SAN JOSE, CA – At the Alum Rock Union Elementary School District (ARUSD) January 18 Board meeting, the Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE) named the experts who will provide fiscal expertise to assist the district in strengthening its financial and operational processes. The district's fiscal challenges led to conditional approval of its budget by the SCCOE.
"We are committed to supporting the district's efforts to improve its financial operations and in turn better serve your students and your community," said Dr. Mary Ann Dewan, Interim County Superintendent of Schools. "Our office has selected the firm of Bill McGuire and Associates to work with ARUSD. Each of the three individuals on the team has over 30 years' experience in school business, administration, and leadership."
The three members of the Fiscal Expert will support the district from January through June and include:
- Bill McGuire – Mr. McGuire holds a Master's Degree in School Business Administration as well as a Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics and Accounting. He is currently the Deputy Superintendent at Twin Rivers Unified School District and has experience in School Business at various school districts in the State of California.
- Francie Heim – Ms. Heim holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration with a Concentration in Accounting. She also has experience in School Business serving in the roles of Assistant Superintendent at Amador County Unified School District and Deputy Superintendent of Administrative Services at the El Dorado County Office of Education.
- Donald Zimring – Mr. Zimring holds a PH.D. in Education Administration from the University of California Santa Barbara, Masters of Education from the University of California Los Angeles and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Los Angeles. Dr. Zimring has served as Superintendent of Schools at the Las Virgenes Unified School District in Calabasas, CA. He will serve as the on-site county representative.
In November of 2016, the SCCOE received an anonymous allegation that DelTerra Real Estate Services, Inc., fraudulently billed the ARUSD for construction and program management services. The County Office initiated an extraordinary audit conducted by the Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team (FCMAT) which concluded there is sufficient evidence that fraud or misappropriation of funds may have occurred. The school district was financially independent from the County Office running their own fiscal and accounting systems, but is now being brought back into the County Office's systems.
"I want to thank Superintendent Dewan and the County team for working tirelessly to help Alum Rock with fiscal transparency and better governance," commented Trustee Darcie Green, Santa Clara County Board of Education. "This is a district in my trustee area and where I served before joining the SCCOE Board. This work in partnership with the district, families and community directly reflects our mission of service to schools."
A recent review of the ARUSD fiscal year 2017-18 First Interim Report and the accompanying certification of financial solvency were completed by SCCOE staff. Based on careful review and analysis, SCCOE will report to the State Department of Education and the State Controller the district's budget as qualified certification. A qualified certification is assigned when the district may not meet its financial obligations for the current or two subsequent fiscal years.
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The Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE) is a regional service agency that provides instructional and business services to the 31 school districts of Santa Clara County. The SCCOE serves students through special education programs, alternative schools, Head Start and State Preschool programs, migrant education, and Opportunity Youth Academy. The Office also provides curriculum support, staff development, and technology support and training directly to teachers and staff in schools countywide.
