The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "education funds" ...
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For-Profit-College Business Model Breeds Exploitative Marketing Tactics
In the first radio piece: Interviews with former recruiters, faculty, administrators and students of a small group of for-profit colleges in Minnesota paint a picture of schools that are exploiting unsophisticated students for their financial-aid money. Analysis points to a high-enrollment, high-dropout business model that earns the company millions but provides questionable return on taxpayer investment. In the second radio piece: Political differences at the federal level make it unclear how much the government will regulate for-profit colleges. At the Minnesota state level, the leading official for higher-ed says his agency doesn’t have the resources to go after problem colleges – and isn’t sure whether beefing up enforcement would be the best use of higher-education funding.
Tags: Non-profit colleges; financial aid; business models; for-profit colleges
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Vitalistic Therapeutic Charter School
The story focused on an obscure 10-year-old charter school in Bethlehem, Pa that taught mostly poor, mentally disabled and minority students through curriculum laden with intensive mental health therapy.
Tags: Vitalistic Therapeautic Charter School; taxpayer; education funds; Bethlehem
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Sink or Swim: Mavericks High Schools claim to help trouble students, but questions persist about their quest for profits from taxpayer money
The investigation reveals that the for-profit charter school Mavericks in Education Florida drive for profit conflicts with the company's mission of helping at-risk kids graduate from high school. Maverick's graduation rates are abysmal, former employees allege its attendance records and grades are falsified, and the schcools receive "incomplete" grades from the Florida Department of Education. Using taxpayer funds, the company is promising thousands of kinds an education that it does not deliver.
Tags: high school; mavericks; falsified; grades; frank biden
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Rotten to the Core (McKay Scholarship Series)
The story exposes fraud, mismanagement, and dangerous abuses in Florida's $150-million-a-year scholarship program. The story showed that the Florida Department of Education has almost no oversight over the schools receiving funds.
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Renaissance 2010: Searching for Equity
Karps' investigation looked into the the impact of Renaissance 2010, an education initiative in Chicago intended to "open 100 new schools, most of the charter schools, and close 70 failing schools within a span of six years" in an effort to bring better education to areas that needed it most. This investigation looks at the actual results of the plan. To report the story, Karp had to struggle against the barriers to obtaining meaningful information on charter schools. While funded publicly, they are operated by private companies that are not subject to the same transparency laws as public schools.
Tags: education; charter schools; public schools; academic performance; FOIA; transparency; Renaissance 2010; Chicago
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East of St. Louis School District 189 investigation
This investigation into East St. Louis School District 189 shows misuse of funds and highlights questionable decisions at administrative levels for both academics and athletics. About 7,500 students attend classes in the district that has received constantly failing grades when compared to educations achievement statewide. The district receives millions in federal "Title 1" money because more than 90 percent of its students live blow the poverty line. However, this investigation revealed questionable use of those taxpayer funds. In September, the story took a turn and focused on the champion East St. Louis Flyers football team that was eventually kicked out of the state playoffs despite having an undefeated recored. In these stories, questionable practices by district officials regarding strict residency rules were revealed.
Tags: Title 1; academics; athletics; school; students; low-income; taxpayer; East St. Louis Flyers; football; School District 189; corruption; finance; FOI
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The David Rose Oil and Gas Fraud Investigation
For years, David Rose ran a complex boiler room scam operation that collected millions of dollars from victim investors under the veneer of a fossil fuel extraction enterprise. No such drilling operations were underway, and the scam defrauded millions from victims only to fund Rose's personal ventures such as "Future Happiness, LLC," Rose's private collection of luxury vehicles. Perhaps the most shocking of all is the short 52 month sentence Rose will receive. WHAS-TV outlines the governments failure to adequately find and prosecute investor fraud schemes, especially while his sons appear to be reengaging parts of the business while sending their father $500,000 a year in "consulting fees." Official have yet to act on this news, but WHAS-TV hopes to educate future investors on criminal companies.
Tags: investors; fraud; David Rose; boiler room scam; scheme; oil; natural gas; drilling; investigation;
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"Friends in Richmond"
In this investigative report, the Virginian-Pilot found several lawmakers who have gotten jobs at the same universities "whose budgets they oversee" resulting in lucrative salaries. Lawmaker Del. Phil Hamilton was hired at ODU after solidifying state funding for a teaching program at the school and was paid $40,000 a year.
Tags: Old Dominion University; Del. Phil Hamilton; Center for Teacher Quality and Educational Leadership; Dave Blackburn; Newport News
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Secret Scholarships
This series reveals a number of scholarships being awarded to "campaign donors, politically connected families and, in at least one instance, a lawmaker's relative." Also, it reveals that many scholarship recipients are required by law to be represented by lawmakers when they receive their scholarships, which many were not. Further, these scholarship programs are practically unregulated and many experts believe the money should be given to those most in need.
Tags: education; funds; Columbia College Chicago; General Assembly; district; financial support; tuition; money
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OC Watchdog Blog
"The series looks at the so-called tough-on-crime mindset that has overtaken California’s criminal justice system." Everyone continues to want the bad guys punished and to keep them off the streets, but this too has consequences. California is struggling with finances, much like everyone else, and finding it difficult to fund public safety initiatives. They should be spending the money on education and social services, which influence the community and create obedient citizens.
Tags: residents; law enforcement; police; prisons; costs; convicts; crime; punishment; laws; protection