EPISD audit puts blame on former CFO for financial issues

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- The El Paso Independent School District released findings from its internal audit into the nearly $53 million budget deficit.

The audit found there were significant risks known within the financial management department, but they weren't communicated to Superintendent Brian Lusk or the rest of the board of trustees.

The audit also said former Chief Financial Officer Martha Aguirre didn't fulfill her key responsibilities, and the limited transparency from the department led to limited correction and public oversight.

Aguirre resigned amid financial pressure in May, as ABC-7 previously reported. The district's deputy superintendent, David Bates, started overseeing financial operations since.

June 4, the district voted to declare financial exigency, and later agreed to cut more than 50 contracted positions to bring the deficit don to around $4 million.

The audit was posted to the EPISD website and you can read it below.