HOW THE DISTRICT IS RESPONDING TONIGHT. THE PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, ACTING ON CALLS FOR AN AUDIT OF THE WOODLAND HILLS SCHOOL DISTRICT, TAKING CONCERNS AND REPORTS FROM PARENTS AND TAXPAYERS TO THE STATE BUDGET OFFICE TO TAKE ON. MY JOB IS TO REPRESENT THE DISTRICT. SO WHAT I CHOSE TO DO HERE IS TO AMPLIFY THE VOICES OF PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY DOING THE RESEARCH AND THE WORK. THIS AUDIT WILL LOOK AT THE DISTRICT’S RECORDS FROM JANUARY 1ST, 2022 THROUGH LAST WEEK, AND WILL EVALUATE THE DISTRICT’S BIDDING AND CONTRACTING PROCESSES. REPRESENTATIVE ABIGAIL SALISBURY SAYS FOR YEARS, FRAUD, WASTE AND ABUSE REPORTS CONCERNING THE DISTRICT WENT UNADDRESSED, POSSIBLY BECAUSE THE BUREAU OF SCHOOL AUDITS WAS DISBANDED IN 2022. SHE’S HOPING THE STATE WILL FUND IT ONCE AGAIN FOR FUTURE AUDITS. WE REALLY NEED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT FULLY FUNDING A BUREAU OF SCHOOL AUDITS IN PENNSYLVANIA BECAUSE REALISTICALLY, THE FACT THAT THERE MAY BE FRAUD, WASTE AND ABUSE REPORTS BEING FILED ACROSS THE STATE THAT HAVE NOT BEEN RESPONDED TO IS VERY TROUBLING TO ME. PRESIDENT OF THE WOODLAND HILLS EDUCATION ASSOCIATION, BRAD ZELNICK, SAID, QUOTE, WE RESPECT THE AUDIT PROCESS AND WILL REVIEW THE FINDINGS ONCE THEY ARE MADE PUBLIC. WE REACHED OUT TO THE DISTRICT SOLICITOR FOR COMMENT ON THE UPCOMING AUDIT. WE HAVE NOT YET HEA
Woodland Hills School District to be audited by state budget office
The audit will review school district records and evaluate bidding and contracting processes.
Updated: 8:02 PM EST Feb 19, 2026
The Pennsylvania Department of Education has initiated an audit of the Woodland Hills School District following taxpayer complaints and transparency concerns. The audit, conducted by the state budget office, will review the district’s records from Jan. 1, 2022, through last week, focusing on the bidding and contracting processes, among other district practices.”Whenever things are withheld, when bidding doesn’t happen, when contracts are hidden or don’t exist at all, then the public and any other oversight doesn’t have the ability to ensure that the district is operating as it should,” said Tim Reed, a Woodland Hills parent who contributed heavily to raising concerns about district practices.State Rep. Abigail Salisbury shared Reed’s research and concerns from other taxpayers in the district with the Department of Education, and asked for an audit.”My job is to represent the district, so what I chose to do here is to amplify the voices of people who are already doing the research and the work,” Salisbury said.ACTION NEWS INVESTIGATES: Documents reveal millions in cost overruns at Woodland Hills school projectSalisbury noted that for years, fraud, waste and abuse reports concerning the district went unaddressed by the Department of Education, possibly due to the disbandment of the Bureau of School Audits in 2022.”We really need to have a conversation about fully funding a Bureau of School Audits in Pennsylvania because, realistically, the fact that there may be fraud, waste and abuse reports being filed across the state that have not been responded to is very troubling to me,” Salisbury said.Brad Zolnak, president of the Woodland Hills Education Association, acknowledged the concerns about district finances but said the association does not have an official position on the audit.”We respect the audit process and will review the findings once they are made public,” Zolnak said in a statement.Efforts to reach the district solicitor for comment on the upcoming audit have not yet been successful.
CHURCHILL, Pa. —
The Pennsylvania Department of Education has initiated an audit of the Woodland Hills School District following taxpayer complaints and transparency concerns.
The audit, conducted by the state budget office, will review the district’s records from Jan. 1, 2022, through last week, focusing on the bidding and contracting processes, among other district practices.
“Whenever things are withheld, when bidding doesn’t happen, when contracts are hidden or don’t exist at all, then the public and any other oversight doesn’t have the ability to ensure that the district is operating as it should,” said Tim Reed, a Woodland Hills parent who contributed heavily to raising concerns about district practices.
State Rep. Abigail Salisbury shared Reed’s research and concerns from other taxpayers in the district with the Department of Education, and asked for an audit.
“My job is to represent the district, so what I chose to do here is to amplify the voices of people who are already doing the research and the work,” Salisbury said.
ACTION NEWS INVESTIGATES: Documents reveal millions in cost overruns at Woodland Hills school project
Salisbury noted that for years, fraud, waste and abuse reports concerning the district went unaddressed by the Department of Education, possibly due to the disbandment of the Bureau of School Audits in 2022.
“We really need to have a conversation about fully funding a Bureau of School Audits in Pennsylvania because, realistically, the fact that there may be fraud, waste and abuse reports being filed across the state that have not been responded to is very troubling to me,” Salisbury said.
Brad Zolnak, president of the Woodland Hills Education Association, acknowledged the concerns about district finances but said the association does not have an official position on the audit.
“We respect the audit process and will review the findings once they are made public,” Zolnak said in a statement.
Efforts to reach the district solicitor for comment on the upcoming audit have not yet been successful.