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Public Works finds Hartford Public Schools could save nearly $2 million; recommends 46 fixes
Summary
An independent review found gaps in Hartford Public Schools’ grant management, staffing, position control and policies, and recommended 46 changes and technical assistance; district and state officials said many fixes are underway.
An independent fiscal and operations review presented to the Connecticut State Board of Education on March 5 concluded Hartford Public Schools (HPS) has significant weaknesses in grant management, fiscal controls and organizational structure but has taken steps to address many findings.
Public Works LLC, the contractor hired by the State Department of Education, reported 46 recommendations and 12 commendations after a review of grant management, fiscal systems, purchasing, and IT systems. “If the district should choose to implement all 46 recommendations, we estimate they could save nearly $2,000,000,” Scott Stiles of Public Works said.
Why it matters: The review was prompted by the board’s accountability subcommittee after the district reported substantial budget reductions and system weaknesses. Public Works found the school district underused existing financial-system capabilities, had a one-to-many position-control setup that obscured budget ownership, and lacked up-to-date policies and desk procedures.
Key findings and remedy steps: Lead reviewer Betty Russell said long vacancies — including a CFO post left open for over a year — and loss of institutional knowledge contributed to slow grant drawdowns, inconsistent procurement and fractured program ownership. Russell said the district has largely implemented crucial changes: it has hired a qualified CFO, moved to 1:1 position control for nearly all positions, assigned program owners for about 90% of grants and begun training them, and eliminated some administrative silos.
District and state follow-up: Public Works and state staff said they will continue on-site technical assistance; Public Works said its team would go to Hartford immediately following the board meeting to support implementation. State officials urged the district to post the full report for transparency, assign point people for each recommended area, and aim for at least 80% implementation of the recommendations.
Ending: Board members praised the detailed report and emphasized the need for strengthened policies and procedures so the district can sustain improvements; the district and Public Works said they are continuing the technical-assistance work on the ground.
