Rob Sand. (RI file photo)
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.
“Whether or not we need to is one question,” Sand says, “and then if we feel we have a need to, whether or not we’re able to is a bridge we’ll cross when we come to it.”
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 lot of people are concerned…about public money going to private schools and the lack of transparency and accountability and rules when that’s happening with the new law that passed,” Sand says.
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 or tutoring.
Sand made his comments after a town hall meeting in Mason City Thursday afternoon. Sand also held town hall meetings yesterday in Algona, Garner, Forest City and Northwood.
(By Bob Fisher, KGLO, Mason City)