A year after the Ministry of Education first intervened in the running of Kea St Specialist School, an appointed commissioner remains in charge of the school's operations.
Ministry head of sector enablement and support Katrina Casey confirmed the Rotorua school had made improvements since it stepped in last September, but commissioner Jack Hourigan would continue to work through issues at the school.
"We first intervened in Rotorua's Kea St Specialist in September 2014 to support the board of trustees in relation to issues they were having with employment, communication, finances and board systems and processes.
"We appointed Mr Hourigan, a retired principal, as a limited statutory manager. In that role he picked the responsibilities of the board in the areas they needed help."
The ministry stepped up its involvement earlier this year after a unanimous request from the board of trustees to appoint a commissioner to take over the governance role of the board.
Ms Casey said Mr Hourigan took up the post at the end of March as a result of a risk to the operation of the school. The board was dissolved.
"Mr Hourigan continues to work through a range of issues that were identified by the Education Review Office (ERO) in its February 2015 report."
While the report observes a commitment from trustees to "ongoing school improvement," it highlights problems, including concerns about "key aspects of school leadership" from staff and the lack of a signed annual performance agreement.
"[Mr Hourigan] has implemented a thorough staff appraisal system and continues to manage the business operations of the school, including the development of a strategic plan," Ms Casey said.
She said the average time a commissioner was in a place was about two years, depending on the complexity of the issues.
"The important thing is that the school receives the assistance it needs for as long as it needs it and we will continue to ensure that happens."