Phi Delta Kappa Auditors Complete Site Visit at WCPSS
May 11, 2007 - Auditors from Phi Delta Kappa have spent the last week investigating the Wake County Public School System in a curriculum management audit requested by the school system. Audit leader Roseanne Stripling with Chief Academic Officer Donna Hargens as auditors complete their visit to WCPSS. |
Wake Educast |
Dr. Roseanne Stripling of Texas A&M University who has conducted many of these audits across the country led a team of 23 auditors from 12 states. During the week, the auditors visited every classroom in Wake County’s schools, conducted interviews with 262 school staff members, parents, students and community members, and reviewed a library of documents that laid end-to-end would cover 8.6 miles. Sixty people from the community signed up online and each had a 15 minute interview with an auditor.
“We look at everything,” said Stripling. “We’re looking to see if there are any barriers to education success. All your systems must support teaching and learning”
WCPSS Chief Academic Officer Donna Hargens introduced Stripling to the Board of Education at its May 8 meeting. Stripling said her first conversation with the school system was with Hargens. The auditor said Hargens told her that the curriculum management audit was requested by Superintendent Del Burns and the school system sought the audit for guidance in moving from good to great. She said that conversation helped her feel there was a match.
“These standards have been developed over 30 years,” said Stripling. “They are benchmarks against standards and processes to improve your schools.”
The auditors will review the information collected during their visit to Wake County and draft a report to be presented to the school system.
“In three months, you will get a report,” said Stripling. “We will provide a set of findings and a list of recommendations. It will drill down.”
The audit looks at governance, direction, connectivity, feedback and productivity.
“Let me commend the board for the courage to call this audit. You didn’t have to do it” said Stripling. “The staff has been very helpful in preparing for the audit and helping us go through our week.”
Superintendent Burns offered his thanks to Stripling and the team of auditors.
“This is an exception audit,” said Burns. “The report will not include a list of commendations. It will have findings and recommendations for improvements.”
-wcpss-