Mason City, Iowa — State Auditor Rob Sand says it’s unclear whether a new state law may restrict the ability of his office to review how a private company manages the new state-funded accounts for private school expenses.
The law forbids the state auditor’s office from going to court to force state officials and agencies to turn over documents. It also restricts Sand’s office from accessing personal information that an individual would reasonably expect to be kept private or consider unnecessary to an audit. Sand, the only Democrat in statewide office, says Republican lawmakers who approved those restrictions have limited the ability of his office to investigate potential fraud.
A New York firm called Odyssey was awarded the state contract to manage the new program. Parents seeking state funded accounts to cover their child’s private schooling have to provide financial data to the company through its website. The company then will manage all payments for tuition and other acceptable expenses like school fees. Sand made his comments after a town hall meeting in Mason City Thursday afternoon. Sand also held town hall meetings Thursday in Algona, Garner, Forest City and Northwood.
