Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Donorschoose Allegations topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Parents allege DonorsChoose fundraising misuse tied to Flex Academy at Vancouver School District
Summary
Multiple parents and community members told the Vancouver School District board that DonorsChoose projects created under Flex Academy’s name obtained more than $12,000 in goods that were allegedly diverted to other locations and not inventoried, and they urged district investigation and policy enforcement.
Parents and community members told the Vancouver School District board during public comment that multiple employees allegedly used DonorsChoose projects to obtain at least $12,000 in items tied to Flex Academy and that some of those items were later removed or sold rather than used for the school.
"Multiple VPS employees obtained grant funded items totaling over $12,000 in violation of DonorsChoose rules and Vancouver public schools policy," said Ruthie Melny, a parent, reading from an anonymous packet submitted to the board. Melny said the packet alleges project pages misrepresented who created them and that some donated items were transferred to another school and sold at a fundraising auction.
Other commenters expanded on the same concerns. Kelly Heslewood read an anonymous letter listing five numbered concerns about DonorsChoose campaigns associated with Vancouver Flex Academy, including alleged misallocation of donated items, requesters who are not classroom teachers, an incorrect Title I designation on project pages and unusual requested items such as "10 essential oil diffusers." Heather Sokwell read an anonymous staff letter saying building administration was notified on 02/10/2026 but no corrective action, inventory reconciliation or formal report to DonorsChoose had been completed.
"Approximately $12,112 in goods were obtained through multiple DonorsChoose projects submitted under Flex Academy's name," said the commenter who read the anonymous staff letter. Peter Stubbs, a parent, said boxes were delivered to Flex Academy in the early morning hours, removed from campus and may have been transported to another school without documentation or inventory tracking.
Greg Stone read DonorsChoose eligibility rules and Vancouver Public Schools activities procedure code 6102p, citing requirements that online fundraising requests receive prior written permission from the superintendent, that donated items ship to a school site or district central receiving, and that fixed assets be barcoded and added to the school-site inventory. Stone also recited DonorsChoose terms of use prohibiting false information when creating projects.
Speakers at the meeting framed their remarks as requests for transparency and district oversight. The oral record to the board included three separate letters and a list of specific alleged policy and eligibility violations; commenters said documentation had been submitted to the board by anonymous sources. No district response or corrective action was offered during public comment at this meeting.
The board proceeded with routine business after public comment, approving minutes and a consent agenda, and then recessed to an executive session for legal counsel on potential litigation; the meeting record shows no formal board action at this session related to the DonorsChoose allegations.
What the board heard: multiple parents and staff readers alleged (1) DonorsChoose projects were created by individuals not eligible under DonorsChoose rules, (2) roughly $12,000–$12,112 in goods were obtained under Flex Academy's name, (3) deliveries and subsequent removals reportedly lacked documentation or inventory reconciliation, and (4) building-level notification on 02/10/2026 did not lead to visible corrective measures or to a report to DonorsChoose.
Authorities and policies referenced at the meeting included a spoken citation of "RCW 9 8 dot 6 0 dot 0 7 0" (as read in public comment), DonorsChoose eligibility and terms of use, and "Vancouver Public Schools activities procedure code 6102p" section on fundraising activities. Commenters asked the district to verify compliance with district crowdfunding policy and DonorsChoose rules and to perform inventory reconciliation and formal reporting.
The board did not publicly record a staff response during this meeting. Next procedural steps were not announced on the DonorsChoose matter; the meeting record shows routine approvals and then an executive session on potential litigation with no action to follow. Community members told the board they had submitted documentation by email and requested a collaborative follow-up meeting with district leadership.
