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Essex supervisors conditionally appropriate $165,500 school improvement grant amid audit concerns
Summary
Supervisors approved a $165,500 federal Title I school improvement appropriation conditional on a signed improvement plan by May 20 after staff outlined a VDOE audit finding that could require returning about $180,000 in unsubstantiated reimbursements for FY24–25.
The Essex County Board of Supervisors on May 12 conditionally approved the appropriation of a $165,500 federal Title I School Improvement grant for the county school division, but required the superintendent and director to sign the multi-year improvement plan by May 20 before full authorization.
School division staff told the board the Department of Education conducted on-site reviews for FY24 and FY25 that found missing documentation for some reimbursement claims. The audit could require returning approximately $180,000 if the state determines particular reimbursements cannot be substantiated. "They have not said definitely that those funds will be owed back yet, but they're reviewing that internally to make that determination," one school official said.
School staff described the $165,500 award as a reimbursement grant intended to support literacy programming, targeted professional development and vendor partnerships. Staff said the award requires a planning stage before June 30, and they proposed using a portion of the funds for immediate planning meetings with vendors. "We have the required signature pages that the state needed for the grant for what's due right now," a school official said, but several supervisors pressed for a signed improvement plan and clearer stakeholder engagement documentation before releasing funds.
Supervisors expressed concern about the timing and documentation, asking how the division will track grant expenditures and guard against another instance of unsubstantiated reimbursements. School staff said reimbursement entries are entered into the county's financial system (Omega) and that weekly grant-management meetings are in place. The board approved the appropriation conditioned on receipt of the signed improvement plan from the superintendent and director by May 20; if the condition is not satisfied, the appropriation will not stand.
The board also discussed broader implications: whether missing documentation would require school or county funds to cover potential repayments and the need for close oversight of reimbursements and grant tracking going forward. The school team said it is conducting a needs assessment, will engage stakeholders and will use vendors to implement literacy and math initiatives tied to the grant.
