A brand new federal audit says the Santa Clara County Workplace of Training misused greater than $135,370 in federal funds beneath the earlier superintendent. However county leaders disagree on whether or not the error was an intentional cover-up or a easy mistake, one other signal of deepening division and stress in an workplace suffering from controversy.
The report – dated Friday – comes amid months of chaos inside the Santa Clara County Workplace of Training, sparked by the board’s surprising removing of former superintendent of faculties Mary Ann Dewan in October. Subsequent lawsuits and investigative experiences pointed to an alleged historical past of stress with board members.
In November, interim superintendent Charles Hinman known as for investigations into the county workplace’s funds and operations over a attainable misuse of public funds – now revealed to be cash designated for the county’s Head Begin program, which helps low-income youngsters beneath the age of 5 entry important sources.
In response to the brand new federal audit performed by the Administration for Kids and Households – a part of the U.S. Division of Well being and Human Companies – funds designated for this system have been used to pay the wages and bank card bills of a non-Head Begin supervisor to the tune of $135,372 from January by way of June 2024.
The report additionally discovered that the county failed to fulfill the usual in implementing its Head Begin program, together with partaking mother and father, offering applicable coaching and offering enough data to the board and program employees.
A Wednesday press launch from the Workplace of Training criticized former management for the misuse of funds and mentioned employees delayed orders to appropriate the error, scoffed at grant guidelines and rejected requires oversight.
Governing board president Maimona Afzal Berta mentioned Wednesday the county solely reversed the error after “months of a failed cover-up” and mentioned the misuse validates “the rightful concerns and actions” of the board and proves “intentional and illegitimate” efforts to undermine the board’s authority.
“These are precious public dollars meant to help the most vulnerable in our community and no administrator should ever be allowed to act in this manner ever again,” Berta mentioned.
However the report makes no point out of a cover-up by former superintendent Dewan and doesn’t point out the error was intentional.
In response to the report, the Workplace of Head Begin knowledgeable county officers of the misuse of funds on April 9, with further letters despatched by way of June 6. The report mentioned workplace employees investigated the error and reversed the costs on June 11.
Dewan mentioned Wednesday in a cellphone interview the delay stemmed from a difficulty with the Workplace of Head Begin’s communication system, which she didn’t instantly obtain.
“As soon as the error was brought to my attention, we worked diligently to correct it immediately,” Dewan mentioned. “There was no malintent.”
Dewan and board member Tara Sreekrishnan confirmed that Head Begin employees reported no findings of economic wrongdoing on the finish of their four-day evaluate in July. Dewan additionally mentioned she and board president Berta obtained the identical communications from the Workplace of Head Begin concerning the problem.
Sreekrishnan known as the county’s press launch asserting the error “another politically motivated attack” towards Dewan and her supporters.
“(It was) not months of a failed cover-up. This was an issue that was immediately corrected. It doesn’t mean we couldn’t have done a better job,” Sreekrishnan mentioned. “No funds were lost, no services were impacted…Any calls for further transparency and accountability are always welcomed. I just want to be sure that we’re not weaponizing this for political gains. And that’s what this looks like to me.”
Initially Revealed: February 19, 2025 at 4:09 PM PST
