A federal audit of the Education Leaders Council has begun, the Washington-based nonprofit organization acknowledged last week.
The ELC has received about $32.7 million since 2001 in federal money, mostly from congressional earmarks for its Following the Leaders program that provides technology tools and training to some 600 schools in 11 states.
Critics of the program raised questions last year about the ELC鈥檚 use of federal money and the effectiveness of Following the Leaders. (鈥淧roject Draws Federal Money, Despite Doubts,鈥� Jan. 12, 2005.)
ELC officials described the inquiry last week as a 鈥渞outine audit,鈥� but declined to speak further about it.
An official with the U.S. Department of Education鈥檚 office of the inspector general, which, according to the ELC, is conducting the audit, would not comment.
