Auditor General DePasquale Questions Ineligible Pension Contributions to Former Superintendent at Camp Hill School District

Vacation Days Should not be Considered Toward Pension Contributions

December 19 2013

Auditor General DePasquale Questions Ineligible 
Pension Contributions to Former Superintendent 
at Camp Hill School District

Vacation Days Should not be Considered Toward Pension Contributions

HARRISBURG (Dec. 19, 2013)– Auditor General Eugene DePasquale said today nearly $17,000 in payments for unused vacation days should be disqualified from pension calculations for the former superintendent in the Camp Hill School District, Cumberland County.

The audit report announced today, shows the district incorrectly reported a total of 35 unused vacation days as wages to the Public School Employees’ Retirement System. According to PSERS guidelines, the $16,876 in unused vacation day pay from 2007 to 2012 cannot be considered wages and should not be included in calculating pension benefits.

“Pension information must be accurate,” DePasquale said. “It is challenging enough to pay for existing obligations. School districts should not make it worse and taxpayers should not have to pay for ineligible benefits. Education dollars are scarce. Every school district should be watching every penny.”

In their response, school officials said they were unaware the wages may be ineligible.

DePasquale noted during the recent audit, the district did not report to PSERS wages paid to the current superintendent for unused vacation days. He forwarded in the information to PSERS to determine what action should be taken.

The Camp Hill School District had two other audit findings: deficiencies in school bus drivers’ qualifications and not updating a memorandum of understanding with local law enforcement.

DePasquale said the district must document the qualifications of bus drivers to ensure unqualified drivers are not put behind the wheel of busloads of kids. School officials said they will request all clearances from their contracted transportation provider.

Camp Hill also needs to update its agreement with law enforcement every two years so there is no confusion, delays or lack of cooperation.

Camp Hill School District had 1,190 students, 98 teachers, 80 full- and part-time support personnel and seven administrators in the 2009-10 school year when it received $2.5 million in state funding.

The department’s Bureau of School Audits examines the records of school districts, charter schools, intermediate units, and area vocational-technical schools. The audits assess whether school entities received the state subsidies and reimbursements to which they were entitled, accurately managed taxpayer funds, and complied with ethics codes. The audits also determine whether teachers and administrators were properly certified for the positions they held during the audit period.

The Camp Hill School District audit is available online at: www.PaAuditor.gov/audit-reports.

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