The East Ramapo Central School District Board of Education has voted to hire an outside firm to conduct a forensic audit of its finances, following the revelation of a possible $90 million budget surplus. The decision was made during a tense board meeting on Tuesday evening, where students and community members voiced their frustration and demanded answers.
The surplus, reportedly accumulated from unspent funds between the 2022 school year and the present, has sparked outrage among students and parents who claim their schools are underfunded and in disrepair. Concerns ranged from deteriorating classroom conditions to alleged unsanitary restrooms.
“This district has classrooms that feel like they’re frozen in time,” one student remarked, highlighting the disparity between available funds and the state of school facilities.
The controversy deepened last week when board members learned that the district’s surplus may have ballooned to $90 million—far exceeding the more than $30 million in unrestricted funds identified by an outside auditor in November. However, board members say they have yet to receive clear explanations regarding the district’s financial records.
“We now have more questions, and we have no one to answer them,” said board member Sabrina Charles-Pierre. “Everyone who was here at the time made sure to resign or retire before the school year started. That alone is a red flag, and we need answers.”
The New York State Comptroller’s Office began reviewing the district’s finances in January, but with mounting concerns, the board has opted for an independent forensic audit to scrutinize the handling of public funds.
Residents and school officials alike now await the findings, hoping for greater transparency and accountability in the district’s financial management.
