By Ryan McCarthy

Oversight of school construction bonds – proposed by creating citizen committees in California – is not taking place for the most part, the Little Hoover Commission said in a study.

Independent training is needed for citizens bond oversight committees created in 2000 when the threshold to pass school bond measures in California was reduced from two-thirds to 55 percent, said the study released late last month.

“Bond oversight committees in many communities act simply as cheerleaders for the district, often because members simply do not understand their roles or know what actions they can take,” states the study, “Borrowed Money: Opportunities for Stronger Bond Oversight.”

Source: Citizen panels overseeing school bonds need help, statewide panel says