SALT LAKE CITY — A new performance audit released Tuesday by the Office of the Legislative Auditor General (OLAG) reveals consistent problems across the state when it comes to construction standards for public school projects.
The OLAG says that the Utah State Board of Education (USBE) is not sufficiently overseeing school constructions and that the legislature should seek alternatives.
One cornerstone of public safety in schools is how those facilities are built. In recent years, there is plenty of building being done.
“Since 2019, [USBE] have overseen over $3.6 billion worth of constructions,” said Jesse Martinson with OLAG, who helped manage this audit.
But does all that work meet state standards?
“We looked at 30 projects and found that 87 percent (26 of the projects) did not receive a permit from USBE,” Martinson said.
The legislative auditor general found that it often hasn’t. In another example, out of 41 local districts statewide, only five of their building officials had proper code certifications.
“These codes represent the minimum standards to protect the life and safety of occupants,” said Jake Davis, who’s credited as the lead performance auditor on this report with OLAG.
Davis says there were also problems with inspection reporting compliance, from projects missing plan reviews to multiple schools not building firewalls.
“We are at a decisive point in the future of oversight of school construction,” said Deputy Superintendent Scott Jones with USBE.
Jones says the state board requested this audit because while they have a process for handling non-compliant buildings, resources are limited.
“It doesn’t go unresolved or unnoticed - it just takes time,” Jones said. “Myself and one other position are dedicated to school construction oversight.”
Another issue the audit uncovered was that one school district’s bid practices were concerning.
The unnamed district gave 18 construction projects exclusively to one contractor since 2014, with the costs totaling up to over $250 million.
The auditors say this bundling tactic may not be inappropriate, but it "exhibits the appearance of impropriety."
House Speaker Mike Schultz (R-Hooper) said any changes implemented should also aim to better benefit the taxpayer.
“Because you look at these Taj Mahals that are being built — all across the state,” said Speaker Schultz. “In many cases, it’s 25, 30, 40 percent more than what needs to be spent.”
So lawmakers now have to lay the groundwork for that future.
“There are a lot of independent inspectors out there that can be hired,” Speaker Schultz said. “I think that can be happening and, quite frankly, should be.”
Whether the answer is designating a new state agency to absorb USBE’s responsibilities, giving more power to local agencies or improving the current system, Senate President Stuart Adams said this project is a tough one they intend to tackle together.
“We all want the same things,” said Jones. “We want our kids to be educated in very safe environments and very safe buildings.”
