Education Funding News in Brief

D.C. Chancellor Asked Contractor for Donation

By The Associated Press — April 26, 2016 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

The chancellor of the District of Columbia’s public schools asked a food-service contractor for a $100,000 contribution to a Kennedy Center gala honoring teachers, weeks after the company was accused in a whistleblower lawsuit of cheating the city out of millions of dollars, according to emails obtained by the Associated Press.

The messages, obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, shed new light on dealings between school leaders and a contractor that, according to court documents, cheated the system out of $19 million and served spoiled food to students. The company and its local partner gave $25,000 to support the black-tie gala.

A district spokeswoman said Chancellor Kaya Henderson plays an important role in fundraising for the nonprofit D.C. Education Fund, yet there is “a firm wall between the management of DCPS contracts and [such] fundraising.”

A version of this article appeared in the April 27, 2016 edition of Education Week as D.C. Chancellor Asked Contractor for Donation

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Assessment Webinar
Rethinking STEM Assessment: Strategies for Administrators
School and district leaders will explore strategies to enhance STEM assessment practices across their district, within schools and classrooms.
Content provided by Project Lead The Way
Federal Webinar Keeping Up with the Trump Administration's Latest K-12 Moves: Subscriber-Exclusive Quick Hit
EdWeek subscribers, join this 30-minute webinar to find out what the latest federal policy changes mean for K-12 education.
Artificial Intelligence Live Online Discussion A Seat at the Table: Math & Technology: Finding the Recipe for Student Success
How should we balance AI & math instruction? Join our discussion on preparing future-ready students.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Education Funding Trump Wants to Cut More Than 40 Federal K-12 Programs. See Which Ones
The president's detailed budget, released Friday, proposes eliminating dozens of programs as part of a nearly $13 billion cut.
2 min read
Illustration of a budget sheet, pencil, and calculator.
Maxim Basinski/iStock/Getty
Education Funding Trump's Education Budget Calls for Billions in Cuts, Major Policy Changes
The proposal includes a plan to eliminate 18 existing grant programs and replace them with one funding stream.
7 min read
President Donald Trump holds up a signed executive order alongside Secretary of Education Linda McMahon in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Thursday, March 20, 2025.
President Donald Trump holds up a signed executive order alongside Secretary of Education Linda McMahon in the East Room of the White House in Washington on March 20, 2025. The president's budget proposes a 15% cut for the U.S. Department of Education.
Ben Curtis/AP
Education Funding Linda McMahon Offers Few New Specifics on Ed. Dept. Budget Cuts
The Education Department wants to cut billions in spending but has offered few specifics on funding streams it wants to consolidate.
5 min read
Education Secretary Linda McMahon appears before the House Appropriation Panel about the 2026 budget in Washington, D.C. on May 21, 2025.
U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon appears before a House appropriations panel on May 21, 2025, to speak about her department's 2026 budget proposal. The budget would cut department spending by 15%.
Jason Andrew for Education Week
Education Funding Trump's Cancellation of States' COVID-Relief Funding Is on Hold Again
Pandemic-relief funds in 16 states have been temporarily restored—again—just days before they were set to expire.
3 min read
3d Render Red glossy Glass Dollar Sign icon in circle Blue Soft Maze, problems, solutions, strategy concept
iStock/Getty