A program intended to help underserved people access online services repeatedly failed to follow state guidance – and at times intentionally ignored grant requirements, a new performance audit found: Assessing the Department of Commerce's Management of the Digital Navigator Program (PDF).
This article originally appeared in the 1/20/26 edition of the Seattle Times and reflects the viewpoint of State Auditor Pat McCarthy.
Update: On 1/29/26 our Office published a FAQ page of answers to questions about child care subsidies.
Several courts in Washington are interested in expanding alternatives to bail, but they appear to use such pretrial services infrequently today and face barriers to doing more, a new performance audit found.
A new performance audit of four public charter schools across Washington found they identified and served at-risk students appropriately, including working with English language learners and homeless students.
Washington’s public schools properly identified special education students and spent 26% percent more than the state provided to serve them, according to a new performance audit.
The Legislature asked the Office of the Washington State Auditor to review the prevalence of disabilities in student populations in the state and compare that need to the funding available to identify and serve special education students. Auditors were also tasked with determining whether any populations were under evaluated or underserved in special education.
As Washington works on a strategic economic development plan, it should consider the successful efforts of other states as well as leading practices in the field, a new performance audit recommends.
The state Department of Commerce is tasked with enhancing and promoting the state’s economy and manages a number of economic development programs to that end. The agency’s Office of Economic Development and Competitiveness is developing a strategic plan to guide its efforts in the future.
Programs to get people needed health care short of calling emergency services have been effective, but communities across Washington face obstacles to starting such programs, a new performance audit found.
In an era of high uncertainty and skepticism across the country, public auditors provide facts that everyone can rely on – and they need to make that known, said Washington State Auditor Pat McCarthy this week.
As president of the National State Auditors Association (NSAA), McCarthy recently joined a presentation on issues facing the accountability community, including government auditors at the local, state and federal level.
Jurisdictions in Washington are uneven in assessing, collecting and using fines for human trafficking and related crimes, according to a new performance audit by the Office of the Washington State Auditor.