CITIES BACK LAUSD AUDIT LEADERS TO JOIN VILLARAIGOSA TO SEEK ACTION.

Byline: NAUSH BOGHOSSIAN Staff Writer

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa -- already maneuvering to take over Los Angeles Unified -- has quietly gathered the support of neighboring cities in seeking an independent state audit of the beleaguered school district.

The mayor plans to hold a news conference today at Kipp Academy of Opportunity -- a charter school near Inglewood -- joining with leaders of some of the larger cities in the LAUSD in seeking action from the Joint Legislative Audit Committee. City Controller Laura Chick, who was rebuffed in her effort to audit the district herself, and City Councilman Jose Huizar, a former school board member, plan to accompany Villaraigosa at the conference.

A spokeswoman for the Mayor's Office declined to comment on Villaraigosa's request to the 14-member audit committee, which can order the state Auditor's Office to study the district's operation.

State Sen. Chuck Poochigian, R-Fresno, vice chairman of the audit committee, said he believes the committee will be open to the mayor's request.

``When you're talking about one school district the size of L.A. Unified that has an impact on the performance of such a vast number of students in our state, then a well-crafted request for audit by the state auditor would likely be favorably viewed,'' Poochigian said.

``When you have a shocking level of dropouts and low performance in so many areas served by the district, it does cry out for reform.

``I think the scope of the problem is immense and does have statewide implications, so it forces us to examine all the alternatives, and it starts with an understanding of what the causes of the problems are.''

In a letter to the mayor, Superintendent Roy Romer said he wouldn't oppose a state-funded audit.

``If you feel it is necessary to have the state conduct yet another audit of the district, I have no objection -- provided you identify a non-district funding source,'' Romer wrote.

``I would rather spend money on kids, not on additional audits.''

Leaders of cities that send students to the LAUSD have been divided in their support of Villaraigosa's proposed reforms, unveiled last month in his State of the City speech.

However, sources say they unanimously endorsed the need for an independent audit of the district during a closed-door hearing held in March.

The legislative push comes months after LAUSD officials refused Chick's request to audit their operations, instead turning over nearly 800 audits conducted over the previous five years. Chick subsequently issued a report accusing the district of a ``disturbing lack of transparency and accountability.''

Huntington Park Mayor John Noguez said he will sign the Villaraigosa letter to the Legislature, saying he wants to see whether the district is adhering to all state standards.

``The letter does encourage me to sign on board to that particular process. I'm pleased he's brought that to light, in terms of bringing reform to LAUSD,'' said Noguez, whose city sends more than 5,000 students to LAUSD schools. ``The audit would shed light on different principles that might be adhered to.''

The South Gate City Council was scheduled to vote late Tuesday whether to support the audit, but planned to send a representative to today's news conference.

``I think it's something we need to make sure is done just to make sure that we hold LAUSD accountable for the education of our (2,200) students,'' Mayor Maria Davila said. ``We want to make sure that our city can have a say in what happens with the district, because at this point we don't.''

But the city of West Hollywood, whose mayor opposes Villaraigosa's reform plan, refused to sign. The City Council had adopted a resolution calling for an independent audit but not on Villaraigosa's request for a legislative audit.

``We believe this audit should be agreed upon by all the relevant stakeholders, including Los Angeles, other cities and the school district, and in the context of school reform, having independent information that everybody agrees upon is an important starting point,'' City Councilman Jeff Prang said. West Hollywood sends about 500 students to LAUSD schools.

Holding a public letter-signing event is a smart public relations move rather than a show of real political strength for the mayor's reform agenda, said Sherry Bebitch Jeffe, a political analyst and senior scholar at the school of policy, planning and development at the University of Southern California.

``It certainly gives him far more visibility and it's a good photo op for him if he can surround himself with mayors of other cities who are perceived as supporting his reform agenda for LAUSD,'' she said.

``This is a symbol of his caring about the district, worrying about the district, focusing on reform of the district to make it more responsible and accountable and sending the message that he does have the support of other cities in the district. It keeps his move toward reforming LAUSD high on the political agenda and visible in the media.''

The district is working to counter the mayor's efforts, and plans to meet May 18 at a restaurant in Gardena to hammer out a strategy.

naush.boghossian(at)dailynews.com

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