$225 million STOLEN from schools? New FRAUD report raises alarms

A new report is raising concerns about oversight of taxpayer dollars in America's K-12 education system after uncovering more than $225 million in confirmed fraud involving public schools and state education agencies.

Rachel O'Brien, deputy public policy editor for OpenTheBooks.com, told The National News Desk the report, based on investigations by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Inspector General, identified nearly 90 confirmed cases of fraud and abuse between the fall of 2019 and March 2025. The cases span school districts and education agencies in 24 states and Puerto Rico, meaning roughly half the country is not represented in the findings.

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