According to a report from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), schools across the country received nearly $200 billion in federal COVID relief funds.
The goal? Help students recover from pandemic learning losses.
But instead of spending the money on better teachers, tutoring programs, or classroom improvements, schools wasted millions on things that had nothing to do with education.
An investigation uncovered shocking spending, including:
- $393,000 to rent a Major League Baseball stadium
- $86,000 for hotel rooms at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas
- $60,000 on swimming pool passes
- Even an ice cream truck
And the worst part? There was no documentation to justify these purchases.
What About Nevada?
Here in Nevada, Clark County School District (CCSD) was given $777 million in federal COVID relief money. A big chunk of that was meant to help students who fell behind during school shutdowns.
But despite all that money, test scores are still way down. Nevada’s math and reading scores rank near the bottom compared to other states. Parents are asking: Where did the money go?
We know some of it went to hiring new staff, upgrading school buildings, and buying technology. But the lack of oversight means a lot of it could have been wasted—just like in other states.
The Federal Government Finally Steps In
With $4 billion still left to spend, the U.S. Department of Education is finally putting in place a basic rule: Schools must provide receipts before they get any more money.
That’s right. For nearly four years, schools were handed billions without proving how they spent it. Now, only after reports of fraud and waste, the government is asking for receipts.
What Critics Are Saying
Some education officials say schools needed “flexibility” to spend the money as they saw fit. They argue that relief funds helped cover budget shortfalls and emergency expenses.
But critics say there’s no excuse for this kind of reckless spending.
Nicole Neily, president of Parents Defending Education, put it plainly:
“Schools should have used this money to help students—not to fund vacations, sports stadiums, and perks for administrators.”
Parents Deserve Answers
Nevada parents, teachers, and taxpayers should demand accountability.
Why are students still struggling if schools had nearly $200 billion in extra funding? How much of Nevada’s $777 million was wasted? Who approved these questionable purchases?
Instead of helping students catch up, many school districts used COVID relief funds as a blank check—and they thought no one would notice.
With this new rule in place, it’s clear the waste was out of control. The question is: Will anyone be held accountable?
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
