We’ll see about this.
Later this summer, state auditors are expected to release their final report on the Harris County Department of Education. They’ve been examining the agency since last December.
Superintendent James Colbert told lawmakers about it at a hearing in April.
“We should have absolutely nothing to hide as far as I’m concerned and really they provide a free service for us for things that we need to fix. And so, that’s something that I’m open to,” Colbert said.
Critics contend the Harris County Department of Education has plenty to fix, from handling records requests to duplicating services with other agencies.
Its services include early learning, special education and adult education.
State Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, said he wants to have a hearing in Austin after the audit is released.
“What I want this to come out with is an idea of ‘Do we have a model that works in Harris County, or do we need to change it?’” he said.
See here for some background. HCDE has long been a political target, so an audit like this could provide ammunition for its detractors, or it could provide evidence that there’s nothing of substance for them to attack. The Chron story I linked to in that earlier post certainly suggests there are some things going on at HCDE that need scrutiny. Hopefully, this audit will show that they have been addressed.