ROGERS - The Beaver Local Education Association said it is not pleased with how Beaver Local School District Superintendent Sandra DiBacco is approaching the 2009 Performance Audit that was recently conducted on the school district.

The district, which was officially placed in fiscal watch Sept. 10, needs to consider several of the audit recommendations in order to function as a healthy district over the next five years, Auditor of State Mary Taylor said previously. Currently the district faces an anticipated deficit of $555,000 for 2009 and $819,000 for 2010.

In a press release sent to The Review Nov. 10, DiBacco said several of the items recommended in the audit involve contracts with both the Beaver Local Education Association and OAPSE Local 564. DiBacco also stated Nov. 10, "It is the hope of the district to work cooperatively with both BLEA and OAPSE in reviewing recommendations of the Performance Audit."

It has been a little more than two weeks since the audit was publicly released and the BLEA and district officials have yet to come to an agreement on audit recommendations, or even how the audit should be interpreted.

Members of the BLEA are disputing the "erroneous and pessimistic spin Superintendent DiBacco is placing on the findings of the 2009 Performance Audit," according to a press released issued yesterday.

The BLEA also stated in the release that DiBacco previously claimed BL teachers are among the highest paid in the county. "That simply is not true. The salaries of our beginning teachers are ranked sixth out of 12 schools in the county," BLEA spokesperson Leslie Gabbert said. Rankings were published in another publication March 15. According to the rankings, beginning teacher salaries for the 2009-10 school year were $29,248.

However, DiBacco denies ever making the claim. But, Gabbert and DiBacco could be comparing apples to oranges. While beginning teacher salaries are lower than some districts, certificated teaching salaries increase over time. DiBacco referenced page 3-10 of the audit with regard to teaching salaries. "What the audit said is that (teaching salaries) started low but gain quicker momentum over the years." A table provided on page 3-10 of the audit portrayed that BLSD's cerificated employees are paid a higher annual salary than other area peer district averages after nine years of service.

According to the audit, certificated staff salaries comprise the majority of the district's salary costs, at approximately 70 percent of the General Fund in FY 2007-08. One recommendation included in the audit was reducing certificated salary schedules to a level more comparable to other area school districts. "Doing so will ensure the district is not providing disproportionate levels of compensation as certified staff achieve additional tenure," the audit indicated.

The difference between administrative and teaching positions seemed to be an area of contention for the BLEA. According to Gabbert, teachers at the top of the pay scale are ranked seventh out of 12 schools in the county. "Perhaps DiBacco is confusing us with the administrators in the district," she quipped.

BLEA President Cristy Zimmerman backed up Gabbert's comments about the district's administrators by referring to a salary chart also published March 15. Furthermore, the BLEA indicated that information in the chart revealed that Beaver Local High School Principals "earn more money than any other HS Principal in the county. (Also), Beaver Local's treasurer is the third highest paid and Superintendent DiBacco is the second highest paid at $98,810 per year."

The highest paid district superintendent was Ken Halbert of East Liverpool City Schools, with $104,000 a year. Lisbon Village school district superintendent Anna Marie Vaughn came just under Beaver Local with $96,675 a year. It should be noted that salaries listed in the chart were as of March 15. Pay raises may have been instituted since then.

Since the release of the audit, the BLEA and OAPSE have attended various meetings with DiBacco, the press release stated. However, according to the BLEA, both groups are being "pressured to make further contract concessions and endure additional reductions in staff."

"I think before we take any drastic measures, we should examine all the facts," Gabbert suggested. "This district couldn't be that bad off." Gabbert implied that due to the operating levy that was recently passed school administrators are "quite well financially." Gabbert added that according to administrative salary information published March 15, administrative salary - not including insurance and other benefits - amounted to $721,677. "This would pay for 24.7 new teachers," Gabbert said.

But according to DiBacco the district has cut more administrative positions percentage-wise than teachers. Eliminated positions include that of assistant superintendent (a $93,000 salary), elementary school principal (roughly $70,000 salary), and director of technology, as well as director of pupil personnel services, "which saved (the district) about $30,000," Dibacco said. In place of the director of technology position, the district created an Education Management Information System Coordinator, "which saved about $10,000. We have cut a lot of administrative positions in the last two years," she said.

DiBacco added that according to the audit the district is well below the average and well below the number of administrators. DiBacco was referencing Table 3-2 on page 3-3 of the audit that portrayed fiscal year 2008-09 administrative and teaching salaries compared to a peer average. According to the table administrative salaries were $63,749 compared to a peer average of $68,314 and classroom teaching salaries were $45,741 compared to $49,221.

Another item brought up by the BLEA was stimulus money the district received from the state. "(The BLEA) would like to know how the district could become so 'financially strapped' in such a short time. In addition to staff cuts based on lay-offs and retirements, the district also received monies from Ohio's 'stimulus funds,' which are reported to be $334,217.77," Gabbert said.

DiBacco said the stimulus funds have been used to save teaching jobs, and Treasurer Robert Barrett backs up her claim. "Some of the teachers that were RIF'd last spring were recalled due to the stimulus money," he said. Also, because the stimulus money is federal money, "it is very restricted," DiBacco said. "We can't give teachers a raise with that money."