[Busmgrs] Letter to Chief State School Officers from the U.S. Department of Education

[WILTFONG Michael]

Good morning everyone,

We are forwarding this letter from the Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, to make you aware of a communication that was sent to Chief State School Officers regarding a matter that is relevant to managing U.S. Department of Education grants.  Please share the letter with appropriate managers and staff


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September 7, 2010

Dear Chief State School Officers:

As you prepare for another school year, we want to provide you with some important information related to reporting fraud, waste, and abuse of funds from the U.S. Department of Education (Department).  We know that 2010 has been particularly busy for everyone.  Funds made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act have provided an unprecedented opportunity to save jobs and advance reforms that improve student achievement.  With this opportunity comes increased responsibility for all of us to conduct ourselves ethically and to mitigate the risk of waste, fraud, and abuse.

Like you, the Department, including the Office of Inspector General (OIG), works to ensure that education dollars reach intended recipients and serve intended purposes.  We also work to ensure that these funds and programs funded by the Department are protected from fraud, waste, and abuse.  As part of this important effort, we are providing several resources that describe fraud laws and how to report fraud at www.ed.gov/fraudprevention<http://www.ed.gov/fraudprevention>.  Please distribute this information widely among your employees, subgrantees, and contractors.

The OIG identifies and investigates individuals and groups who may have committed fraud with education funds or with respect to Department-funded programs.  Each week, criminals are prosecuted and convicted, and receive sentences that include significant prison terms and monetary penalties.  Cases have included school or college officials making false statements regarding grant eligibility and performance; creating false documents to obtain grants for students who do not attend the school or are enrolled in ineligible programs; setting up shell companies to which education dollars are funneled; embezzling money from school accounts; using school accounts and credit cards to make purchases for personal purposes; and accepting bribes and kickbacks from contractors.

Please help us put a stop to these crimes.  In addition to reading and distributing this information, report any suspicion of fraud, waste, or abuse to the OIG Special Agent in Charge in your geographic area.  Contact information is available at the following Web site:  http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oig/oigaddress.html.


You also may contact the OIG by e-mailing oig.hotline at ed.gov<mailto:oig.hotline at ed.gov>; calling 1-800-MISUSED (1-800-647-8733); or writing to: Inspector General's Hotline, U.S. Department of Education, Office of Inspector General, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20202-1500.

Thank you for your continued leadership and efforts on behalf of your students.

Sincerely,

        /s/                                                                         /s/

Arne Duncan                                                   Kathleen S. Tighe
Secretary of Education                                   Inspector General

cc:        State Title I Directors
State Directors of Special Education
State Fiscal Stabilization Fund Contacts

*****CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE*****

This e-mail may contain information that is privileged, confidential, or otherwise exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If you are not the addressee or it appears from the context or otherwise that you have received this e-mail in error, please advise me immediately by reply e-mail, keep the contents confidential, and immediately delete the message and any attachments from your system.

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