde&start=3504&end=3856","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2511071-d62c6bea5cdc166f294032f865aa5bde/thumbnail_3504000.jpg","/articles/6649868/Arizona/Auditor-General-identifies-financialcontrol-weaknesses-highrisk-budget-measures-at-Liberty-Elementary-District","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6649868-2970d8082e9179979c05fd380e0b4f0b/orig.mp4?Expires=1774875938&Signature=VPdsLfP88dmFHsRoP2ZmkjkSC5vPDuLJKc13Ff1-Mo0pZ2eoEDyT551lRG65SHLdK1zihfqw2WZJoUFpcSuefcvNSr68El7kCeX9xQbOHc5Ha-1Qz4NBQo42Ebz~w2k9UorpfWP8ayTCXBCGNbmbY2zCJQUzp86ersaVHAQyO9D-L0zaz14oAyHn3fyjiWZ3aMBD8Ez6vZioMDYjbNxlQP5BQ4ngwQr73geu2GyxXAOqPKNsxR7vSkIHSHv6mqnRNnLXPI-~k-1A2HtIcCGeCYmGUYdUhgAnHga44DZO4Yc8VG4zBOLSabUGxd4VNvPuqgn3FO75iqV5FVeuCQwCGw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Arizona Auditor General's office presented the results of a recent performance audit and the annual financial‑risk analysis for Liberty Elementary District, identifying several high‑risk financial measures and systemic control weaknesses that the office said need correction.

Megan Heager, director of the Auditor General's accountability division, told the board that Liberty was identified for three high‑risk measures, including a sharp drop in operating budget limit reserves. \"Liberty's reserves decreased by 71.6% from fiscal year 2023 to 2024,\" she said, and that decline was a principal signal prompting the office's designation.

The office also reported the district's FY24 general fund spending exceeded revenues, producing a negative operating margin. Heager recounted that the FY24 figures showed roughly $34.9 million in general‑fund revenues compared with $37.3 million in spending — a gap the Auditor General characterized as a principal contributor to a roughly $2 million decrease in the district's general‑fund balance for FY24.

Performance audit findings

A contractor called Sjoberg Evashank Consulting presented findings from a performance audit of district operations in four areas: administration/financial oversight, plant operations, food service and transportation. Nicole Dyer of Sjoberg Evashank summarized the audit's chief problems:

- Internal controls and procurement: The audit found purchase orders created after purchases were made, insufficient oversight of district credit‑card usage (the audit reported 65 active cards with inconsistent tracking), missing required contract documentation and some contract expenditures that exceeded approved authority.

- Travel reimbursements: A sample of travel claims showed inconsistent adherence to state reimbursement rules, late submission of claims and payments lacking required approvals or documentation.

- Transportation reporting: The audit identified errors in how the district calculated and reported bus mileage and ridership to ADE, which could affect transportation funding for FY23 and FY24.

- Information technology security: Audit work found excessive system access, former employees retaining access, weak password policies and a lack of multi‑factor authentication on key systems.

\"Effective internal controls are essential for safeguarding public monies,\" Nicole Dyer told the board. The audit included 22 formal recommendations covering cash handling, travel and procurement policies, credit‑card oversight, IT governance and transportation data procedures.

District response and next steps

District management told auditors it agreed with the findings and the district has accepted the 22 recommendations, the auditors said. The Auditor General's office said it will follow up with the district in coming months to track implementation. The auditors emphasized that while some problems were attributable to staff turnover and training gaps, the absence of documented procedures and insufficient monitoring contributed to the weaknesses found.

Why it matters

Auditor General reports are public and used by oversight bodies and stakeholders to assess whether a school district has actionable plans to correct weaknesses. The financial‑risk designation — tied to falling reserves and a negative operating margin — is intended to prompt immediate corrective planning, and the Auditor General asked the governing board to ensure district management implements the audit recommendations.

Votes at a glance (meeting outcomes)

Several board votes during the meeting enacted routine business and contracts referenced in the audit materials: the regular agenda was approved (4–0), consent items were approved (4–0), personnel items were approved (4–0), a cell‑tower lease was approved (4–0), and expense vouchers were ratified (4–0). The board later voted to convene an executive session to discuss the superintendent contract and legal matters (4–0).

Speakers

- Megan Heager — Director, Accountability Services Division, Arizona Auditor General's Office
- Scott Swaggerty — Director, Division of School Audits, Arizona Auditor General's Office
- Nicole Dyer — Director, Sjoberg Evashank Consulting (performance audit contractor)
- George Skiles — Sjoberg Evashank Consulting (presenter, referenced)
- Dr. Kurt Monroe — Superintendent, Liberty Elementary District
- Board members: Kelly Zimmerman, Chris Kenyon, Sarah Schmidt, Brian Cicerone

Authorities

- statute: \"Arizona Revised Statutes (executive session authority)\" cited in meeting (ARS 38‑431)
- other: \"Arizona Auditor General performance audit and financial‑risk analysis\" (report presented to board)
- other: \"Uniform System of Financial Records (USFR)\" (referenced as the state's financial reporting standard)

Clarifying details

- Auditor General reported a 71.6% decrease in operating budget‑limit reserves between FY23 and FY24 and a $2 million decrease in general‑fund balance for FY24.
- The Auditor General reported the district's FY24 general‑fund revenues about $34.9M and expenditures about $37.3M; the office used these numbers in its financial‑risk analysis.

Searchable_tags:[\"Auditor General\",\"performance_audit\",\"financial_risk\",\"internal_controls\",\"IT_security\",\"transportation_reporting\"],

provenance:{\"transcript_segments\":[{\"block_id\":\"audit_blk_intro\",\"local_start\":5828,\"local_end\":5864,\"evidence_excerpt\":\"Our office recently issued a performance audit of Liberty Elementary School District, and we were asked to present the results of that audit\",\"reason_code\":\"topicintro\"},{\"block_id\":\"audit_blk_reserves\",\"local_start\":6288,\"local_end\":6376,\"evidence_excerpt\":\"Liberty's reserves decreased by 71.6% from fiscal year 23 to 24\",\"reason_code\":\"topicfinish\"}] }","The Auditor General presented a performance audit and financial‑risk analysis that flagged sharp reserve declines, a negative operating margin for FY24 and 22 recommendations on internal controls, procurement, travel reimbursements, transportation reporting and IT security.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6649874,"Budget consultant warns Liberty Elementary District of projected $2.4 million shortfall; urges hiring freeze, PO reviews",291,366000,657000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2511071-d62c6bea5cdc166f294032f865aa5bde&start=366&end=657","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2511071-d62c6bea5cdc166f294032f865aa5bde/thumbnail_366000.jpg","/articles/6649874/Arizona/Budget-consultant-warns-Liberty-Elementary-District-of-projected-24-million-shortfall-urges-hiring-freeze-PO-reviews","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6649874-5f245a9d870109f3ac0d0b5ac51215d7/orig.mp4?Expires=1774875938&Signature=cQizsc8Nivde9ygM~ysAmng7P4QbNULghuB3Km1Etn565voholuRW6GsjkrJxLbHCx~QrEYqbXS8gZSvYFVD7oSnvlDTV7ZZpRDxnMKEfQAyyGPB5w41Bo8NpICHiDh0uRv70yzRdWXU4XiwBHPm9e99yaRKhX46VkhAW7hoB4~n1J03dxs81OHHg36tW7iEOKFvk1fZ~NUbKU7SLvhp1qRtqq5AMPQ5tXNT6SaMupJ7E5VOksaOAhiYi37NLnapCyiFT3juRChBy9YdhLzYyvnqLj9SrtZ-lGSPEQJiKUWgqtMxxXGT-VnK6o1EggTn06OckLZtY2FvPjvjvX-RoA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Ken Hicks, a budget consultant and chief financial officer at Tolleson Union High School District, told the Liberty Elementary School District governing board during a Feb. work session that the district \"has not overspent,\" but it does have a projection that it will overspend by the end of the fiscal year.

The consultant, who said he was providing unpaid help while the district transitions staff, urged several immediate actions: a hiring freeze, systematic review and reduction of open purchase orders (POs) to lower encumbrances, monthly monitoring of average daily membership (ADM), and routine budget revisions — ideally in December rather than waiting until May. \"We should be doing December budget revisions whether ADE says you are required to or not,\" Hicks told the board.

Why it matters: Liberty's operating reserves and the district's general-fund position were flagged later in the meeting by the Auditor General as areas of elevated risk. The consultant said routine, earlier budget reconciliation helps avoid last-minute use of reserves and gives the board clearer oversight of spending choices.

Key details

- Projection and reserves: Hicks described a projected year‑end overspend (discussed elsewhere in the meeting as roughly in the low millions) driven primarily by current encumbrances and spending trends. He said the district's encumbrances — POs representing committed future spending — are the principal signal that the district could exceed its budget limit if left unadjusted.

- Purchase orders and encumbrances: Hicks recommended a systematic review of open POs and reducing encumbrances where possible. He described an example of reducing a PO with $200,000 total but only $40,000 spent so far, trimming the remaining encumbrance to reflect likely future outlays.

- Hiring and positions: Hicks and board members discussed closing vacant positions and then reopening them only after justification. \"We start with no,\" Hicks said of the approach to new hires and then evaluate requests that are justified. Board members repeatedly emphasized that some positions remain essential and that attrition is not an automatic substitute for strategic staffing decisions.

- ADM and revenue outlook: Hicks walked the board through Arizona Department of Education ADM reports. He cited ADE's published figures for prior years (FY23 ADM 4,199.6826; FY24 4,202.6487) and an interim January report showing FY25 ADM at about 4,279.75. He stressed that ADM continues to change each month and that funding estimates must be monitored monthly to keep the budget aligned with actual pupil counts.

- Medicaid reimbursements (MIPS): Hicks explained school-based Medicaid reimbursements are reimbursement revenue, not a cash source the district must spend; they are generally limited to maintenance-and-operations-type costs. He said the district \"does not pay anything out of there unless we want to pay anything out of there. So it is purely a reimbursement of revenue coming in.\" Board members asked for clearer reporting on what the Medicaid reimbursements have been used for historically and whether shifts of eligible expenses could reduce the projected shortfall.

Board direction and next steps

Hicks recommended continuing the hiring freeze, aggressively reviewing and closing unnecessary POs, projecting ADM monthly, and coordinating a board-level discussion to prioritize cuts and preserve as much capital/reserve as feasible. He also said a second consultant will visit soon and that the district should not take final staffing or compensation actions until it has a clear, updated projection of FY25 and preliminary planning for FY26.

Quotes

\"We have not overspent. What we have is a projection that we will overspend,\" Ken Hicks said, urging the board to reduce encumbrances and improve monthly financial monitoring.

\"We should be doing December budget revisions whether ADE says you are required to or not,\" Hicks told the board.

What the board asked for

Board members requested a spreadsheet showing current projected overages and which line items or POs are being reduced so members can track the number coming down. Multiple board members also asked administration to present specific, numeric reduction options for the board to consider before April and to return to the board regularly with encumbrance and payroll impacts.

Speakers

- Ken Hicks — budget consultant; Chief Financial Officer, Tolleson Union High School District (consultant)
- Dr. Kurt Monroe — Superintendent, Liberty Elementary District
- Crystal Mosier — Lead accountant, Liberty Elementary District
- Dane Bolden — Executive Director of Business Services, Liberty Elementary District (mentioned/participated)
- Chris Kenyon — Governing Board member
- Sarah Schmidt — Governing Board member
- Brian Cicerone — Governing Board member
- Kelly Zimmerman — Governing Board Vice President

Clarifying details

- FY23 ADM (state finalized): 4,199.6826; FY24 ADM (state finalized): 4,202.6487; interim FY25 (Jan 15 snapshot): 4,279.7517 (Hicks cited ADE monthly reports)
- Hicks said the district's FY24 revenue was roughly $34.9 million vs. $37.3 million in spending (discussed later by the Auditor General). The consultant characterized the immediate problem as a projected overspend rather than an already completed overspend.
- Hicks said encumbrances and open POs were the primary near-term driver of projected overages and gave examples of trimming POs to realistic expected expenditures.

Searchable_tags:[\"budget\",\"encumbrances\",\"ADM\",\"hiring_freeze\",\"Medicaid_reimbursement\",\"Liberty Elementary District\",\"fiscal_risk\"]

provenance:{\"transcript_segments\":[{\"block_id\":\"budget_blk_1\",\"local_start\":173,\"local_end\":210,\"evidence_excerpt\":\"We have not overspent\",\"reason_code\":\"topicintro\"},{\"block_id\":\"budget_blk_2\",\"local_start\":620,\"local_end\":660,\"evidence_excerpt\":\"We should be doing December budget revisions whether ADE says you are required to or not.\",\"reason_code\":\"topicfinish\"}]}","A volunteer budget consultant and district staff told the Liberty Elementary School District governing board that the district is not currently overspent but projects a multimillion-dollar shortfall by June 30 and must close or revise purchase orders, monitor ADM monthly and consider a December budget revision to avoid exhausting reserves.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Parents and staff urge Liberty district to reinstate assistant principal, oppose cuts to reading interventions

Auditor General identifies financial‑control weaknesses, high‑risk budget measures at Liberty Elementary District

Budget consultant warns Liberty Elementary District of projected $2.4 million shortfall; urges hiring freeze, PO reviews