Washington does not meet federal requirements to test children for lead exposure, according to a new performance audit by the Office of the Washington State Auditor.
Amid the upheaval of the COVID-19 pandemic, many Washington school districts developed new approaches to education that should be explored more, according to a new performance audit by the Office of the Washington State Auditor.
Beginning in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of public schools and a rapid shift to online education across the nation. While the change was a major disruption for students, parents and educators, it also allowed school districts to innovate as they navigated the pandemic.
Public services of all types depend on specialized computer systems and information technology applications. However, all too often those applications are out of date. In fact, between 40 percent and 60 percent of Washington state’s government applications should be considered “legacy applications” according to Washington Technology Solutions, the state’s centralized provider of IT services.
Every educational service district in Washington has established a regional school safety center, conducted threat assessments, and offered trainings, resources and consultation to area schools, according to a performance audit released today.
OLYMPIA – Local agricultural industry producers believe they benefit from the state commissions that promote commodities from cranberries to beef, and Washington should consider a statewide brand for its homegrown goods, according to a new performance audit by the Office of the Washington State Auditor.
OLYMPIA – Responding to a request from state lawmakers, the Office of the Washington State Auditor evaluated the Employment Security Department on a number of measures related to customer service during the COVID-19 pandemic. The audit, released today, found that shorter wait times for callers and faster benefit payments to Washington's unemployed are primarily due to a decline in the number of jobless people, not to state reforms.
OLYMPIA – Although the Washington State Department of Transportation experienced delays and cost overruns as it developed a new tolling system, the agency followed state requirements and many leading practices, according to a new performance audit by the Office of the Washington State Auditor.
SAO's latest performance audit report looked at the Washington State Department of Transportation's (WSDOT) contracting processes for tolling. While that audit didn't involve local governments, WSDOT plays a large role in how they obtain state resources to improve local road systems. This got staff in SAO's Center for Government Innovation thinking about how much transportation funding WSDOT distributes statewide.
Local governments should be more data-driven and focused on results when addressing homelessness, according to a new performance audit by the Office of the Washington State Auditor.
Auditors reviewed the way two cities and two counties contracted for services aimed at alleviating homelessness. They found that the governments did take some steps to align their work with federal guidelines, such as consulting with stakeholders when considering the needs of people experiencing homelessness.
Washington has followed best practices in speeding the testing of sexual assault kits and has implemented a kit tracking system, a new performance audit by the Office of the Washington State Auditor found. However, a backlog of untested kits remains.