COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Any federal education dollars recovered from the now-closed Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow would be directed back to Ohio school districts under proposed legislation.
Democratic U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown said Monday he's introduced a measure directing the U.S. Treasury to return any federal education funding recouped from ECOT to Ohio districts rather than to its general fund.
Ohio's then-largest online charter school closed in January amid financial difficulties caused by state education regulators' efforts to recoup millions they say school attendance data didn't justify.
Brown says ECOT collected more than $130 million in federal education funding over 18 years.
His bill comes as Democrats seek to direct voters' attention to the ECOT scandal ahead of high-stakes fall elections.
Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci is campaigning to unseat Brown Nov. 6.
