SD 57 issues statement over forensic audit request from Lheidli T’enneh, McLeod Lake Indian Band

Two high-ranking members of School District 57 have responded to the letter from L’heidli Tenneh and McLeod Lake Indian Band Chiefs Clay Pountney and Harley Chingee.

Both are requesting a forensic audit claiming over the past two decades their communities have sent millions of dollars to the district to pay for the education of their students but have not received a transparent response as to how the dollars have been allocated.

SD 57 Board Chair Trent Derrick wrote this statement and sent it to MyPGNow.com.

“On January 15, 2021, School District No.57 (Prince George) Board of Education received a joint letter from the Mcleod Lake Indian Band and the Lheidli T’enneh Nation requesting that a forensic audit report be provided related to all targeted dollars and annual Local Education Agreement (LEA) dollars.

Each year, the District’s annual financial statements are subject to an audit and are submitted to the Ministry of Education.

In the past few years, additional reporting has been prepared and submitted to the Ministry of Education specifically in relation to the targeted Indigenous funding received by the District.

At this time, the District is working to determine the scope and nature of the request as well as to establish who will cover the expenses attached to this endeavor.”

Acting Superintendent of Schools, Cindy Heitman also issued the following comments on the matter.

School District No. 57 Prince George, acknowledges the gap between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous student graduation rates is of concern. 

The highest 5-year completion rate for Indigenous learners is 55%; this is in comparison to Non- Indigenous learners at 84%.  As part of our analysis, we examine the 6-year completion rates.  The six-year completion rate is the percent of grade 8 students who graduate within 6 years of starting high school. 

Our 6 –year completion rate for Indigenous learners has been as high as 66% and continues to be within that range.  

We know we need to do better, thus we focus our initiatives and planning on specific goals aimed towards improving the results of our Indigenous learners at all levels.  We acknowledge that increasing graduation rates depends on working collaboratively with our local First Nations and greater Indigenous communities.