Print
E-mail
City Controller Butkovitz Wags Finger At School District For Overspending
By Jenny DeHuff, The Bulletin
Philadelphia — City Controller Alan Butkovitz released an audit of the School District of Philadelphia (SDP) yesterday, claiming the district misappropriated $6.8 million for fiscal year 2007.
According to Mr. Butkovitz, the SDP used state and federal grant dollars to pay school counselors, rather than for teacher training, for which it was appropriated.
Under the Improving Teacher Quality State Grant, those monies were earmarked for training seminars for new and existing teachers to better Philadelphia students’ education. The controller found the district improperly used the provisions of the grant for staff salaries and fringe benefits, which were not allowed under the terms of the grant agreement.
The questioned costs represent 26 percent of the program’s total expenditures.
School district officials referred inquiries to the audit to a published statement on the city controller’s Web site. It reads:
“The School District of Philadelphia does not agree with the findings of the city controller that it supplanted local funds with federal funds. The SDP was acting under an approved plan from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Education when it transferred the funds between grants.”
A spokesman for the controller’s office said the federal government could demand the money back, and misused funds could jeopardize the grant in its entirety.
Jenny DeHuff can be reached at jdehuff@thebulletin.us
According to Mr. Butkovitz, the SDP used state and federal grant dollars to pay school counselors, rather than for teacher training, for which it was appropriated.
Under the Improving Teacher Quality State Grant, those monies were earmarked for training seminars for new and existing teachers to better Philadelphia students’ education. The controller found the district improperly used the provisions of the grant for staff salaries and fringe benefits, which were not allowed under the terms of the grant agreement.
The questioned costs represent 26 percent of the program’s total expenditures.
School district officials referred inquiries to the audit to a published statement on the city controller’s Web site. It reads:
“The School District of Philadelphia does not agree with the findings of the city controller that it supplanted local funds with federal funds. The SDP was acting under an approved plan from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Education when it transferred the funds between grants.”
A spokesman for the controller’s office said the federal government could demand the money back, and misused funds could jeopardize the grant in its entirety.
Jenny DeHuff can be reached at jdehuff@thebulletin.us
 |
 |
|
| Local Leaders Trump Stimulus Package | Piggy Banks Soothe Cancer Patients, Help Families |
Reader Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of thebulletin.us.
You must register with a valid email to post comments. Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Registered users sign in here: |
Become a Registered User |
