TEXAS LOSS OF COMPUTERS BLAMED ON POOR MANAGEMENT AT SCHOOLS The Monitor - McAllen, Texas: "Loss of computers blamed on poor management by PSJA schools
April 12,2006
James Osborne
Monitor Staff Writer

PHARR --An internal audit at least partially blames poor oversight by the PSJA school district for the disappearance of $50,000 worth of laptop computers.

The report, written by an internal auditor and released Tuesday, catalogued 51 computers missing from the district's three high school campuses.

The missing computers, 13 percent of the district's laptop pool, first came to light three weeks ago when the district confirmed it was launching an investigation into the location of the laptops, which were designated for loan to students and teachers.

While school district officials now have a handle on how many computers are gone, where they are remains very much a mystery.

"We've already recovered five (laptops); I'm sure we'll recover some more, but there's some I'm sure we'll never recover," said Janet Robles, PSJA finance director.

“It seems on two campuses some went missing over the summer when nobody was there … we’re going to see which ones were actually stolen.”

Superintendent Arturo Guajardo said at least some of the computers could have been stolen as far back as the summer of 2002, when mold removal work was underway in two of the high schools.

“It could have been a workman, but if we didn’t actually catch them, it’s difficult to say who took the computer,” he said.

“During the summer, when students and faculty aren’t there, we had all kinds of people working there. Teachers and students lost all kinds of items and, unfortunately, items assigned to them as well.”

The uncertainty also arises from the fact that one middle school and two campuses for special needs students that loan out laptops were not audited. Those schools also had questionable tracking methods, the auditor’s report said.

In the case of PSJA North High School, the school maintained a sign-out sheet for the laptops, which no one was assigned to administer and in some instances was not even used, Robles said. PSJA North Principal Antonio Lozano did not return a phone call for comment.

PSJA Memorial High School, which reported 27 missing laptops, lost the most of any campus audited, according to official information.

While the investigation into the missing computers continues, district officials are working to establish tighter guidelines for the laptop loan process.

Electronic checkout systems are underway and borrow time will be limited to a few days. The school board also plans to vote on a regulation that will hold the borrower accountable for any loss, Robles said.

“What we’ve done is change the procedure, so this never happens again,” he said. “Now there’s going to be a regulation to put some teeth in making people responsible for their computers.”
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James Osborne covers the PSJA area and general assignments for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4428. For this and other local stories visit www.themonitor.com.