Audit finds widespread noncompliance in ADE school safety program sample; committee advances bill to create School Safety Center

The Arizona House Education Committee on the second day of session heard an Auditor General presentation that found significant gaps in how the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) monitored and enforced requirements for the School Safety Program, and after ADE’s response the committee advanced House Bill 2142 to create a School Safety Center within ADE to strengthen oversight.

Auditor General representative Cassie Deacon told the committee the audit (issued August 2025) reviewed program administration and a sample of 16 schools awarded program grants. Deacon said the Department awarded more than $128 million in fiscal year 2025 to place 1,086 school safety personnel on more than 1,100 campuses, but that her sample showed 15 of 16 schools did not comply with one or more program requirements. Missing or incomplete operational plans, safety teams that did not meet or carry out required activities, failure to document required training attendance, absent activity logs for funded positions, and instances where ADE made reimbursement payments without receiving expenditure reports were among the findings.

"We found that the Department did not ensure that 15 of these schools complied with one or more program requirements," Deacon said. She recommended risk‑based monitoring, written monitoring policies, mandatory document uploads for reimbursements, and follow‑up to address noncompliance.

ADE Director of School Safety Mike Kurtenbach acknowledged the findings, described the program’s rapid expansion and the department’s capacity constraints, and said ADE accepts the audit recommendations and has begun implementing changes. Kurtenbach explained the program grew from about $12 million in 2018 to an $83 million appropriation plus a mid‑cycle $48 million release that resulted in $128.3 million being allocated in the most recent cycle. He said ADE’s grant management team had few staff relative to program size and said he has 16 positions currently supporting the program and is requesting 14 additional positions to address monitoring, training, evaluation and threat/vulnerability analysis (a proposed total of 30 positions).

Kurtenbach described operational changes ADE is implementing: an electronic compliance platform requiring grantees to upload emergency operations plans, activity logs and supporting expenditure documentation; risk‑based desk reviews and site visits; and a programmatic hold policy that can prevent a site from drawing down funds if required training is not completed. He also committed on the record to invite the Auditor General to meet with Arizona State University’s evaluation team to align program evaluation and audit follow‑up.

Chair and members pressed Kurtenbach on whether the requested positions and the bill’s 10% administrative allowance would be sufficient and asked for a transparent allocation of proposed admin dollars. Representative Nancy Gutierrez and others emphasized the need for monitoring of emergency operations plan (EOP) compliance, particular attention to students with disabilities, and clear interagency coordination (ADE, DPS, Department of Emergency and Military Affairs). Kurtenbach said ADE would repurpose and add staff to create six EOP specialists, two research/evaluation specialists and two threat/vulnerability analysts among the requested positions.

House Bill 2142, as explained by committee staff, would establish a school safety center inside ADE to administer the school safety program, provide technical assistance for EOPs statewide, and allow the center to use up to 10% of monies appropriated for the School Safety Program for administration. Vice Chair Michelle Pena moved HB2142 be returned with a due‑pass recommendation. After debate and explanation of votes, the committee gave HB2142 a due‑pass recommendation with a roll‑call result reported in committee as 6 ayes, 4 nays, 1 present and 1 not voting. Members asked staff to convene a bipartisan stakeholder meeting to refine a floor amendment that specifies personnel, dollar amounts, and required interagency collaboration before the bill proceeds to the floor.

Why it matters: The audit identified gaps in oversight that, according to auditors and several members, increase the risk that state funds are not used as intended and that school safety plans are not implemented. The bill would create a centralized unit intended to improve monitoring, technical assistance, threat assessments and evaluation. Members said additional clarity is needed on funding levels, staff roles and how the Center will ensure EOP compliance and accommodations for students with disabilities.

Next steps: The committee forwarded HB2142 with a due‑pass recommendation and asked for a stakeholder process and drafting of a floor amendment to specify the administrative allocation and interagency coordination.