State audit finds misconduct reporting failures, oversight problems in Lee County School District

LEE COUNTY, Fla (WINK) — A new state audit found multiple oversight and compliance problems inside the Lee County School District, including failures to properly report employees fired for misconduct and questions about a severance payment to a former superintendent.

The February 2026 operational audit by the Florida Auditor General reviewed district operations and identified several areas where auditors say policies and internal controls need improvement. Per state statute, the audit is required every three years.

Among the most serious findings, auditors determined the district did not timely report five employees deemed ineligible for school employment to the Florida Department of Education.

Four of those employees were terminated for sexual misconduct with students, and another pleaded guilty to possession of controlled substances. Auditors found some cases were reported weeks or months late, and one had not been reported at all as of December 2025.

State rules require school districts to report ineligible employees within 48 hours so other schools can screen applicants and prevent unsafe hires.

In a statement, the district's spokesperson said in part, "It is important to know that all employees accused of sexual misconduct are immediately removed from the classroom when an allegation is made.  We report the allegation to local law enforcement, the Florida Department of Education, and the Florida Department of Children and Families."

The statement went on to say, "The audit cites that we did not make a second notification to the DOE for the disqualification list within the required timeframe. We have adjusted our procedures to avoid this going forward. All the employees mentioned in the audit have been terminated."

For one Lee County parent, the findings reinforce concerns about student safety. Joseph Caroll shared his personal experience with the district.

"I just really feel like, you know, there was really no real deep investigation when the allegations were as strong as they were," said Caroll.

Caroll recounted that his daughter was introduced to vaping by her teacher, which he reported to the school administration. The teacher was placed under observation, but the complaint was not substantiated. The teacher was later fired.

Caroll said it's not surprising that the audit brought these results based on what he's seen from the school in the past.

Auditors also questioned a $78,110 severance payment to a former superintendent, who voluntarily resigned in 2024.

The audit found the superintendent’s contract did not include a severance provision, and district records did not show evidence of an employment dispute or documented work performed during the paid advisory period.

Auditors recommended that the district either demonstrate that the payments complied with state law or take steps to recover the money.

In a statement to WINK Investigates, a school district spokesperson said in part, "When prepared, we considered the separation agreement to be a renegotiation of an existing contract. As a corrective measure, future employment contracts will include the appropriate language."

The audit identified several additional issues:

• Required emergency drills were not fully completed at schools.

• The district received about $8,000 in state funding tied to ineligible student certifications.

• Purchasing cards were not always canceled promptly when employees left the district.

• Some employees had unnecessary access to sensitive financial and personnel systems — a problem identified in previous audits.

See the full Lee County Schools audithere: 

The school district went on to say, "Regarding finding #2 [Affidavits of Separation], the audit takes issue with the way we allowed employees to resign instead of being terminated. One employee was probationary, and the second retired. Lastly, we have moved Professional Standards out of Human Resources and into Safety and Security for better transparency on employee misconduct, and to complete the processes to alert stakeholders upon separation."

Auditors recommended that the district strengthen its policies, improve its reporting procedures, and tighten its internal controls.

The district said, "We have already implemented some of the recommendations and are working on the rest."