Republican lawmakers in New Jersey have formally requested a federal review into how Newark Public Schools spent $287m in COVID-19 relief funding, prompting the U.S. Department of Education to say it is taking the concerns seriously and may escalate the matter to its inspector general. State Sen. Parker Space and Assembly members Dawn Fantasia and Michael Inganamort argue that the district’s spending lacked transparency and measurable outcomes, highlighting that only 1,938 out of 15,803 students identified for tutoring actually received support, raising questions about whether funds were used effectively. Their letter also calls for scrutiny of a proposed $1.4m contract for reading instruction consulting that they claim was approved but never fulfilled. The district disputes this characterization, stating that while the board authorized the contract, it was never executed, no services were delivered, and no payments were made. In response to broader allegations, Newark Public Schools defended its financial management, citing multiple clean audits, strong credit ratings, and compliance with federal spending rules during and after the pandemic. However, the district did not directly address the specific concerns about COVID relief fund allocation.
