RICHMOND, Va. -- A Virginia tutor who was approved to be a part of Gov. Glenn Youngkin's Learning Acceleration Grant program said she was forced to withdraw due to concerns about how the program was operating.
“Like, it’s a disaster. It’s a big problem," said Camille Donne. “It’s a hot mess. It truly is.”
For the past week, CBS 6 has highlighted the stories of several parents who've complained about not being able to put their grants to use.
The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) gave out about 34,000 grants, according to Youngkin, directly to parents so that they could buy private tutoring services and technologies to help their children combat pandemic learning loss.
However, parents have said their orders for services and educational materials are being rejected and their tutoring classes are being abruptly canceled.
Donne is on the other side of the issue.
“I signed myself up as a tutor, let's see, May 23," she said.
As a licensed teacher and the owner of art studio Village Studio Arts in Hampton Roads, Donne became a vendor with the program after completing a fairly simple application. Aside from personal information, the application asked vendors to provide the company name, the type of service provided, and educational service provider credentialing.
After Donne was approved, she said she didn't hear from VDOE again.
"This is not like any grant I've ever dealt with in my life. With a normal grant, I have a contract. I put out exactly what I'm going to be teaching, so both sides have agreed. There's a lot of signatures, there's a lot of back and forth. We've agreed on the money," she said. “But with this one, there’s no communication, there’s no contracts, there’s nothing.”
She said VDOE didn't even ask to see her lessons.
“I could teach a Spongebob Squarepants drawing class. They have no idea what I’m going to teach," Donne said.
But Donne moved forward. She bought supplies, structured her sessions, and advertised tutoring in social studies and math while incorporating art and hands-on projects into the lessons.
Forty students signed up.
Then, on June 28, VDOE suddenly switched up the program, announcing that vendors can only be paid on a reimbursement basis after providing their services.
Donne said she sent two emails to VDOE asking for confirmation that her classes met the agency's expectations in order to receive reimbursement. But she said no one responded.
So, she made the "heartbreaking" decision to cancel the classes.
“I would be out money for the supplies, the instructor, the time. This could be thousands of dollars that I could be out, and everything depends on the state approving or denying it after the class has already been taught," Donne said.
She added, “I’m a single mom, I’m a small business owner, and I just can’t take the risk.”
Thursday, Youngkin explained the reimbursement change was necessary so that VDOE could be in accordance with state and federal law related to how funds were supposed to be used.
VDOE Chief of Staff Jeremy Raley said Thursday that he "would not say [VDOE was] in violation" of the law, however he said the department had to make immediate changes in order to be in "compliance with the grant."
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“I think it was, you know, not initially set up on the front end with the appropriate parameters," Raley said.
Though the transition caused many parents to reach out to CBS 6 with frustrations about rejected orders, Youngkin insisted not many people were actually struggling.
“I know there's a handful. I'm not sure there's so many, but I know there's a handful of folks that have had some challenges," Youngkin said.
After CBS 6 aired the governor's comments, more parents reached out.
"I just heard Youngkin say that not that many families are having trouble. I do not think that is the case," one parent wrote in an email.
"I have heard from countless families having similar struggles," another parent wrote.
"I’ve sent multiple emails to DOE and no one will respond. The grant was supposed to help purchase assistive technology devices and there is really nothing that is approved to purchase... I should be grateful but am so frustrated I could cry," another parent wrote.
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CBS 6 followed up with Youngkin's office Friday to ask exactly how many people he considers to be a "handful" and requested the datapoints he was referencing. We're still waiting to hear back.
Donne said vendors are just as confused as parents, and she felt the program has lacked communication, procedure, and any clear guidance for that matter.
"Everyone is flying blind here," Donne said. "Everyone I know is having problems."
Raley said VDOE added an extra $30 million in federal COVID relief dollars to the program 4-6 weeks ago, making it $60 million in total grants given out.
CBS 6 asked if there was any public notice or if parents were made aware that more money was becoming available when that decision was made. We're still waiting to hear back.
"He says he's given another $30 million dollars. That's so crazy. For what? He could give $100 million, nobody's getting approved. I'm going to give him a billion dollars to it. Everybody's going to be declined, so I don't actually have to give it out," Donne said.
Parents have until Aug. 15 to spend $750 of their grant or the VDOE will take it back.
Depend on CBS 6 News and WTVR.com for in-depth coverage of this important local story. Anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
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