Ft Worth Times

A team of external investigators hired by DeSoto school board members will comb through the district’s spending to determine if it violated any laws and if any misused money can be recovered, The Dallas Morning News reported.

Weaver, the Texas-based accounting firm hired last Thursday by the board, will dig into the school’s spending over the last four years, and possibly longer. The firm’s forensic audit will take a close look at all expenditures including vendor contracts, travel expenses, credit card use, irregular bookkeeping, grant spending and more.

The board has faced recent turbulence brought on by what is perceived to be questionable spending by the previous administration, forcing the district to tap into its reserves to cover expenses, scramble to find more than $20 million in savings, lay off teachers, eliminate programs and shut down one of its schools last year.

DeSoto school officials believe the forensic audit will uncover any mismanagement of district funds and reveal how money was spent in recent years.

According to The Morning News, tough times will continue for the district as it sees an estimated $5 million reduction in state funding due to decreased enrollment. The district’s enrollment is down by 700 students this year.

The controversy surrounding DeSoto school spending has drawn attention from local, state and federal agencies who are seeking answers. In addition to the Internal Revenue Service recently sending representatives to visit the district, the Texas Education Agency has begun ploughing through documents, and local law enforcement has reportedly asked for information.

To date, no charges have been filed and law enforcement agencies are yet to publicly acknowledge whether an investigation has been opened.

The audit is projected to take approximately six weeks to conclude and will cost $127,210. This amount may increase if review of the board’s spending extends beyond the current scope of examination.

School officials began an investigation into the district’s finances in the spring of 2018 after several former administrators resigned.