Long Island school business officials' perceptions of the New York State School Fiscal Accountability Legislation of 2005 and their suggestions for improvements.

摘要

In March 2005, after a nine month long investigation, the State Comptroller issued a report that detailed the embezzlement of 11.2 million dollars from a Long Island school district, in which 29 people were implicated in the embezzlement scheme, including school officials, their family members, and friends. In July 2005, four months after the State Comptroller issued the report, the Governor signed into law the School Fiscal Accountability Legislation of 2005. The Comptroller said the embezzlement scheme was "the most extraordinary theft from a public school district in American history." It was known as the scandal that effectively changed the way all school districts would conduct their business.;The purpose of this qualitative research study was to examine the perceptions of Long Island school business officials regarding the newly adopted New York State School Fiscal Accountability Legislation of 2005, which includes seven key areas: (1) required board training, (2) internal audit function, (3) claims auditor, (4) improving external audits, (5) audit committee, (6) RFP for annual audit, and (7) state audits. In addition, their suggestions for improvements were examined. The perceptions of this legislation held by school business officials were used to examine whether or not it accomplished its intended purpose to prevent financial wrongdoing and how efficient the new process was in the improvement of the financial management responsibilities of the board.;Based on the findings of the study, the School Fiscal Accountability Legislation has increased accountability, improved transparency, and established the necessary oversight of school district business and finance. The legislation was efficient in the improvement of the financial management responsibilities of the board.