By THOMAS HARGROVE and GAVIN OFF, Scripps Howard News Service
Inflated school attendance spark refund push in Texas
Texas officials want a refund for millions of tax dollars from schools that allegedly inflated attendance records, part of a national problem of absenteeism at schools operated by for-profit corporations.
Florida taxpayers spend millions on absent students
Florida taxpayers are spending millions of dollars to educate thousands of high-school students who rarely or never show up for class, part of a growing trend of high absenteeism at schools operated by for-profit corporations.
'Ghost schools' paid millions for absent students
Taxpayers pay millions of dollars every month to educate tens of thousands of high school students who rarely or never show up for class, part of a growing trend of high absenteeism at privately operated schools.
Underbidding wins big jobs for polygamist-linked firms
WASHINGTON -- Members of a polygamist sect have built a network of construction companies in Western states that recently have won millions of dollars in public works contracts by making extremely low bids.

