By Tara Fischer
Staff Writer
(March 26, 2026) Worcester County Public Schools officials say they have addressed all issues identified in a recent state legislative audit, including deficiencies related to human resources, transportation, management of other risks, and information technology.
WCPS Chief Financial Officer Vince Tolbert briefed the Worcester County Board of Education on the audit during its March 17 meeting, summarizing the findings and the school system’s response to the report issued Feb. 23.
Tolbert began his presentation by quoting the audit’s conclusion to WCPS’s reply.
“We have reviewed the response to our findings and related recommendations and have concluded that the corrective actions identified are sufficient to address all issues,” Tolbert read.
The audit — the system’s first since 2017 — identified seven findings across several operational areas, including human resources, transportation, risk management and information technology. Four of those findings, related to cybersecurity, were redacted from the public report but shared with the board in closed session, Tolbert said.
Among the issues, auditors flagged “questionable procurement activity involving a management employee,” which was referred to the Office of the State Prosecutor.
While not mentioned by name, a search-and-seizure team from the state prosecutor’s office was seen late last year at the West Ocean City residence of Denise “Dee” Shorts, the school system’s chief academic officer for grades Pre-K through 8.
Tolbert emphasized that such a referral does not indicate a crime occurred or that charges will be filed. Shorts remains on administrative leave.
Auditors also found lapses in required background screening documentation for employees working with minors, as mandated under a 2019 state law.
Human resources officials said the issue stemmed not from a failure to conduct screenings, but from insufficient documentation tied to required reference checks from prior employers, if the previous employment included direct contact with minors.
“One misleading thing is where it says we did not perform a newly required screening for the positions…HR always does the screenings,” said WCPS Human Relations Officer Dwayne Abt.
“What we are talking about in this instance is House Bill 486 [from 2019]. Following the legislative audit, the HR office reviewed the hiring procedures related to HB486 which requires background reference checks from prior employers for applicants who have worked in positions requiring direct contact with minors.”
He continued, “The audit identified 10 personnel files where documentation related to the HB 486 process was incomplete. Since that time, HR have secured the necessary documentation, and all 10 files have been brought into full compliance.”
Abt added the department has since strengthened onboarding procedures, assigning staff to track required forms and ensure they are returned within the mandated 20-day window. A review of hiring practices over the past three years is also underway.
House Bill 486, Abt noted, is a form that is given to new public school employees to give to their former employer “if they worked for an employer that has access to children.”
Officials noted that all employees still undergo fingerprint-based background checks through state and federal systems, with results typically returned within a day.
The audit also noted concerns related to transportation services.
The February report questioned whether WCPS had sufficient documentation to support about $1.8 million in bus maintenance payments to its 69 bus contractors in fiscal year 2024. The report also noted the system reimbursed contractors for fuel taxes they may not have owed, potentially totaling about $1 million over several years.
Tolbert stressed that no improper payments were made under the board-approved rate structure.
“There were no overpayments, there were no missed payments,” he said. “We paid for the rates that were approved and adopted by our board in our budget book. The auditor’s concern, the maintenance part of that payment, they did not feel we had enough support. That was their question, not that we overpaid or paid incorrectly.”
Board members defended the long-standing “meet and confer” process used to set contractor rates, which includes input from the county’s bus contractor association.
“In 2010, the same findings were made by the auditors…I disagreed with them,” board member and former WCPS superintendent Jon Andes said. “I continue today to disagree with them. We have outstanding bus contractors that do a fantastic job of safely transporting our students each and every day.
“The requirements to be a bus contractor are significant: commercial driver’s license, yearly physical exam. So forth and so on. I believe we do it the right way. We have a bus contractor who is responsible for their bus. They take care of their bus, they clean the bus, they oversee the bus, they make sure the bus is in good working condition…I will say it again: Our bus contractors are fairly compensated. I do not support the finding from the legislative auditors.”
Andes argued that requiring contractors to document exact annual maintenance costs would be impractical, as expenses vary widely year to year.
Tolbert added that 11 of 17 Maryland school systems with contracted bus services adjust for fuel taxes, while six — including WCPS — do not. Any future change to exclude those taxes could reduce contractor compensation.
The audit also found that WCPS did not adequately monitor its third-party health insurance administrator, particularly in verifying payments and performance standards.
Officials agreed with that finding and said improvements are already planned.
“We intend to have quarterly meetings to compare records and contract rates and establish a formal independent review process,” Tolbert said.
Board members pointed out that the number of findings has decreased significantly since the last audit.
“In 2017 … we had 19 deficiencies and this time we only had seven,” said board president Todd Ferrante.
Tolbert confirmed the improvement, noting that the statewide average for similar audits is about 10 findings per school system.