State Audit of Ackerman Deal, Others

Pa. auditor to scrutinize 4 superintendent buyouts

The $905,000 buyout approved for former Philadelphia School Superintendent Arlene Ackerman will get a second look by state officials.

Auditor General Jack Wagner has notified Philadelphia and three other school districts that his agency will be auditing the recent buyouts of their superintendents.

The state's independent fiscal watchdog sent letters Thursday to the Philadelphia, Allentown, Central Dauphin and Gettysburg Area districts.

He says the audits were spurred by the more than $1 million in combined severance pay given to the Philadelphia and Allentown superintendents last month.

Wagner says such buyouts appear to waste money and often lack transparency. He wants to make details of the deals available to taxpayers.

Previously, the auditor general examined superintendent buyouts during routine school audits, which are conducted roughly every three years.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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