Rats bit two elementary school students at troubled Phoenix district

PHOENIX – Two students were bitten by rats at an elementary school in a trouble Phoenix district that was later taken over by the Arizona State Board of Education.

In June, the board placed the Murphy Elementary School District in receivership because it mishandled finances and ran a budget deficit that reached approximately $2.2 million.

The third-party receiver, Peter S. Davis of Simon Consulting, was asked to provide a financial improvement plan to the board within 120 days. The completed plan was dated Oct. 5.

The 26-page report detailed a long list of problems in the four-school south-central Phoenix district.

Among the most shocking details were that all four schools showed evidence of black mold.

Also, the rodent problem at Alfred F. Garcia Elementary was so bad that two students were bitten by rats the previous school year.

In response, the receiver approved pest control services, which were provided in July.

Among the wasteful spending documented was the discovery of an unused $500,000 curriculum. The decision was made to sell off the material, the report said.

Ryan Anderson, attorney for Davis, told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Tuesday that the receiver’s task was to deal with the district’s financial issues, and evaluating the condition of the buildings was a routine part of that process.

Anderson said the receiver was installed before the district’s budgeting was done for 2018-19.

“He was able to implement a number of important fiscal changes that will enable the schools to get out of debt and operate solvently much quicker,” he said.

The Murphy district was expected to break even on its budget for the current school year, according to the receiver’s report.

The district consists of four elementary schools and serves approximately 1,500 students.

KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Nailea Leon contributed to this report.

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