Auditors can't account for student testing

This from H-L:

IMPOSSIBLE TO TRACK SCHOOLS' CONTRIBUTIONS

FRANKFORT — State auditors told a legislative committee Tuesday that they couldn't determine exactly how much it costs to run Kentucky's Student Assessment Program because some figures are unavailable.

Representatives from State Auditor Crit Luallen's office said their audit showed that state level expenditures for the student-testing program totaled $18.6 million in fiscal 2008, including $6.4 million from Washington.

But auditors told members of the Government Contract Review Committee that there is essentially no way to calculate how much local school districts contributed, leaving the total program cost unclear.

"There isn't a mechanism to be able to determine the cost at the local level for the assessment testing," said Brian Lykins, director of special audits in the auditor's office.

That was just one of the audit's findings that drew sharp questioning from the review committee, much of it coming from Republican members...

...Education department spokeswoman Lisa Gross said later Tuesday that the department generally agrees with the audit.

"It actually will be very helpful to us, because we will use this to strengthen our internal processes," Gross said.