BREAKING NEWS!
It appears that Dougherty County Schools are beginning to come under an even more powerful magnifying glass at the state level. Today, the Georgia Dept of Education recommended that all previously allocated TITLE 1 money be frozen and not dibursed to the county until at least two issues are resolved.
The two issues that are currently being held up for inspection are the Free and Reduced Meal’s county numbers. These numbers are used by the State to allocate Title 1 money to individual counties based on need. It appears that there were ‘irregularities’ in the Dougherty County fiscal year 2012 numbers that bear some further investigation. If these numbers are inflated or manipulated, it could have resulted in DCSS getting much more money in the past than it was entitled.
The state is also looking into additional fiscal year 2012 Title One expenditures that may not have been allowable by the school system.
Last year the county received 8.3 Million in Title 1, Part A money and another 3.2 Million in special education money.
It appears at this time that these funds will not be sent to the county until the state can satisfy itself that there was no impropriety.
Look for more on this story as it develops.
