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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Good
morning everyone,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>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</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>*******************************************************************************</span><span
style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#002060'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span
style='color:#002060'>September 7, 2010<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#002060'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#002060'>Dear Chief State School
Officers:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#002060'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#002060'>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 <i>American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act</i> 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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#002060'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#002060'>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 <a href="http://www.ed.gov/fraudprevention" target="_blank"><span
style='color:windowtext'>www.ed.gov/fraudprevention</span></a>. Please
distribute this information widely among your employees, subgrantees, and
contractors.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#002060'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#002060'>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#002060'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#002060'>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: <a
href="http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oig/oigaddress.html" target="_blank"><span
style='color:windowtext'>http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oig/oigaddress.html</span></a>.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#002060'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph><span style='color:#002060'>You also may contact the
OIG by e-mailing <a href="mailto:oig.hotline@ed.gov"><span style='color:windowtext'>oig.hotline@ed.gov</span></a>;
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. <br>
<br clear=all>
Thank you for your continued leadership and efforts on behalf of your students.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#002060'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#002060'>Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#002060'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#002060'>
/s/
/s/<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#002060'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#002060'>Arne
Duncan
Kathleen S. Tighe<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#002060'>Secretary of
Education
Inspector General <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#002060'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#002060'>cc:
State Title I Directors<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:.5in'><span style='color:#002060'>State
Directors of Special Education<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:.5in'><span style='color:#002060'>State
Fiscal Stabilization Fund Contacts<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal>*****CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE*****<br>
<br>
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. <br>
<br>
************************************<o:p></o:p></p>
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