Thrive Academy Cited for Contract Approval Errors
State auditors found that the Baton Rouge school bypassed required procurement protocols for vendor payments.
Updated on Sept. 28, 2026 in Secondary Education
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The Louisiana Legislative Auditor's Office issued a report citing Thrive Academy for failing to obtain necessary state approvals for vendor work and payments. Between July 2024 and February 2026, the school bypassed Office of State Procurement guidelines.
Why it matters
The findings highlight oversight issues at the state-funded boarding school regarding internal control of public funds. Management attributed the lapses to a misunderstanding of the state LaGov system and vendor miscommunication.
Thrive Academy made $9,900 in payments without proper sign-off and allowed $3,600 in consulting work to begin 20 days before official state contract approval.
The players
Thrive Academy
This state-funded public boarding school in Baton Rouge provides educational services to students from grades six through 12.
Louisiana Legislative Auditor's Office
This state agency is responsible for auditing public entities and ensuring financial compliance across Louisiana government institutions.
The details
Thrive Academy, which serves students in grades six through 12, has since established a manual review process to monitor future contract amendments that exceed spending limits. This oversight follows previous issues the school resolved in March 2025 regarding employee leave records and movable property tracking.
Timeline
July 2024 to February 2026: Thrive Academy bypassed procurement guidelines.
March 2025: Thrive resolved prior audit findings on leave and property.
September 28, 2026: The state audit report was officially released.
Culture Shift
This audit reflects a growing emphasis on fiscal transparency within Louisiana's public education institutions. It follows a broader trend of state agencies mandating stricter adherence to the Office of State Procurement guidelines to prevent the mismanagement of public funds.
The school has implemented a manual review process for future contract amendments to ensure stricter compliance with state regulations. These changes are intended to safeguard the school's budget and improve administrative accountability for the local community.
The takeaway
Effective fiscal management requires clear communication between school leadership and state administrative systems. Moving forward, the school must maintain its new internal review protocols to prevent future procurement lapses.
Further reading
For more information on the regional educational landscape, visit the Secondary Education section.
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Should state-funded schools face stricter independent audits for their contract and purchasing approvals?
