Des Moines, Iowa (RI) — State Auditor Rob Sand says he welcomes a request to audit Des Moines Public Schools, but state law does not give him the authority to launch an investigation on his own — or do so in response to state legislators.
Three Republican members of the Iowa Senate recently sent Sand a letter, asking him to evaluate the process the Des Moines School Board used to hire Ian Roberts, who was arrested by immigration agents last month and faces federal gun charges. Sand says the state auditor’s office only has the authority to investigate local entities when the request comes from someone within the city, county or — in this case — school district. None of the senators who sent the letter live in Des Moines.
Sand, a Democrat who is running for governor, made his comments during a news conference this Tuesday morning in the state auditor’s office. Sand told reporters he has spoken to a couple of people at Des Moines Public Schools about the process of filing a request for a special investigation by the state auditor’s office.
State law requires annual audits for all public school districts in Iowa. Many use private auditing firms or CPAs. Sand indicated that if his office gets a request to conduct a special investigation of the Des Moines Public School District, it would not be a re-audit, but would focus on specific issues surrounding the now-former Superintendent — including a contract with a consulting firm connected to Roberts.
