JACKSON, Miss. – The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) failed to maintain an Office of Dropout Prevention (ODP) for the last 10 years as required by state law. Additionally, lawmakers told MDE to increase the graduation rate from 61% in 2006 to 85% by 2019, and MDE met this goal in part by changing how it calculates the graduation rate. State Auditor Shad White announced these findings and more in a performance audit released today.
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JACKSON, Miss. – Classroom teachers in Mississippi were given smaller dollar-amount pay raises, on average, than superintendents, deputy superintendents, and assistant principals from FY 2013 to 2016 according to a report released today by State Auditor Shad White.
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JACKSON, Miss. – Today State Auditor Shad White announced Joe Edney has been convicted of embezzlement in Judge Charles E. Webster’s court chambers in Tunica County. The case was prosecuted by the Attorney General’s office.
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JACKSON, Miss. – State Auditor Shad White has released the following statement:
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Auditor’s Office Questions Over $90 Million in Spending of Welfare Grants and Other Funds

JACKSON – Millions of dollars of grants from the Mississippi Department of Human Services (DHS) were misspent, converted to personal use, spent on family members and friends of staffers and grantees, or wasted according to an audit released today by State Auditor Shad White.
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JACKSON, Miss. – State Auditor Shad White will hold a press conference to discuss the audit findings listed in the annual Single Audit, which includes the Department of Human Services (DHS), at 1:00 PM on Monday, May 4.
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Auditor warns, informs Mississippians where to report different types of schemes

JACKSON, Miss. – Fraud schemes become more common, according to State Auditor Shad White, during emergencies. To help combat that fraud, the Office of the State Auditor today released information on the best authorities to contact if Mississippians see a fraud scheme, along with information on how to protect themselves from the fraud.
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JACKSON, Miss. – State Auditor Shad White and his staff are making plans to audit and monitor the money coming into Mississippi as part of the CARES Act, the federal government’s stimulus response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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JACKSON, Miss. – Today State Auditor Shad White announced former Philadelphia municipal court clerk Karen Refre has been convicted of embezzlement in Neshoba County Circuit Court. The case was prosecuted by District Attorney Stephen S. Kilgore in Judge Mark Duncan’s court chambers. The sentencing was recorded last week on Friday.
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JACKSON, Miss. – Today State Auditor Shad White announced Special Agents from his office have arrested former Simpson County Sheriff’s Office administrative assistant Stephanie Cuellar after she was indicted for embezzlement by a grand jury assembled by District Attorney Matt Sullivan. Cuellar was issued a demand letter worth $34,829.57, which includes interest and investigative expenses.
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