Auditor’s office says MDE misinforms public on EEF funds, ClassWallet causes delays

The auditor’s office said Tuesday that teachers will not receive Educator Excellence Fund payments on July 15 as the Department of Education had indicated, and that the department misinformed the public about the timeline.

The office said in a Facebook post that teachers from across the state have contacted it with concerns about a new ClassWallet program the Department of Education, known as MDE, is using to distribute EEF money. The auditor’s office noted that MDE controls the EEF program, not the auditor’s office, but said it shares teachers’ concerns.

Reports to the auditor’s office say the ClassWallet rollout makes it more difficult for teachers to spend their EEF money and limits local shopping. Commonly used retailers, including Wal-Mart and Teachers Pay Teachers, are reportedly not on the approved vendor list, according to the post.

The post also said many teachers cannot access ClassWallet training because sessions fill up, leaving some to pay out of pocket for classroom supplies while navigating the new system. The auditor’s office urged MDE to resolve the issues and provide teachers access to their classroom supply funds well before the school year begins.

We will provide more information as it becomes available.