Arizona schools lose $29 million in federal funding for struggling students

PHOENIX (AZ family) — The Arizona Department of Education has returned $29 million to the federal government after schools across the state missed a deadline to spend it.

The funds were allocated to school improvement grants that help students who have learning difficulties and need more academic support.

“From what we’re hearing from our colleagues, this really came out of the blue,” said Marisol Garcia, president of the Arizona Education Association. “School districts are scrambling to figure out how to support this bridge to make sure students have the support they need.”

Garcia said it was a mistake that fell on the department. But state Superintendent Tom Horne said they warned schools about the looming deadline to use the funds.

“We can’t force them to spend the funds. We can only remind them that the funds will be returned if they are not used,” Horne said.

Horne also blamed his predecessor, Kathy Hoffman. He said a former employee who worked under her administration misallocated money, leading to a stash of funds.

“The allocation was too small. Schools didn’t know how much money they had, and when they did find out, many didn’t have enough time to spend it responsibly,” Horne said.

Hoffman told Arizona’s Family reporters that she believes Horne is trying to shift blame to others, adding that a new administration took over more than a year and a half ago.

Meanwhile, Gov. Katie Hobbs said Horne must be held accountable.

In part, she said, “Superintendent Horne has pulled the rug out from under public schools, leaving tens of millions of dollars on the table for struggling students. That means less help for underfunded schools and students who are falling behind.”

Did you notice a spelling or grammatical error in our article? Click here to report it.

Do you have a photo or video with the news of the day? Send this is for us here with a short description.