Fridley Public Schools faces state scrutiny over growing debt, missing audit

5 EYEWITNESS NEWS learned of a warning to a North Metro district over ongoing financial problems that could become taxpayer problems. KSTP verified the letter with the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE). In it, MDE writes that it has serious concerns about the financial management of Fridley Public Schools, ISD 14. MDE letter to Fridley Public SchoolsDownload “There were warning signs that they did not have proper financial controls,” said Richard Coleman. Coleman says all three of his kids graduated from Fridley Public Schools, a district he d like to see continue teaching the next generation. “Our Moody s rating was withdrawn,” Lori Andler, the district’s senior finance officer, told the school board at a meeting on Sept. 24. “This is due to the fact of our 25 audit not being completed, not because we were holding anything back.” The lost Moody s rating alone is already costing taxpayers and students, even if they haven t noticed yet. It s like losing your cr