DeKalb County Schools

State officials say the DeKalb County School District must return $2.1 million to a federal anti-poverty program after failing to show it used the money as required.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that the Georgia Department of Education ordered the repayment in a letter on Nov. 14. School district officials say they want to set aside $1.2 million and are hoping to recoup at least some of the repayment.

School districts must use the grants to provide "substantially comparable" services to all schools. State officials say DeKalb officials could not show they did that.

DeKalb officials say the state order was triggered by the number of special education staff at various schools.

Tags: DeKalb County, DeKalb County schools, dekalb county schools ordered to return grant, The Georgia Department of Education