Only one indicator.
The FIRST rating the Lancaster ISD failed for fiscal year ending 2005 asked the question:
Did The Comparisons Of PEIMS Data To Like Information In Annual Financial Report Result In An Aggregate Variance Of Less Than 4 Percent Of Expenditures Per Fund Type ?
This is also termed the "Data Quality Measure". The PEIMS data is stuff like daily average attendance, teacher-student ratios, -- general nuts-and-bolts data about how many whos are where doing which whats. If the sum of all the numbers in all the columns equals the sum of all the numbers in every row, then the "variance" would be zero. Generally, in an imperfect world, the numbers do NOT add up, exactly. But within 4% or so, they should.
Only 14 districts out of over one thousand failed this test in fiscal year 2005. One district that failed was our neighbor Irving. The Irving ISD, which like Lancaster also earned a "Superior Achievement" rating by failing only this one indicator, posted an aggregate variance of 13.2%.
The North Forest ISD earned an "Above Standard" financial rating .. which is down one notch from "Superior". (This lower ranking was because they failed two additional indicators.) They failed the PEIMS data quality question with a variance of 10.9%
Quinlan ISD faced a "Substandard" Rating, with 6 negative indicators, one of which was PEIMS data quality variance of 8.7%.
Valentine ISD eked out a marginal "Standard" Rating with 5 negative indicators, and PEIMS data quality variance of just under 5%.
Thirteen, eleven, almost nine, not quite five ... anybody care to guess what the Wilmer Hutchins district reported as a variance in fiscal 2005? How about 100% ? That's amazing. Every data element they reported was in variance. 100% variance. Can it get any worse?
Well, the LANCASTER ISD with its "Superior Achievement" ranking managed to fail the PEIMS data quality indicator with a 121% variance.
The Lancaster ISD had more variance than they had data.
And this is the second FIRST ranking year, the second fiscal year, in a row where the PEIMS data quality has been at unaccepable variance. In fiscal year 2004 the variance was 107%.
Now, in 2003 -- the last fiscal year before Dr Larry Lewis arrived, the variance was only 0.49%. That's like about one-tenth the variance allowed by FIRST standards.
The same staffer, Mr Greg Long, has held the post of PEIMS expert since before 2003 and now since Financial Officer Eugene Smith has come and gone. One might think that Greg Long would know, by now, how to keep his data quality within tolerance. If, that is, he were allowed to.
But for the last two years, while Greg Long has fallen lower and lower on the Lancaster Fianance Office pecking order, the PEIMS data quality has gotten worse and worse.
Hey, Mr Long, if you're reading, would you care to comment?
Thursday, February 22, 2007
FIRST Rating
Lancaster ISD earned a "Superior Achievement" rating in the "Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST)" scores for fiscal year ending 2005.
We only failed one, of twenty-one, "indicators" or tests.
Now, one test failed can be enough to fail the entire district and earn a "Substandard" rating. It depends on the indicator.
For instance, the Progresso ISD failed with only one "no". So did Port Arthur ISD.
The single indicator failed asked the question:
Was The Annual Financial Report Filed Within One Month After November 27th or January 28th Deadline Depending Upon The District's Fiscal Year End Date?
A district that files its Annual reports more than thirty days after the deadline is in what Region Ten analysts carefully refer to as "serious trouble".
The deadline for fiscal year ending 2006 is coming up fast. Might be a good question for citizens to ask at the next school board meeting. Did we file on time?
Lancaster ISD earned a "Superior Achievement" rating in the "Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST)" scores for fiscal year ending 2005.
We only failed one, of twenty-one, "indicators" or tests.
Now, one test failed can be enough to fail the entire district and earn a "Substandard" rating. It depends on the indicator.
For instance, the Progresso ISD failed with only one "no". So did Port Arthur ISD.
The single indicator failed asked the question:
Was The Annual Financial Report Filed Within One Month After November 27th or January 28th Deadline Depending Upon The District's Fiscal Year End Date?
A district that files its Annual reports more than thirty days after the deadline is in what Region Ten analysts carefully refer to as "serious trouble".
The deadline for fiscal year ending 2006 is coming up fast. Might be a good question for citizens to ask at the next school board meeting. Did we file on time?
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Voting.
Now, this probably is NOT enough to get a person fired from his job.
Just because Dallas County Voter ID #03502304 belongs to a person falsely claiming to live at:
500 Rolling Hills Place,
Lancaster, TX 75146
in October of 2006, and who voted in the November 2006 School Bond Referendum, even though he has ACTUALLY resided, since November 2005, at:
2640 Waterfront Drive
Grand Prairie TX 75054
in TARRANT COUNTY...
It doesn't mean the Lancaster School district will fire him.
After all, the district needed every vote it could get, last bond election. Even the illegal ones. Even though it lost. It won't fire any employee, even the CFO, for this sort of minor fraud.
Now, in the MAY 2006 election, which also was a squeaker where every vote was absolutely crucial -- and where Dallas voter # 03502304 might have voted,
and didn't...
THAT might have caused a bit of heartburn in the Superintendent's office.
Probably not enough to get a person fired, though.
Can't help wondering what the actual disagreement might have been.
Now, this probably is NOT enough to get a person fired from his job.
Just because Dallas County Voter ID #03502304 belongs to a person falsely claiming to live at:
500 Rolling Hills Place,
Lancaster, TX 75146
in October of 2006, and who voted in the November 2006 School Bond Referendum, even though he has ACTUALLY resided, since November 2005, at:
2640 Waterfront Drive
Grand Prairie TX 75054
in TARRANT COUNTY...
It doesn't mean the Lancaster School district will fire him.
After all, the district needed every vote it could get, last bond election. Even the illegal ones. Even though it lost. It won't fire any employee, even the CFO, for this sort of minor fraud.
Now, in the MAY 2006 election, which also was a squeaker where every vote was absolutely crucial -- and where Dallas voter # 03502304 might have voted,
and didn't...
THAT might have caused a bit of heartburn in the Superintendent's office.
Probably not enough to get a person fired, though.
Can't help wondering what the actual disagreement might have been.
The Changing LISD Pecking Order
Just for fun let's assume that the page position of the name in an directory listing denotes the importance of that person.
If so, it's interesting to see the rise and fall of various players in the LISD Financial Office. The history of this empire is
perserved on the "Wayback Machine" -- an archive of internet webpages.
In April of 2003, Superintendent Bill Ward has gone, Dr Larry Lewis has not yet arrived.A man named Thomas Poore is serving as "Acting Superintendent". And the Finance Office is, in that long ago time, called the Business Operations Department. The CFO was Ted Warren. The contact list, and our assumed ranking of next-most-important vice-officers, deputies, assistants and flunkies, runs
Scott Northcutt Coordinator for Business Services
Greg Long Coordinator for PEIMS
Tina Hansen Business Manager
Sue Hayes Payroll Manager
Now, let's set the Wayback Machine to June of 2003, Dr Lewis arrives on the Wayback radar. Thomas Poore is now "deputy" superintendent. The names and rankings in the Business Operations Department are unchanged.
In October 2003, Eugene Young replaced Thomas Poore as deputy superintendent and Scott Northcutt has disappeared from the Business Operations Department. The ranking remains Warren, Long, Hansen and Hayes.
In December 2003 Eugene Young picked up a assistant deputy vice-superintendent named Dr. Sylvia Hornback. And in the Business Office Ted Warren added a most- junior aide named Pat Wade. Ms Wade was responsible for "Benefits and Insurance". The hierarchy then ran Warren, Long, Hansen, Hayes and Wade.
This pecking order persisted in February 2004, April of 2004 and June of 2004
By August Dr Hornback had disappeared. Ted Warren was still hanging on, though his page position was suddenly elevated to co-equal Eugene Young's. Mr Warren also got his original, now second, mention of the page under the Business Operations listing. And the Business Operations hierarchy still ran Warren, Long, Hansen, Hayes and Wade.
This 5-person office ranking continued inMarch 2005.
By April 2005 Ted Warren had fallen in grace and was no longer co-equal Eugene Young. He did still appear as head of the Business Office and the Warren, Long, Hansen, Hayes and Wade pecking order continued.
In May 2005 Ted Warren had fallen completely off the website. The new Chief Financial Officer, Eugene Smith, appeared at the top of th Business Office listing. The 5-person ranking now ran Smith, Long, Hansen, Hayes and Wade. This pecking order lasted thru June.
In October 2005 the Business Office was reorganized as the "Office of the Chief Financial Officer" . CFO Eugene P Smith acquired a "financial manager" , Cheryl Peoples, and a "co-ordinator of purchasing" , Phil Brasher. Pat Wade dropped off the page. The new six-person pecking order ran Smith, Peoples, Hansen, Hayes, Brasher, and Long. (I can't help wondering how Long wound up so low in the rankings.)
The O-CFO team of six persisted in May of 2006 the Office of the CFO had ballooned to a full 'team of eight". Greg Long gained back some ranking points and 4 new birds on the pecking order followed:
Eugene P. Smith Chief Financial Officer
Cheryl Peoples Financial Manager
Phil Brasher Coordinator of Purchasing
Greg Long Coordinator for PEIMS
Mandy Johnson Administrative Assistant
Jessie Armstead Accounts Payable
Randall Hoadley Financial Analyst
Wendy Ware Payroll Manager
With all the new staff on the payroll, no WONDER the O-CFO needed a payroll manager!
It ddn't last. As of winter 2006, and still today, newcomers Johnson and Hoadley have overtaken Long. Mandy Johnson has been promoted from clerk (admin assistant) to "payroll" And former payrol manager Wendy Ware has disappeared. ) Only Armstead remains for Long to peck upon. Accounts payble being, apparently, even a less-esteemed position than PEIMS attendance taking.
The current listing / ranking showing on the LISD website is:
Smith - Cheryl Peoples - Mandy Johnson -Randall Hoadley -Greg Long - PEIMS Facilitator and -Jessie Armstead - Accounts Payable
Of course, the website is behind the times. Eugene Smith is actually gone, Richard Gonzales is holding the CFO slot, and Cheryl Peoples appears be managing the actual work. The district is hiring but not finance types --only teachers, counselors and librarians.
A new "highly qualified" CFO is not, it appears, being sought.
It would not appear to be an attractive position. From May 2005 to December 2006 -- 19 months or so?
It may be interesting to look into how Eugene Smith wound up moving to Lancaster from previous postings -- which appear to have been in Detroit.But we'll save that for another day.
Just for fun let's assume that the page position of the name in an directory listing denotes the importance of that person.
If so, it's interesting to see the rise and fall of various players in the LISD Financial Office. The history of this empire is
perserved on the "Wayback Machine" -- an archive of internet webpages.
In April of 2003, Superintendent Bill Ward has gone, Dr Larry Lewis has not yet arrived.A man named Thomas Poore is serving as "Acting Superintendent". And the Finance Office is, in that long ago time, called the Business Operations Department. The CFO was Ted Warren. The contact list, and our assumed ranking of next-most-important vice-officers, deputies, assistants and flunkies, runs
Scott Northcutt Coordinator for Business Services
Greg Long Coordinator for PEIMS
Tina Hansen Business Manager
Sue Hayes Payroll Manager
Now, let's set the Wayback Machine to June of 2003, Dr Lewis arrives on the Wayback radar. Thomas Poore is now "deputy" superintendent. The names and rankings in the Business Operations Department are unchanged.
In October 2003, Eugene Young replaced Thomas Poore as deputy superintendent and Scott Northcutt has disappeared from the Business Operations Department. The ranking remains Warren, Long, Hansen and Hayes.
In December 2003 Eugene Young picked up a assistant deputy vice-superintendent named Dr. Sylvia Hornback. And in the Business Office Ted Warren added a most- junior aide named Pat Wade. Ms Wade was responsible for "Benefits and Insurance". The hierarchy then ran Warren, Long, Hansen, Hayes and Wade.
This pecking order persisted in February 2004, April of 2004 and June of 2004
By August Dr Hornback had disappeared. Ted Warren was still hanging on, though his page position was suddenly elevated to co-equal Eugene Young's. Mr Warren also got his original, now second, mention of the page under the Business Operations listing. And the Business Operations hierarchy still ran Warren, Long, Hansen, Hayes and Wade.
This 5-person office ranking continued inMarch 2005.
By April 2005 Ted Warren had fallen in grace and was no longer co-equal Eugene Young. He did still appear as head of the Business Office and the Warren, Long, Hansen, Hayes and Wade pecking order continued.
In May 2005 Ted Warren had fallen completely off the website. The new Chief Financial Officer, Eugene Smith, appeared at the top of th Business Office listing. The 5-person ranking now ran Smith, Long, Hansen, Hayes and Wade. This pecking order lasted thru June.
In October 2005 the Business Office was reorganized as the "Office of the Chief Financial Officer" . CFO Eugene P Smith acquired a "financial manager" , Cheryl Peoples, and a "co-ordinator of purchasing" , Phil Brasher. Pat Wade dropped off the page. The new six-person pecking order ran Smith, Peoples, Hansen, Hayes, Brasher, and Long. (I can't help wondering how Long wound up so low in the rankings.)
The O-CFO team of six persisted in May of 2006 the Office of the CFO had ballooned to a full 'team of eight". Greg Long gained back some ranking points and 4 new birds on the pecking order followed:
Eugene P. Smith Chief Financial Officer
Cheryl Peoples Financial Manager
Phil Brasher Coordinator of Purchasing
Greg Long Coordinator for PEIMS
Mandy Johnson Administrative Assistant
Jessie Armstead Accounts Payable
Randall Hoadley Financial Analyst
Wendy Ware Payroll Manager
With all the new staff on the payroll, no WONDER the O-CFO needed a payroll manager!
It ddn't last. As of winter 2006, and still today, newcomers Johnson and Hoadley have overtaken Long. Mandy Johnson has been promoted from clerk (admin assistant) to "payroll" And former payrol manager Wendy Ware has disappeared. ) Only Armstead remains for Long to peck upon. Accounts payble being, apparently, even a less-esteemed position than PEIMS attendance taking.
The current listing / ranking showing on the LISD website is:
Smith - Cheryl Peoples - Mandy Johnson -Randall Hoadley -Greg Long - PEIMS Facilitator and -Jessie Armstead - Accounts Payable
Of course, the website is behind the times. Eugene Smith is actually gone, Richard Gonzales is holding the CFO slot, and Cheryl Peoples appears be managing the actual work. The district is hiring but not finance types --only teachers, counselors and librarians.
A new "highly qualified" CFO is not, it appears, being sought.
It would not appear to be an attractive position. From May 2005 to December 2006 -- 19 months or so?
It may be interesting to look into how Eugene Smith wound up moving to Lancaster from previous postings -- which appear to have been in Detroit.But we'll save that for another day.