2 Sides Clash Over Audit of Schools

Officials from two giant bureaucracies clashed on Tuesday in a dispute over whether the Los Angeles Unified School District will invite an audit by City Controller Laura Chick.

In dueling afternoon news conferences, the mayor argued the necessity of the audit, and the schools superintendent said the audit could actually harm the district.

By the end of the day, after a City Council debate and two news conferences, it remained unclear what the scope of the audit might be. Chick earlier said it probably would not include the school construction program or what happens in the classroom.

But no one -- with the city or school district -- pointed to any particular program or arm of the district that was wasting money.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa argued that the audit was necessary because fixing L.A. Unified was the central policy issue facing the city.

Less than two hours later, Supt. Roy Romer offered a sometimes fierce counterattack while suggesting that Villaraigosa, Chick and the City Council were playing politics by insisting on a report that wasn’t necessary.

“There is a lot of rhetoric in this town right now that this is a failing district and that we need to do something like an audit to get it back on track,” Romer said.

He added: “This is not a failing district,” and he cited rising student test scores and the building boom of more than 100 new facilities.

Romer also argued that such an audit could cost the school district $800,000, and, if not conducted well, could jeopardize the district’s healthy bond rating, which is key to financing school construction.

The school district and city government have long been kept separate by the City Charter. But one of the primary themes of Villaraigosa’s campaign last spring was fixing L.A. Unified, which employs about 80,000 people and is the nation’s second-largest school district, after New York City’s.

Soon after taking office, Villaraigosa formed a panel to study school reform. Then, earlier this month, Chick -- a close ally of Villaraigosa -- called a news conference to announce that she wanted to audit the district.

Chick’s audits of both the Port of Los Angeles and Los Angeles World Airports served as fodder for Villaraigosa’s campaign against incumbent Mayor James K. Hahn.

On Tuesday morning, the council unanimously passed a symbolic resolution supporting an audit. Earlier in the day, Romer had faxed each council member a three-page letter that raised questions about the audit.

“We are concerned when a new audit is proposed by press conferences, blast e-mails and public appearances,” Romer wrote. “Whatever the intention of those conducting this campaign, our approach will be one of careful, cautious and considered reflection regarding whether our audits can be improved.”

At his news conference, Romer said he learned of Chick’s audit when she called him on the morning of Dec. 1 to say that in 30 minutes she was going to call a news conference to announce her proposed audit.

Chick disagreed with that version of events. She said that she called Romer and other school officials at 9:15 a.m. to tell them she was releasing a letter calling for an audit that day.

She said that Romer cut the conversation short and said he would consider her offer.

Later in the day, Chick punched back. “They don’t want me in there,” she said. “They are afraid of what I’m going to find and say -- and more importantly, they’re afraid of the attention my audit will get because I’ll take it to the people.”

At least eight members of the council attended the city news conference and four school board members joined Romer.

In a long debate in the morning, the council quizzed Chick. Three members -- Council President Alex Padilla, Tony Cardenas and Ed Reyes -- asked whether an audit would ultimately benefit students.

“I read Romer’s letter, and he’s telling us that we have audits ad nauseam,” Reyes said. “So what are we doing here -- is it going to be a report on a report?”

But all three voted for the resolution.

One councilman who has been an ardent supporter of an audit -- and the mayor -- was Jose Huizar, who recently left the school board after being elected to replace Villaraigosa on the council. He argued that the district needs more transparency.

Marlene Canter, president of the school board, said the board would soon consider the proposed audit.

Earlier, the mayor was asked what he would do if thwarted by the school board. He said that his answer would come after the first of the year, but that he could turn to the state Assembly to authorize an audit.