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State to take control of Espanola school district's finances

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The state Public Education Department is taking over the finances of the Espanola school district after finding a number of budget irregularities. In a letter to Espanola Public Schools' board members on Thursday Public Education Secretary Hanna Skandera said the district has repeatedly failed to account for spending, has awarded contracts that may violate state law and has submitted inaccurate financial data to the state. Public Education Department spokesman Robert McEntyre says the department will oversee the district's budget, contracts and other financial affairs for at least a year. Also Thursday, the department warned that Española Public Schools Superintendent Eric Martinez has 30 days to come up with a plan to fix the troubled district.