investigating subsidized tutoring
Michael LaForgia
Tampa Bay Times
mlaforgia@tampabay.com
@laforgia_
STEP ONE:
GET A LIST OF CONTRACTORS
FROM YOUR STATE'S ED DEPARTMENT
OR FROM YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT
STEP two:
figure out who'S GETTING PAID
bY SEARCHING CORPORATE RECORDS
(Be careful. Verify you're looking at the right business filings by cross-referencing with addresses, phone numbers and other information.)
(And be aware that the company you're searching for might be a fictitious name owned by another company or individual.)
By pulling state provider applications
Or by reading your district's
contract documents.
Who's signing for the companies?
STEP three:
check them out
(get organized)
criminal records
Don't assume you won't find anything.
civil courts
(Both state and federal)
State educator certification data & district employee directories
Self-dealing?
Keep an eye out for relatives of employees
running contracting companies.
running contracting companies.
state educator discipline records
STEP four:
count the money
does your state keep a central list of payments to tutoring vendors?
if not, then do it the hard way
Go to individual school districts and ask for a breakdown
of payments by provider for a given time period.
Then build your own list.
of payments by provider for a given time period.
Then build your own list.
check state applications
Detailed financial information often included.
nonprofit? grab their 990s
STEP five:
check the regulators
ask state ed department for:
- Lists of barred vendors. Have any reopened
under new business names? - All complaints from parents, teachers, competitors and tutors, with records of any follow-up investigations.
- Lists of contract terminations, with reasons
for the termination. - Inspector general reports and audits.
