The New Mexico State Auditor's office says a new audit shows the state saw a shortfall of more than $100 million in special education funding.
The office said Wednesday an independent account firm found the shortfall in special education funding from July 2009 to June 2012. Officials say the numbers were based on New Mexico Public Education Department's calculations and placed federal funding at risk.
Auditor Tim Keller says the shortfall is another piece of system-wide challenges that plague the state's educational system.
The state's Public Education Department is currently in a legal dispute with the U.S. Department of Education over to how to calculate New Mexico's special education funding.
Public Education Department spokesman Robert McEntyre says the special education funding problems began under former Gov. Bill Richardson.
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