Audit: Bridgehampton schools neglected fees

A state comptroller’s audit released last week criticized the Bridgehampton school district for not following its own policy on charging tuition to out-of-district students.

The audit by State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli’s office covered July 2009 through October 2010 and found that the district undercharged almost $112,000 in tuition for nonresident students during the 2009-10 and 2010-11 school years, didn’t charge tuition to one middle-school nonresident student who left during the school year and in one case charged the general tuition rate instead of the much-higher special-education rate for a nonresident student needing special assistance.

Bridgehampton Union Free School District representatives did not return a call seeking comment. In a written response to the comptroller’s office, however, Superintendent Lois R. Favre defended several of the district’s decisions regarding the tuition as appropriate given individual circumstances.

“We will review our policies to be sure that they say what is meant, and we will assure that we continue to charge and bill for the appropriate rates moving forward,” the letter said.