City Council Wants Audit of Student Count

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The City of Memphis wants to audit the school system's books, but Memphis City Schools is not handing them over without a fight.

The city said it wants to look at how MCS calculates its student population. Student count is essential to the funding issue. The more students, the more city money MCS is entitled to.

Memphis City Councilman Shea Flinn said the city has already worked off an over inflated number once before.

"Two years ago we found out we were discussing one with about a 13,000 student discrepancy, which is a whale of money," said Flinn. "About $7 million."

Now two years later, Flinn said he requested the student population again, but got no answer from MCS. So he went straight to the state, who keeps the numbers.

But now he wants to audit the school system's books.

"From a funding stand point the only issue we're concerned with for the Memphis City Schools is the student population," said Flinn.

The auditor sent the school system a letter, saying "we will conduct an audit and we will interview personnel."

Superintendent Kriner Cash responded by questioning the city's authority to do this. The council attorney said the city does have the right to audit the schools.

Board Member Frieda Williams told the City Council Tuesday that the request was not asked nicely. Board Member Martavius Jones said it's a matter of procedure.

"There cannot be demand of anyone at the city to just open the books," said Jones. "They have to follow the proper protocols in order to do that."

Jones said MCS reports student attendance several times during the school year and the state determines the population.

"Memphis City Schools doesn't have anything to hide," said Jones. "The same information we report to the state we'd be more than willing to report that to the city council as well."

A spokesperson for the school system said it will assist the city to validate the numbers, but hasn't started the process yet.

Flinn said he plans to subpoena MCS if the school system delays again.

"I mean their numbers might come out perfectly sound but based on what's gone on in the past, I think we owe it to the taxpayers to validate these numbers," said Flinn.