Local and federal education officials gathered at Hofstra University Thursday to discuss how to fix the myriad of problems plaguing Hempstead School District.

State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli released a scathing audit recently which criticized the district's management of its finances and personnel. Among the audit's findings, the district overpaid its current Superintendent Susan Johnson by tens of thousands of dollars and routinely held closed door board meetings.

Local, state and federal education experts joined Hempstead residents at the Hofstra forum to say their days of business as usual are over. They discussed ideas to help turn around the troubled district so it can provide a quality education.

Organizers of the forum say the Hempstead School Board was invited to the forum, but didn't show up.

Some parents went to the school board meeting Thursday night to ask them what they plan to do to turn the district around.

"We are addressing the issues that were presented by the comptroller's report. So we are moving forward," said Superintendent Johnson.

The state has ordered the district to submit a corrective action plan in response to the audit in 90 days. The school board says they plan to meet that deadline.