Mississippi Department of Education Fails to Report Afterschool Program Evaluations

JACKSON, Miss. — The Mississippi Department of Education has not published federally required evaluations of its afterschool programs since November 2022, according to a new report from the Mississippi Office of the State Auditor.

Millions of dollars in federal grant funds continue to flow from the department to nonprofits and school districts to operate afterschool programs for children. In fiscal year 2024, more than $11 million from the Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant was spent on these programs, auditor’s analysts said.

The department requires subgrantees to collect and submit performance data, which MDE is supposed to use for an annual statewide evaluation. The auditor’s office found that the department has failed to fulfill this requirement for more than a year, raising concerns about oversight and accountability.

The audit identified other issues, including potential violations of regulations. Some subgrantees reportedly hired evaluators with conflicts of interest, such as employing individuals who worked for the nonprofits being evaluated. Attendance data was also grouped in multi-day and multi-hour segments, potentially skewing the actual participation rates.

This report is the second in a series examining taxpayer-funded childcare programs in Mississippi. The full report is available on the State Auditor’s website under the “Reports” tab.

Source: Original Article