State Releases Bridgeport Public Schools Forensic Audit

Press Releases

07/24/2025

State Releases Bridgeport Public Schools Forensic Audit

Findings identify no misappropriation of funds and provide recommendations for long-term fiscal stability

(HARTFORD, CT) – The Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) today released the results of an independent forensic audit of the Bridgeport Public School District. It states, the forensic audit did not reveal any evidence of fraud or misappropriation of District assets. However, the audit identified several deficiencies related to board oversight, management communication, and financial transparency, which led to certain procedures not being followed and the misrepresentation of financial information.

Conducted by CliftonLarsonAllen LLP (CLA), the audit examined the district’s FY 2024 and FY 2025 operational budgets, with a focus on the alignment between expenditures and budgeted allocations, as well as the effectiveness of internal fiscal controls. The audit was initiated in response to concerns over Bridgeport’s financial instability—including a projected $39 million deficit—and followed the State Board of Education’s vote to authorize the Commissioner to take the necessary action to support the district in March 2025.

“We extend our thanks to the independent auditors for helping to bring clarity and focus to this critical moment for Bridgeport,” said Commissioner Charlene M. Russell-Tucker. “The audit provides a clear and necessary roadmap to strengthen Bridgeport’s financial systems, including greater local board of education oversight, and restore confidence in its budgeting practices. This moment presents an opportunity to reset expectations and refocus our shared efforts on building a system rooted in stability, transparency, and trust—one that fully supports the 20,022 students in Bridgeport.”

Key results as indicated in the audit: 

• Identification of lack of board oversight, inefficiencies, unusual budget transfers, misclassification of expenditures, and opportunities for improvements in several processes and internal controls procedures.
• Budget transfers were often made to cover budget shortfalls artificially, resulting in information regarding budget accuracy being obscured in routine review of the budget-to-actual financial results. Most notably, these practices were either not disclosed to the board of education or, when identified, were not acted upon.
• Misclassifications of certain expenditures were noted, resulting in actual expenditures that did not align with the budgeted allocations.
• Inefficiencies and lack of training as the primary fraud risks and part of the reason for the misalignment of expenditures to budgets.
• Departments were frequently excluded from the budget development process and lacked access to timely data, weakening strategic decision-making.
• This audit strictly examined the district’s financial practices and internal controlsrather than the substance of the district’s funding priorities or decisions regarding how resources are allocated. 

Next Steps 

The audit makes 34 recommendations aimed at improving fiscal oversight, enhancing transparency, and reinforcing internal accountability within the district.

CSDE will ensure that the recommendations are acted upon through a coordinated response that will include the embedded Technical Assistance Team and may also include external partners with financial expertise. The audit has been shared with the Office of the Governor, Office of Policy and Management, and will be presented at upcoming meetings of both the Bridgeport Board of Education and the Connecticut State Board of Education. Briefings will be provided to the Bridgeport legislative delegation, municipal leaders, and other policy makers as appropriate.

The full report is available at: https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/sde/press-room/files/cla-final-report.pdf 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

July 24, 2025

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Matthew Cerrone

matthew.cerrone@ct.gov

Twitter: CT State Department of Education Twitter

Facebook: CT State Department of Education Facebook