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Ohio Will Withhold More of E-School’s Funding Amid Dispute
By: Associated Press
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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – Some state funding for one of the nation’s largest online charter schools will be held in escrow amid questions about whether the Ohio school is getting funding for more students than it actually has.
Ohio’s Department of Education says it’s withholding 12 percent of the monthly payments for the Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow after ECOT indicated its enrollment dropped.
The state already had reduced the payments to start recouping $60 million that it says ECOT couldn’t justify.
ECOT is challenging that in court, alleging officials unfairly changed criteria to adjust funding. It says the repayments could force it to close.
The state auditor asked education officials to withhold additional funding. He said he worried that Ohio might not get back potential overpayments if the school closes.