TOLEDO -- A statewide audit released preliminary findings today that show Toledo Public Schools as well as several others across the state may be involved in tampering with student attendance numbers.
It's a term called scrubbing. It means removing students from enrollment without a lawful reason. The state auditor says there problems that point to this practice in eight TPS schools. They include Scott, Rodgers, and Start High Schools. Brynedale and McTigue Middle Schools. And Samuel M. Jones at Gunckel Park, Leverette, and East Broadway Elementary Schools.
According to state auditor David Yost, the goal is to find out if those schools removed poor performing students to improve ratings. That's important because those ratings could determine the amount of money from the government the schools get. But Superintendent Jerome Pecko says he learned of the practice in June and took action, "at that meeting, I learned of the withdrawal and re-enrollment practice, and after further checking , I put out a order to suspend the practice. I contacted our legal counsel and requested that the matter be investigated."
Pecko adds the district got an independent investigation that showed no violation of state standards after they took action.
The auditor's report point fingers at school administrators, and adds this problem doesn't reach down to teachers.
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