New information has emerged from the Santa Clara County Office of Education’s investigations into alleged misuse of public funds, and board members are set to publicly review those findings on Wednesday. These internal probes began last year after complaints were filed accusing former County Superintendent Mary Ann Dewan and several members of her then-administration of mishandling taxpayer money.

Although the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office concluded there wasn’t enough evidence to file criminal charges, independent investigators hired by SCCOE documented at least 14 major findings. A summary posted on the SCCOE website lists issues such as:

• Public money was spent on non-SCCOE — including personal — expenses without the Board’s knowledge.
• Financial processes, including a segregated account controlled by the superintendent, were used to reroute grant funds for purposes unrelated to the original grant and without public disclosure or accountability.
• Several SCCOE contracts appeared to be awarded on the basis of personal favoritism rather than public interest.
• Ethical safeguards were bypassed as multiple SCCOE employees used public resources to show support for their superior.

“All of these actions are serious — extremely serious — for any public agency,” said John Di Salvo, a former SCCOE board member who served for 16 years, including during the period covered by the complaints. “I was deeply troubled that my role was undermined by the county superintendent not being transparent and not answering board members’ questions about budgets and staffing.”

Former board member Grace Mah, who also served during that period, said, “In the past, I couldn’t share the full extent of the misuse of public trust and public funds. It’s a relief to finally see the truth and the details come out.”

For more than a year, the NBC Bay Area Investigative Unit has been reporting on allegations against Dewan. Among them are claims that federal money allocated to the county’s Head Start program — which serves underserved young children — was improperly used to pay part of the salary of an employee unrelated to the program. Dewan’s administration at the time described the situation as “an accounting error.”

In October 2024, the SCCOE board voted 4–2 to remove Dewan from her position.

Dewan declined to speak with NBC’s Investigative Unit about the newly released findings. In a text message sent Monday, she called the Board’s statements “malicious and baseless attacks” lacking any supporting evidence. She added, “I am unaware of any wrongdoing and have carried out all of my responsibilities fully within the statutory limits of my position.” She further stated that the actions “seem intended to silence dissenting voices rather than promote transparency and accountability.”

Along with reviewing the investigation results this Wednesday, the current SCCOE board will also consider — and later vote on — new policy changes, which Dewan also opposes. “Pairing unverified accusations with structural changes to the Board’s authority raises serious concerns about intent, transparency, and the future governance of the Office of Education,” she said.

Board President Maimona Afzal Berta defended the committee’s actions, saying:
“These recommendations directly address the issues uncovered in the independent investigations. Using best practices from other public agencies, the proposed policies strengthen the Board’s oversight role to ensure accountability as a public education institution. I look forward to the Board reviewing and approving these reforms so we can move ahead with responsible, student-focused oversight of administrative practices.”