Richard Allen Schools (five schools)

AUDITORS PROBE A DAYTON CHARTER SCHOOL'S PAYMENTS; March 31, 2011; Dayton Daily News (OH),

COLUMBUS — State auditors have launched an investigation of a top-performing Dayton charter school chain after discovering $89,067 in misspent funds.

Four separate audits of Richard Allen Schools 2009 finances uncovered $9,739 in overpayments to school board members; $48,567 in state funds used to replace heating systems in buildings owned by the schools’ private management company; $27,300 unaccounted for from a Montgomery County Job and Family Services contract earmarked for summer and after school programs; and $3,461 for other reasons including improper spending on travel.

Issues of noncompliance to state law including charging students a fee to attend disciplinary Saturday school were also found. The findings, released Tuesday by state Auditor Dave Yost, also shows the schools had a combined deficit of $1.38 million in 2009.

Of the misspent money only $2,221 has been repaid…

Richard Allen operates four charter schools in Dayton and a fifth in Hamilton. A school representative said no one was available to comment about the audit…