PPR Portal

SCI Shield
The Special Commissioner of Investigation
For the New York School District

Policy and Procedure Recommendations from 2019 to Present

wdt_ID Case Number Area Date Issued Acceptance Status Status_Date Date Implemented Contact_Date
wdt_ID wdt_ID Case Number Area Date Issued Recommendation Acceptance Status Status_Date Implementation Status Date Implemented Contact_Date DOE Response
1 1 20195863 OPT 12/04/2019 The Bus Vendor penalty system should be updated. Accepted 02/04/2020 Partial Completion, Partial Pending 02/04/2020 02/04/2020 The DOE agrees with the recommendation. Penalties were raised 15% in new bus contracts and Pre-K penalties will be standardized to provide greater alignment to school age violations.
2 2 20195863 OPT 12/04/2019 On days where the temperature exceeds 78 degrees Fahrenheit, DOE should perform temperature spot-checks on buses by providing temperature gauges to principals who designate, in writing, a person responsible for the task. Rejected 02/04/2020 Rejected 02/04/2020 The DOE respectfully declines the recommendation. With over 1800 schools, we are unable to provide temperature guages to school personnel due to fiscal responsibilities and unrealistic expectations of school personnel. Schools will not designate a staff member.
3 3 20195863 OPT 12/04/2019 The Bus complaint and violation processes must be merged. Accepted 02/04/2020 Pending 02/04/2020 The DOE agrees with recommendation and will explore integrating the complaint and violations systems. Principals are able to issue complaints that will result in violations. OPT will review their budget to assess if it is feasibly possible to increase the number of OPT inspectors.
4 4 20195863 OPT 12/04/2019 The DOE should begin an awareness campaign for parents and assigned paraprofessionals who accompany students with special needs, instructing that they can call Office of Pupil Transportation ("OPT") to complain about temperatures that exceed acceptable levels. Accepted 02/04/2020 Pending 02/04/2020 The DOE agrees with the recommendation.  An awareness campaign will appear on the DOE public website that instructs parents on how and where to report school buses that are operating at hot temperatures.  The DOE will also consider having school buses display a Vision Zero bumper sticker that instructs the reader to report unsafe conditions to 311.
5 5 20195863 OPT 12/04/2019 Office of Pupil Transportation's ("OPT") computer applications and software should be linked, so that various departments can access the same database and information. Under advisement 02/04/2020 Pending 02/04/2020 The DOE takes the recommendation under advisement.  OPT Finance and the Division of Instructional and Information Technology will assess linking the complaint violations and finance systems.
6 6 20195863 OPT 12/04/2019 In the time between the conclusion of summer school and the commencement of a new school year, Office of Pupil Transportation ("OPT") inspectors should conduct inspections of bus A/C units, and check for other mechanical deficiencies. Accepted 02/04/2020 Pending 02/04/2020 The DOE agrees with the recommendation and will schedule additional inspections in August to check air conditioning units.
7 7 20195863 OPT 12/04/2019 Audit of Past Records: There should be a review of the purchase orders used for the thermometers purchased by Robinson, to ensure that only required materials were purchased using DOE funds. Rejected 02/04/2020 Rejected 02/04/2020 The DOE respectfully declines the recommendation. Bus companies have no contractual obligation to monitor their vehicles with a temperature gauge device. OPT provides technology to companies at their discretion.
8 8 20195863 OPT 12/04/2019 A review of bus related complaints received in the first two weeks of previous school years to evaluate decisions made during earlier “grace periods” when violations were not issued. Rejected 02/04/2020 Rejected 02/04/2020 The DOE respectfully declines the recommendation due to the poor quality of the data available for schools years prior to 2019-2020.  A review of violations occurring in the first two weeks was a standard historical process that was changed effective the 2019-2020 school year.  Going forward there will no longer be a grace period.
9 9 20174397 UPK 02/15/2019 Strong oversight must be exercised regarding the proof of residency requirements for all Universal Pre-K ("UPK") students at DOE schools and with its vendors. It is incumbent upon the DOE to rectify and communicate these requirements, as outlined in Chancellor's Regulation A-101, to all participating schools and vendors. Administrators at participating schools must be aware of the proof of residency requirements before the enrollment of students. Accepted 02/04/2020 Completed 02/04/2020 02/04/2020 The DOE agrees with the recommendation and has taken the following steps: Provided training to all contracted programs on student eligibility requirements and acceptable supporting documentation. Webinar training conducted April 2018 (and continuously thereafter). Delivered training for each DECE borough office Operations Team to reinforce student eligibility and document review procedures. Coordinated with Access NYC to update their website with the correct residency requirement information. Issued disciplinary letters to impacted programs informing them of SCI’s determination, citing applicable rules and regulations, and outlining contractual consequences, up to and including contract termination, if this practice is repeated. Increased monitoring frequencies at each program* for the 2019-2020 school year. ABC Learning is no longer a contracted provider for the 2019-2020 school year. Reviewed registration documents submitted by these programs* for the 2019-2020 school year and identified no further issues. ABC Learning is no longer a contracted provider for the 2019-2020 school year. Coordinated with DOE’s Division of Contracts and Purchasing to pursue additional steps to recoup funds paid out to programs on the basis of fraudulent residency claims. DCP will be sending follow up letters to these programs in the coming weeks, outlining the funds owed back to DOE. DCP will refer ABC Learning to the Affirmative Litigation team to pursue recoupment of funds as we no longer contract with this provider.
10 10 20174618 UPK 02/15/2019 Strong oversight must be exercised regarding the proof of residency requirements for all Universal Pre-K ("UPK") students at DOE schools and with its vendors. It is incumbent upon the DOE to rectify and communicate these requirements, as outlined in Chancellor's Regulation A-101, to all participating schools and vendors. Administrators at participating schools must be aware of the proof of residency requirements before the enrollment of students. Accepted 02/04/2020 Completed 02/04/2020 02/04/2020 The DOE agrees with the recommendations and has taken the following steps: Provided training to all contracted programs on student eligibility requirements and acceptable supporting documentation. Webinar training conducted April 2018 (and continuously thereafter). Delivered training for each DECE borough office Operations Team to reinforce student eligibility and document review procedures. Coordinated with Access NYC to update their website with the correct residency requirement information. Issued disciplinary letters to impacted programs informing them of SCI’s determination, citing applicable rules and regulations, and outlining contractual consequences, up to and including contract termination, if this practice is repeated. Increased monitoring frequencies at each program* for the 2019-2020 school year. Reviewed registration documents submitted by these programs* for the 2019-2020 school year and identified no further issues. Coordinated with DOE’s Division of Contracts and Purchasing to pursue additional steps to recoup funds paid out to programs on the basis of fraudulent residency claims. DCP will be sending follow up letters to these programs in the coming weeks, outlining the funds owed back to DOE.