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Six school officials in Alabama have been indicted over a scheme to fraudulently obtain millions of dollars in state education funding by pretending to enroll private students into virtual schools. Federal prosecutors say educators in Athens City Schools and Limestone County Schools stole the identities of hundreds of private students and falsified enrollment records to make it appear as though the children were full-time attendees of virtual schools throughout the state. By allegedly doctoring the records, the conspirators were able to obtain $7 million in state education funding for the 2016–17 and 2017–18 academic years. Private schools persuaded to take part in the conspiracy by sharing their students data were rewarded with laptops and access to online courses. ....
6 Alabama school officials charged with fraud, conspiracy in $7 million virtual schools scheme Updated Feb 23, 2021; Posted Feb 23, 2021 The Frank M. Johnson Jr. Federal Building and United States Courthouse in Montgomery. (Mike Cason/mcason@al.com) Facebook Share This story has been updated. Six Alabama educators have been indicted in a years-long, lucrative fraud and conspiracy scheme involving virtual schools throughout the state. Federal prosecutors say officials in Athens City Schools and Limestone County Schools, including two former superintendents, conspired to get more state funding by pretending to enroll full-time private students into the systems’ virtual schools. The two school districts were improperly paid around $7 million in state education funding for the 2016-17 and 2017-18 school years, according to federal officials. ....