Columbus – Miami Valley Academies (Montgomery County) paid its superintendent more than $10,000 that she was not authorized to receive, according to an audit released today by Auditor of State Dave Yost.

The academy paid Superintendent Jennifer Claypool $9,823 on Aug. 15, 2014 for 19 extra days of work, as well as $1,000 on May 29, 2015 for work related to a Race to the Top grant. However, Claypool’s contract did not authorize any payments in addition to her regular compensation, and the academy’s board of directors never formally approved any extra pay.

“It doesn’t take a lawyer to know you can’t stray from the terms of a contract,” Auditor Yost said. “If a contract sets your number of work days at 240 per year, you can’t get paid for working 259." 

Claypool’s contract permitted the academy to pay her employee contributions to the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS) of Ohio. As a result of the improper payments, the academy paid an extra $1,298 in contributions.

In addition, a review of Claypool’s reimbursement checks found $193 in travel expenditures that lacked adequate supporting documentation. Auditors also identified a duplicate reimbursement of $55 and a $270 reimbursement that was supposed to be for $210, resulting in a $60 overpayment.

Findings for recovery in the total amount of $12,429 were issued against Claypool. On March 3, 2016, the academy’s board retroactively approved her compensation for additional work days and her work on the Race to the Top grant. As a result, the findings for recovery related to her salary and benefits are considered resolved. Claypool repaid the remaining $308 in findings to the academy earlier this year. 

A full copy of this report is available online.

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The Auditor of State’s office, one of five independently elected statewide offices in Ohio, is responsible for auditing more than 5,800 state and local government agencies.  Under the direction of Auditor Dave Yost, the office also provides financial services to local governments, investigates and prevents fraud in public agencies and promotes transparency in government.

Contact:
Ben Marrison
Director of Communications
614-644-1111