Citizen Portal
Sign In

Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!

Audit spurs governance and financial reforms at Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind

Utah Legislature Public Education Appropriations Committee · February 4, 2026
AI-Generated Content: All content on this page was generated by AI to highlight key points from the meeting. For complete details and context, we recommend watching the full video. so we can fix them.

Summary

Auditors and staff described decades of governance and financial weaknesses at USDB, progress under HB537 and ongoing work on data systems, internal controls, and salary adjustments (WASA/steps-and-lanes). The audit recommended stronger oversight, educational benefit reviews, and consideration of fee‑for‑service models to address double funding.

The committee received an extensive audit and agency response about the Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind (USDB), focusing on governance, financial management, data reliability, and compensation methodology.

The Legislative Auditor General’s office led by Jake Davis said repeated financial and management problems have resurfaced over decades and called for durable governance fixes. "We found that the State Board of Education had not given adequate time or attention to USDB, and this insufficient oversight had allowed repeated financial and management issues for many decades," Davis said. The auditors recommended governance changes and adoption of processes to better monitor student outcomes.

U…

Already have an account? Log in

Subscribe to keep reading

Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.

  • Unlimited articles
  • AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
  • Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
  • Follow topics and more locations
  • 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
30-day money-back on paid plans