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State Auditor: Columbus Charter School Overcharged For Attendance

Nicole Mays
/
Flickr

A state audit of a short-lived Columbus charter school finds officials inaccurately reported student attendance and received too much state funding.

First Time Learners Academy opened its doors on Columbus' West Side in August 2013. A little over a year later, the school closed over what the sponsor called "health and safety concerns" related to the school building.

State auditors now say the academy was unable to provide important records of financial transactions, and did not maintain student attendance records. That resulted in the Ohio Department of Education overpaying to the school by $7,735. The audit also found the academy's director Abdallah Kassim withdrew $806 that was not substantiated.

The Auditor's office is seeking to recover the funds.

Debbie Holmes has worked at WOSU News since 2009. She has hosted All Things Considered, since May 2021. Prior to that she was the host of Morning Edition and a reporter.
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