Priority High School, a Hamilton County charter school that has closed its doors, has come under financial scrutiny after state auditors discovered it had received an excess of $29,437.90 in state funding. The overpayment was flagged following a detailed review of the school's final student data, comparing it with state funding allocations.
The audit findings, published on Thursday, unearthed multiple issues beyond the overfunding. According to the Ohio Auditor of State, Keith Faber's official report, auditors raised concerns over the apparent lapses in internal controls, particularly regarding the accuracy of student attendance records. "…the school was unable to provide supporting documentation for new student enrollments, student absences, and student," they wrote in the audit report. This lack of record-keeping has arguably contributed to the misallocation of taxpayer dollars.
The financial operations of Priority High School from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, were the focus of this final audit. Unfortunately, the unraveling of these financial discrepancies came too late for the institution, which had already ceased operations in June 2024. The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, responsible for overseeing and reconciling state funding to schools, was the authority that identified the excessive payment post-closure.
As is routine, the release of the audit findings was handled by the Auditor of State’s Office, led by Auditor Keith Faber. This office, tasked with the weighty responsibility of auditing beyond 5,900 state and local government entities, also serves a broader role in promoting transparent government practices and preventing fraud in public entities. A recovery of the excessive funds is now in process, a meager consolation for the taxpayers who finance Ohio’s education system.
For those interested in delving deeper, the full contents of Priority High School's final audit report are accessible to the public and can be viewed on the Ohio Auditor of State, Keith Faber's website.
