In 2018 and 2019, measures were signed into law providing the U.S. Department of Education (Department) with nearly $2.9 billion to assist K–12 schools, school districts, and institutions of higher education in meeting the educational needs of students affected by the hurricanes and wildfires that ravaged a number of States and territories. Congress also provided funding to the OIG to carry out oversight activities, such as auditing Department and grantee management and spending of disaster recovery funds, examining the effectiveness of recovery programs, and investigating misuse, theft, and other criminal activity involving these funds.
Below you will find our products, and additional information specific to our disaster recovery oversight work.
Disaster Recover Aid Fraud—Identify and Report It!
Disasters and recovery efforts provide unique opportunities for corrupt people to line their own pockets with disaster recovery funds. Education recovery funds are not excluded from this criminal phenomenon. That's why OIG criminal investigators are working with our law enforcement partners in disaster-impacted areas to catch the crooks, profiteers, and bad actors. And we need your help to stop them! If you suspect waste, fraud, or abuse involving disaster recovery education funds, let us know! Not sure what the signs of fraud are or how to report it? We can help! Visit our Hotline page to learn more.
Listen to our two Eye on ED podcast episodes about the OIG's audit and investigative work involving disaster recovery and how you can help.
- Episode 3, Oversight of Disaster Recovery Efforts
- Episode 4, Proteger los Fondos de Recuperación por Desastre del Desperdicio, el Fraude, el Abuso y la Actividad Criminal (en Español)
Download these free posters that can help you identify and report disaster recovery fraud.
- Disaster Recovery Fraud Poster (English)
- Disaster Recovery Fraud Poster (en Español)
OIG Completed and Ongoing Audit-Related Work
Our oversight efforts are well underway. The following shows work underway and completed for disaster recovery oversight.
General
- The Department’s Oversight of Disaster Assistance Funding for Institutions of Higher Education (Issued 9/30/2020)
- FSA’s Reallocation of Campus-Based Aid (Issued 5/27/2021)
Emergency Assistance to Institutions of Higher Education Program
- Gulf State College (Issued 9/22/2022)
Selected States’ Administration of Temporary Emergency Impact Aid for Displaced Students (Emergency Impact Aid) Program
- Florida Department of Education (Issued 1/28/2021)
- Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (Issued 1/24/2022)
- Puerto Rico Department of Education (Issued 7/11/2022)
- Texas Education Agency (Issued 3/6/2020)
Immediate Aid to Restart School Operations (Restart) Program
- Internal Controls
- Puerto Rico Department of Education (Issued 7/17/2019)
- Virgin Islands Department of Education (Issued 6/3/2019)
- Administration of Funds
- California Department of Education (Issued 7/18/2020)
- Florida Department of Education (Issued 9/17/2020)
- Puerto Rico Department of Education—Underway
- Texas Education Agency (Issued 2/13/2020)