Casa Grande Union High School District

Casa Grande UHSD’s fiscal year 2008 administrative costs were slightly higher than comparable districts’ primarily because of the District’s higher staffing levels. The District needs to correct problems with some administrative practices, such as paying for meals for staff not on travel status and not adequately overseeing credit card usage. The District subsidized its transportation program by $677,000 and had the highest per-rider and per-mile costs. The District’s high spending is partially due to additional costs for its evening and shuttle runs. However, the District’s insufficient oversight of its transportation vendor likely also negatively impacted its costs. Additionally, the District did not ensure that all drivers and buses met state standards, which led to safety concerns. The District’s plant costs per square foot were high because of employing more staff, specifically security guards. Casa Grande’s Proposition 301 performance pay goals did not promote improved performance. The District’s classroom dollar percentage was significantly lower than comparable districts’ and state averages, but the District managed to spend a similar amount of dollars per pupil in the classroom because it received more funding. The District’s ELL program was not in compliance with state requirements.