Audit says Education Dept. must improve grant oversight

WASHINGTON – The Department of Education did not properly monitor and document $21 million in grants in 2012-2014, a government report said Thursday.

The study by the Government Accountability Office looked at 75 awards to individual grantees. The auditors found that the files were missing key information, such as grant award notifications, post-award conference records and performance reports. The report specifies, however, that the sample is too small to generalize.

The report recommends the department put review procedures in place and improve information-sharing.

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos “finds this report appalling and unacceptable” and is committed to safeguarding taxpayer money, said department press secretary Liz Hill.

Tennessee Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander, chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, said he hopes the report will be used to reform grant management at the department.