Denver Public Schools pays $2.1 million to settle allegations it misused AmeriCorps funds

Denver Public Schools, the state’s largest school district, paid the federal government more than $2.1 million to settle allegations that it misused AmeriCorps funds, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announced Tuesday.

The settlement, which includes the stipulation that DPS does not admit any liability, follows an investigation conducted four years ago that found the district recruited its own employees to serve as AmeriCorps volunteers.

“By enrolling teachers as AmeriCorps members, DPS deprived its at-risk students of the additional educational support they were entitled to receive from national service members,” AmeriCorps Inspector General Deborah Jeffrey said in a statement. “Double-counting teachers’ paid work as national service hours meant that the community received no net benefit from AmeriCorps funding.”