The Georgia Department of Education required Atlanta Public Schools to pay $50,739 following an investigation of how the city school system managed federal money for disadvantaged students.

A Jan. 13 letter from DOE Title Programs Director Margo DeLaune said the city school system showed a lack of oversight of federal Title I expenditures when it didn't comply with a requirement to ensure student services were comparable to those provided in schools that didn't receive Title I funds.

The fine represents the salary of one teacher at Coretta Scott King Academy whose funding source shouldn’t have been changed. Atlanta Public Schools has made the payment to the state, said DOE spokesman Matt Cardoza.

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Uta Thomas picks up her son, Jax, during a public hearing in Atlanta on Wednesday, November 5, 2025. She implored the school board not to close Dunbar Elementary. 
"You would centralize education to decentralized families," she said. "You would break apart a community hub." (Abbey Cutrer / AJC)

Credit: abbey.cutrer@ajc.com

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The DeKalb school district is suing to recover money spent on cellphone lockers, plus money spent on implementing social media guidelines and hosting associated events, lost teaching time and to hire extra school counselors. (The New York Times file)

Credit: NYT