The hearing will determine if Traverse City Area Public Schools has to pay back over $700,000 to the state. The Michigan Department of Education planned to take back the money last year because TCAPS allegedly misreported student enrollment at the Northern Michigan Partnership, a homeschool program in Interlochen.
TCAPS appealed that decision and the MDE was expected to respond in January, but a records request from attorneys representing TCAPS further delayed the process.
Now the appeal will go to a hearing scheduled for June 13 in Lansing with TCAPS and auditors from the MDE. A final decision on the funds will be made afterwards, but no timetable has been given.
If TCAPS is fined, a grant passed in the state legislature last year would refund the money to the district.
Correction: The MDE initially told IPR the hearing was scheduled for June 12. It's scheduled for June 13. The article has been updated to reflect that.
