HBCSD Corruption
Lie #33
The Misinformation:
(1) Decision Insite routinely inflated HBCSD historical enrollment on their reports. For example, DI’s March 2014 enrollment report inflated the actual historical enrollment at HBCSD in 2013-2014 school year by 34 students. The actual enrollment at September 2013 was 1,406 (not including 20 interdistrict permitted students which are elective permits by the district); DI reported incorrectly that the HBCSD enrollment at September 2013 was 1,440 students. An inflated actual enrollment count could lead to overall inflated enrollment projections by Decision Insite. (Exhibit DI-38)
(2) Decision Insite’s May 2015 enrollment projections inflated historical September 2014 enrollment for virtually every grade in order to achieve an incorrect count of 1,495 total students for September 2014. According to HBCSD Enrollment Report for 2014, the actual count for September 2014 was 1,459 students (not including 13 interdistrict students which are elective permits by HBCSD). DI overstated the actual September 2014 enrollment by 36 students. An Inflated actual enrollment count could lead to overall inflated enrollment projections by Decision Insite. (Exhibit DI-39)
(3) Decision Insite claimed that HBCSD gave them the enrollment numbers that they used to make their projections. HBCSD blamed DI for the incorrect enrollment projections. What reason would DI have to unilaterally inflate past and present enrollment numbers if not for the possibility of HBCSD pressuring them to inflate the numbers to help them pass a large facilities bond?
(4) Decision Insite did not seem to consult actual HBCSD enrollment numbers and trends prior to releasing their future predictions.
A. In April 2015 (one month before the new May 2015 DI enrollment projections were released) total district enrollment was 1,447; a drop of 12 students since the start of the school year (September 2014). Did Decision Insite consider this decline before making the projection of significant increase in district enrollment in their May 2015 projections? (Exhibit DI-43)
B. The DI May 2015 enrollment projections predicted 1,517 students at HBCSD in September 2015. The actual enrollment at September 2015 was 1,427 district students. Decision Insite predicted 90 MORE district students at September 2015 than were actually enrolled in September 2015. See Decision Insite enrollment predictions report of May 2015 and HBCSD Enrollment Report for 2015-2016 school year. (Exhibit DI-44)
(5) Given the dramatic difference of 90 students to Decision Insite’s enrollment projections for September 2015, why didn’t HBCSD school board members request an updated enrollment projection in the spring of 2016 before the district’s $59M bond vote so taxpayers AND school board members could make a better-informed decision as to the need for the district’s $59M bond?