Arkansas education officials find improper spending, take over school district

LITTLE ROCK — An east Arkansas school district has been taken over by the state after officials found close to $2 million in improper expenditures of state and federal funds.

The Department of Education said Monday it had taken over the Earle School District, which last month had been classified by the state Board of Education as being in fiscal distress. The department said it had discovered the improper spending after conducting an on-site review of the district’s finances. The department said it identified several other problems, including outstanding debts, inaccurate fund balances and nonpayment to vendors.

The department said Superintendent Rickey Nicks resigned and Richard Wilde, with the department’s school improvement unit, has replaced him.

http://www.swtimes.com/news/20171106/arkansas-education-officials-find-improper-spending-take-over-school-district