$350,000 for pre-K education misused, NC auditor says; better oversight urged for statewide program

RALEIGH — The state auditor has found that a rural nonprofit agency misused more than $350,000 in funds intended for pre-kindergarten education, and she urged better oversight of the $139 million statewide program serving 4-year-olds, according to a report released Tuesday.

State Auditor Beth Wood's report on Franklin Vance Warren Opportunity Inc. also found an unauthorized salary increase for the group's former chief executive and money spent on legal services without proper approval by the local agency's board.

The Henderson-based nonprofit provides services to low-income families and receives more than three-quarters of its funding from the state and federal government.

The report found the nonprofit agency diverted $361,000 of its state pre-kindergarten funding for other purposes ranging from computer equipment to legal services over a four-year period ending in 2016.

Read more: http://www.journalnow.com/news/state_region/for-pre-k-education-misused-nc-auditor-says-better-oversight/article_d549edf9-d909-5aee-b089-30e91426f6c6.html