Section 20-14-35. Office powers; on-site audits; reporting findings and recommendations; authorization of other school audits

   (a) The office may:

   (1) Conduct on-site audits of any school at any time, subject to the approval of the director;

   (2) Raise or lower any performance rating as a result of the audit; and

   (3) Review school fund accounting information and records to determine effective and efficient expenditure of state funds as allocated.

(b) The director shall determine the frequency of on-site audits by the office according to annual comprehensive analyses of student performance and equity in relation to the academic excellence indicators and fund accounting assessments as adopted under subsection (b) of Code Section 20-14-34.

(c) In making an on-site school performance audit, the auditor shall obtain information from administrators, teachers, and parents of students enrolled in the local school system. The audit may not be closed until information is obtained from each of those sources. The office shall adopt rules regarding obtaining information from parents and using that information in the auditor's report and obtaining information from teachers in a manner that prevents a school or school system from screening the information.

(d) The auditors shall report to the local board of education, the local school council, and appropriate school administrators and shall report findings and recommendations concerning any necessary improvements or intervention strategies. School audit reports shall be provided to the council and the State Board of Education.

(e) The director may authorize other school audits to be conducted under the following circumstances:

   (1) When excessive numbers of absences of students eligible to be tested on state assessment instruments are determined; or

   (2) When a school or school system has not provided student performance information to the Department of Education's educational information system as required under subsection (b) of Code Section 20-2-167.

Code 1981, § 20-14-35, enacted by Ga. L. 2000, p. 618, § 93; Ga. L. 2004, p. 107, § 21.