Illinois State Board of Education demands that school district return grant money
The Illinois State Board of Education (IBOE) is demanding that West Harvey-Dixmoor Elementary School District 147 (WHDESD) return more than $2.2 million in federal and state grants, after an investigation concluded the money was either unaccounted for or misspent. IBOE conducted a month-long investigation into how the district spent approximately $10.2 million in grants over a three-year period ending in 2005. It includes numerous rebuttals from WHDESD, but state officials have deemed most of the responses "inadequate." Robert Wolfe, head of the IBOE's external assurance division, says his office has a legal and moral obligation to make sure the grants "get to the kids who need it the most." Although many of WHDESD teachers and staff are working hard to educate students, the spending and record-keeping practices are unacceptable, he says. The state plans to regularly monitor the district. Some disgusted parents are calling on Superintendent Alex Boyd and the school board to resign. Although Kevin Gordon, an attorney representing WHDESD, had not yet seen the state report, he says the district stands by its claims. "The school district's position is that it has not misspent those monies and that it will be reviewing this matter with the state board," he says. The state's attorney's office has also requested a copy of the report and is conducting an investigation. State officials say that out of the $2.2 million in question more than $119,000 was spent on meals, $157,000 on travel, and $211,000 for salaries and benefits. The district also spent $119,491 on unallowable items, including clown services, cameras, televisions, furniture, and T-shirts. Even school board members have said the district's leadership is unwilling to share basic financial information. Board member Bonnie Rateree said she had not seen the state's report, but would research the matter. "That's my job; to find out and to hold people accountable."
Chicago TribuneBy Jo Napolitano
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