Efforts To Comply With P.L. 94-142 and Selected Youth Services Administration Management Functions

GAO testified on its monitoring efforts and review of selected Youth Services Administration's management functions regarding special education for handicapped delinquents in the District of Columbia (D.C.). GAO found that, in response to its earlier recommendations: (1) the public schools conducted an internal management study, signed an Interagency Agreement on Residential Placement, advertised for year-round staff for one of its centers, and proposed an increase in the center's fiscal year 1987 budget by 36 percent; (2) the Department of Education failed to initiate action to offer technical assistance to the public schools; (3) D.C. made little progress in providing special education to handicapped delinquents; and (4) the number of hours of regular education at the schools decreased. GAO also found that lack of management oversight resulted in considerable overtime, noncompliance with contracting procedures, and inaccurate personnel position descriptions. GAO concluded that more needs to be done to improve the provision of special education for handicapped delinquents in D.C.