Window Rock Unified School District

In fiscal year 2011, Window Rock Unified School District’s student achievement was similar to peer districts’ averages overall, but the District operated inefficiently with much higher costs in most operational areas. The District’s per pupil administrative costs were much higher than its peer districts’ average primarily because it employed more administrative staff and had much higher purchased service costs, particularly for consultants and travel. The District’s plant operations costs were also much higher than peer districts’, on average, because the District maintained substantially more building space per student, which was likely not needed because Window Rock USD operated its schools far below their designed capacities. The District’s food service costs were higher than peer districts’ primarily because the District had high food supply costs, likely from not taking advantage of available federal food commodities. This resulted in the District having to subsidize the program with more than $108,000. The District’s spending has shifted away from the classroom in recent years. As a result, its percentage of resources directed into the classroom dropped from 57.5 percent in fiscal year 2003 to 46.5 percent in fiscal year 2011. Lastly, the District lacked adequate controls over its district vehicles and related fuel usage, purchasing, cash handling, and computer systems.