Stockton Unified procurement policies one step closer to state approval
STOCKTON -- Stockton Unified trustees and community members spent nearly two hours reviewing changes to their procurement policies after the state said the previous revisions had "deficiencies."
In nearly a dozen documents, the committee, along with the newly minted Stockton Unified Superintendent Dr. Michelle Rodriguez, went line by line to review changes agreed on by the district's legal counsel and the California Department of Education.
The finalized procurement policies must be turned back into the CDE by July 31, a date imposed on SUSD by the state.
SUSD has come under investigation by the San Joaquin District Attorney's office after a scathing report that found evidence of fraud and financial mismanagement by the district.
In a 45-page state audit, it found more than 64 transactions made by the board from July 2019 to April 2022 — more than half had no purchase orders or formal approvals. It also found 96% had no documents for competitive bidding or requests for proposals to find better deals.
"It's honestly time for Stockton to do something and really look into the school district for sure," said Julian Hidalgo, a former SUSD parent who said he moved his child out of the district during what investigators would later say is possible illegal financial activity at the district level.
Thursday's meeting "ended on a high note," according to the SUSD Board President AngelAnn Flores. There is still work to do and justice to be done, Flores told CBS13 after the meeting.
RIGHT NOW: @StocktonUnified Board Policy Committee Meeting meeting right now to review the district’s procurement policies after the last change to policy was deemed to have “deficiencies.”
— Madisen Keavy (@madisenkeavy) July 21, 2023
Newly installed SUSD Superintendent Michelle Rodriguez is here. @CBSSacramento pic.twitter.com/UWnvYhMLGh
"Those that took money from our kids and our district are going to be held accountable for that," said Flores.
Some of the employees who were either directly involved or had knowledge of the potential illegal financial activity, Flores said, are still employed and work at SUSD. It's why, she said, there will be "multiple eyes" on decisions moving forward.
The agreed on changes will be presented to the SUSD Board on July 25th, then, sent to the CDE for final review, ahead of the end-of-the-month deadline.