Press Releases

Today the Office of the Washington State Auditor released its massive annual audit of federal funds, which reviewed $23.7 billion in federal funds across 28 programs.

Auditors found a general pattern of improved compliance with federal requirements overall. SAO also determined that the state’s system to detect improper payments in child care subsidies has weaknesses that contributed to an estimated $37 million in questionable payments in 2025.

The Office of the Washington State Auditor published an accountability audit of the Moses Lake School District today, reviewing a tumultuous period in which the district’s financial condition was in decline. 

“The public is understandably frustrated,” said State Auditor Pat McCarthy. “As a former school board member, I want to recognize the important role the public plays in holding the District and elected board members accountable to ensure local public schools, a keystone of community life, remain operational and financially stable.” 

The Washington State Patrol’s investigation into the death of Manuel Ellis mostly followed state rules intended to ensure the agency’s work was credible, according to an audit published today (PDF). 

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.