Audit Committee Advances Stronger Safeguards for Hiring and Consultant Agreements
On October 13, 2026, the Audit Committee of the Baltimore County Board of Education reviewed internal audits of consultant agreements and pre-employment hiring, along with the Office of Internal Audit’s FY27 first-quarter operational update.
The reports identified needed improvements, as well as corrective actions designed to strengthen accountability, protect students, and ensure responsible use of public resources.
The audit reviewed 395 FY26 consultant agreements totaling approximately $1.5 million, with 40 agreements examined in detail. Fifteen of the 40 sampled agreements were submitted late, and three were not fully signed before services began. Starting work without a completed agreement can leave BCPS without confirmed terms, legal protections, or required insurance documentation.
The audit also found that one consultant was a current BCPS employee but had not received the required Ethics Review Panel review. The employee was not identified because a personal email address was used.
In response, Purchasing has added advance-submission warnings and a mandatory disclosure identifying consultants who are current employees, contractual staff, or retirees. These safeguards should help prevent late agreements and improve conflict-of-interest screening.
The review of 60 employees hired between October 2025 and April 2026 found several gaps in completing and documenting required checks before employees began work.
One employee began work before the required background check, fingerprinting, and reference were complete. References were not requested for five sampled employees. For positions involving student contact, required Maryland Form 6-113.2 employment-history documentation was missing or unclear in several cases.
This Maryland form is an important student-safety safeguard. When applicable, it asks current and previous employers about findings involving child sexual abuse, sexual misconduct, or other conduct that could affect a person’s eligibility to work with students.
HR plans to strengthen training and procedures, require screening documents to be reviewed before an employee starts, update Oracle hire dates when documentation is delayed, and move reference and Form 6-113.2 collection to the Rival system. Training and procedure updates are expected by February 1, 2027.
The Office of Internal Audit is managing 18 approved projects for FY27. At the end of the first quarter, 22% of the annual work plan was complete and 67% of projects had not yet started.
The office also closed 22 hotline cases during the quarter. One case originating in FY26 resulted in a circuit court settlement requiring $25,000 in restitution, with $20,000 collected to date.
Committee Discussion and Next Steps
Committee members discussed delays in the hiring process, the liability created when consultants begin work before agreements are signed, and the need to confirm certificates of insurance before services occur. Members also requested additional review of ERP project spending and deliverables because system transitions have been repeatedly cited as a factor in process gaps.
These findings reinforce a basic expectation: required safeguards must be completed before employees or consultants begin work. Stronger systems, consistent documentation, and clear accountability help protect students, support staff, and ensure public funds are managed responsibly.
The next Audit Committee meeting is scheduled for November 10, 2026, at 4:30 p.m.
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