Feds ask Indiana education agency for data on poverty funds

Federal officials have told the Indiana Department of Education it may have distributed too much federal poverty aid to charter and traditional public schools and have asked the state for information on how it allocated the funding over the past five years.

The Indiana Department of Education said Wednesday it has begun the process to provide the necessary documentation to the U.S. Department of Education.

The development came two days after a spokesman for the state agency said it would comply with rules governing the distribution of the funds to charter schools after federal officials notified the state it had shortchanged them in some cases.

Michelle McKeown, interim executive director and general counsel of the Indiana Charter School Board, said charter schools have been questioning this year’s allocations since May.