Auditor Scott FItzpatrick has announced a performance audit of the Special School District of St. Louis County, citing financial troubles and concerns over the treatment of their children.
"It is clear a thorough evaluation of district operations is needed immediately," Fitzpatrick says in a statement, adding their audit will "provide an opportunity to identify weaknesses within the district's governance."
The district recently announced they will freeze salaries in an attempt to balance the budget deficit Fitzpatrick says could be as much as $83 million this school year, up from around $60 million a year ago.
"That's not something that they're financially conditioned to do for very long," says Fitzpatrick.
Fitzpatrick, who's twin sons have different degrees of nonverbal autism, says it is a concern some students might not be able to report mistreatment to their parents.
"Where your kid when they come home from school can't tell you about their day, that's obviously a huge concern if you have documented issues of abuse."
However Fitzpatrick says there are plenty of students who can share what they've seen and experienced, and asks parents of students to talk with their children and call the auditor's whistleblower hotline if anything concerning is shared.
The Special School District found recently themselves under the microscope of the Department of Justice, over restraint practices they say violate the Americans With Disabilities Act. The district responded by saying they would alter their policies to no longer use seclusion and supine restraints on its students.
KMOX reached out to the special school district for comment.
