Three New Jersey legislators are urging federal authorities to investigate how Newark Public Schools allocated nearly $287 million in COVID‑19 relief funds, citing concerns that oversight has been insufficient and that aid may not have reached the students most in need.
In a letter to U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon on Thursday, Sen. Parker Space (R) and Republican Assemblymembers Dawn Fantasia and Michael Inganamort requested “an immediate federal review, and, if warranted, a referral for investigation into the use of COVID‑19 relief funds by Newark Public Schools.”
According to Shore News Network, the lawmakers noted that “public reporting raises serious concerns about misuse, misrepresentation, and a lack of oversight involving federal dollars intended to address student learning loss.”
The funds are part of the federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) program, designed to help districts recover from pandemic disruptions, compensate for learning loss, and support students at highest risk.
Lawmakers emphasized discrepancies between promised services and outcomes.
Newark reportedly identified 15,803 students for tutoring support, but only 1,938 received it—roughly 12 percent of the total.
A $1.4 million literacy consultant contract funded with ESSER dollars also drew criticism.
The legislators noted that the consultant “was not certified in New Jersey” and that her proposal contained “basic errors,” yet she was approved over more established organizations.
Nearly a year later, the work had not begun.
The lawmakers highlighted a dramatic drop in fourth-grade reading proficiency at a school where the consultant had previously been engaged, describing it as a “measurable collapse.”
Superintendent Roger León defended the district, asserting that independent audits consistently gave Newark schools top ratings and calling critics’ claims “lies” and “politically motivated fishing expeditions.”
He cited rising test scores, graduation rates, and recent accolades as evidence of ongoing progress, the New Jersey Globe reported.
The Newark Board of Education recently advanced its $1.677 billion budget for fiscal 2026‑27, which includes investments in facilities and programs supported by a modest local tax increase.
Critics argue that oversight gaps extend beyond COVID relief funds, citing questionable spending on catering, museum programs, and proposed AI security systems.
Lawmakers called for federal scrutiny to ensure accountability.
“Federal funds intended to help at-risk students recover cannot be approved, allocated, and left unaccounted for while outcomes worsen,” they wrote.
They emphasized that proper oversight is critical to prevent misuse of taxpayer dollars and to ensure that federal investments reach the students they are intended to support.
Previous incidents of misused pandemic relief funds underscore the importance of vigilance.
For example, a Sussex County man in New Jersey was sentenced to three years in prison in 2023 for defrauding several financial institutions and illegally obtaining more than $2 million in COVID‑19 relief funding that was intended to help small businesses impacted by the pandemic.
Lawmakers maintain that similar diligence is necessary for school funding to protect students, taxpayers, and public trust.
As the federal Department of Education reviews the letter, Newark Public Schools faces heightened scrutiny over financial management and the effectiveness of its pandemic response programs, highlighting broader questions about transparency and accountability in large urban districts.
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