Audit finds some human trafficking awareness information out of date
Washington’s efforts to raise awareness of human trafficking have become outdated in some instances, but agencies generally follow the law, a new performance audit found.
Press Releases
Audits find misappropriations, mismanagement continued at Mason County Fire District 12
The latest audits of a troubled Mason County fire district show its well-documented disregard for the protection of public funds continued for years until its governing board was replaced in 2024.
State’s home care initiative increased patient safety, created burdensome aide certification process, audit finds
A landmark Washington initiative succeeded in making home care patients safer but also created a long, arduous certification process for their aides – a process about two-thirds of applicants never complete, according to a new audit.
Repeated misappropriations in Springdale add another case to recent catalog of small-town losses
Today the Office of the Washington State Auditor issued its third fraud investigation report in less than a decade for the town of Springdale, population 300.
State’s school funding IT system outdated and at risk of failure, audit finds
The IT system used to distribute funding to Washington’s 300 schools and districts, serving 1 million students, is both critical to public education and extremely complex.
Audit finds limited progress in police training required under the Law Enforcement Training and Community Safety Act
Washington’s police officers are far from completing training mandated by Initiative 940, a new performance audit found.
The initiative, which became the Law Enforcement Training and Community Safety Act, requires 40 hours of continuing training for law enforcement officers. The state Criminal Justice Training Commission developed a curriculum that includes:
State audit shows overall improvement, recommends increased oversight of child care payments
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.
Moses Lake School District did not comply with state budget requirements, had declining financial condition, audit finds
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.”
State Auditor’s Office publishes review of investigation into Manuel Ellis death
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).
Digital Navigator Program was plagued by disregard for contracting rules, audit finds
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).