Earlier this week, the Tribune published a pair of reports based on school district documents and interviews with Salt Lake City School District administrators. Records obtained by the Utah Investigative Journalism Project showed that a specialty high school launched by Grover — Innovations Early College High School — had lower performance levels than Grover described while touting the school at speaking engagements like the TEDx events, and that large sums of money had been spent on sugary treats, movies, gift cards and other incentives for students.
Subsequent reporting found that Grover had used district funding — and initially created the school — without formal approval by the district’s superintendent and school board.