D.C. school officials are under investigation for misappropriating cash on lavish retreats and unapproved travel. Thousands of dollars intended to assist poor D.C. school children has gone missing, reports the Washington Times.

Auditors discovered the travel disbursements when they looked into expenditures of money earmarked last year for after-school child care programs -- including federal Temporary Aid for Needy Families grants. The grants are meant to provide child care from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. to thousands of city students from low-income families.

Officials at the auditor's office said the travel and retreat expenses involved "thousands of dollars." They said the D.C. public school system fired at least one employee as a result of the audit findings, but would not identify the employee.

Of the 107 recommendations that auditors have made over the past few years, less than half have been implemented.