Events Calendar
In This Section
Most Read Stories
Unusual sports bar to be sold at auction
Motorcyclist killed, wife injured in Stark County crash
Family found dead in Ohio home
Man says he was punched, robbed by 3 people in parking lot
Man gets 3 years in prison for having sex with horse
Bank helps more save their homes
Kosar would be wrong call as GM
Circle K on Brown Street robbed
Blogs:
Pets:
Cats are trainable — and that's not a punchline
The Heldenfiles:
Monday Notebook
Patrick McManamon:
Time for Kokinis, Browns to agree and part ways
Akron Zips:
Zips tip off tomorrow
Tribe Matters:
Indians announce spring dates
Cleveland Browns:
Mangini doesn't name a quarterback
Kent State Sports:
KSU Notes – November 9
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Shaq: It’s All About Winning Championships
Buckeye Blogging:
Weekly ‘B’ Deck Report – New Mexico St.
Varsity Letters:
Walsh Jesuit’s Caponi commits to Duquesne
All Da King's Men:
If It Looks Like Islamic Terrorism…
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Dems Message To Women: Don't Enjoy The Sex
Akron Law Café:
Abortion Analogies
See Jane Style:
Muffle Your Muffler
Car Chase:
Clock Tender- Extending the Life of Collector Car Clocks
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Rumors: Akron Starbucks Closing
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Jack is looking for a trip to Southern Ohio the week of November 16.
Sound Check:
The Black Keys to perform benefit concert at Musica on November 27
HRLite House:
Personal Rant – Why People Do Not Live in Northeast Ohio
Akron Gamer:
New 'Call of Duty' could set entertainment record
State audit uncovers accounting problems, debts as student enrollment drops
By By John Higgins and Carol Biliczky
Beacon Journal
Published on Wednesday, Jul 16, 2008
An Akron charter school that is losing enrollment and struggling with accounting basics still owes a former community school about $34,000, according to Ohio Auditor Mary Taylor.
Taylor's office issued eight findings on Tuesday against Lighthouse Educational Development Corp. in a routine audit.
The report said the school with kindergartners through fifth-graders made a series of mistakes in the academic year ending June 30, 2007.
Among them, the school did not repay about $34,000 owed to the Akron Community School, another charter school that closed; overpaid almost $1,000 to its fiscal agent, Innovative Learning Solutions; did not submit a five-year projection of revenue to the state as required; and did not have a records policy in place.
The state audits charter schools annually. Lighthouse's debt to Akron Community School was noted in last year's audit and the matter was referred to the Ohio Department of Education.
It shows up on this year's audit as ''uncorrected'' and it has again been turned over to ODE, said Steve Faulkner, Taylor's spokesman.
''What this audit reveals is that the school is experiencing some financial difficulties if they're unable to pay certain obligations,'' Faulkner said. ''That is a concern.''
The school contracted with the Akron Community School in 2004 to run day-to-day operations. ACS was no longer in operation as of June 30, 2005. However, Lighthouse still owes $24,000 of a $25,000 loan to ACS and another $10,000 in other obligations.
Lighthouse officials told the state they are working with the Ohio Department of Education.
Lighthouse also told the state it has turned the matter of a $996.35 overpayment to Innovative Learning Solutions over to the Summit County Prosecutor's Office.
The Lighthouse audit revealed basic accounting problems, such as failing to balance bank records in a timely manner; losing payroll journals, time sheets and supporting invoices; and not processing all financial activity through the school's main accounting system.
Lighthouse responded that it has changed fiscal agents and is establishing a public records policy. Charter schools are independent schools that are funded with state money that otherwise would have been paid to the school district the student would have attended.
The schools partner with a community sponsor — in Lighthouse's case, the Richland Academy for the Arts in Mansfield — and with a fiscal sponsor to oversee its finances.
During the year, the income of the school at 1585 Frederick Blvd. decreased by about $800,000 from the previous year because of a reduced number of students. It ended the year in the red by about $381,000.
Enrollment dropped from about 204 students at the end of fiscal year 2006 to 54 students the following year, according to state records. The latest enrollment figures show about 110 students.
The audit notes that Lighthouse closed its downtown campus and discontinued offering sixth through eighth-grade classes, which resulted in the decline in student enrollment.
John Higgins can be reached at 330-996-3792 or jhiggins@thebeaconjournal.com. Carol Biliczky can be reached at 330-996-3729 or cbilizcky@thebeaconjournal.com.
An Akron charter school that is losing enrollment and struggling with accounting basics still owes a former community school about $34,000, according to Ohio Auditor Mary Taylor.
Get the full article here.
