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Top Tennessee Republicans say they are concerned about potential financial records mismanagement in Memphis-Shelby County Schools after they received a confidential briefing this week on the ongoing financial audit into the state’s biggest school district.
Republican lawmakers on Thursday did not provide details of what they learned from auditors on Wednesday, citing confidentiality concerns until the audit, which so far has cost $6 million, is complete. But some legislators said the audit reiterated the need to pass aggressive Memphis district takeover legislation the House Republicans are pushing.
“I won’t speak to the details of what they reported, because their report is not complete, but there are certainly indications there that there’s really poor records management, at a minimum, and the potential for waste, fraud and abuse is extensive,” said Sen. Bo Watson, a Hixson Republican who chairs the Senate Finance Committee.
In an emailed statement, Memphis-Shelby County Schools leaders said they meet with the audit firm weekly and have not been informed of any “potential or suspected findings related to fraud, waste or abuse.”