State Education Officials Want Some Money Back From South Bend Schools

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SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The Indiana Department of Education asked state auditors to review the enrollment at the South Bend Community School Corporation’s Rise Up Academy following a complaint that students were not receiving an adequate education.

Indiana Department Of Education

The South Bend Tribune reports that auditors reviewed enrollment and attendance figures dating to July 2018 and found dozens of students counted in the district’s requests for enrollment-based funding who had never logged into online learning platform.

Now officials say that want the school district to repay more than $620,000.

School administrators say that they have already paid back over $360,000 and that some students’ lack of participation in online learning was overlooked during enrollment counts.

The district has disputed some claims over some students’ status and is waiting for a final response from the state.

Rise Up Academy currently serves about 200 students, most of whom are at risk of dropping out of high school or not meeting Indiana graduation requirements.