Newark, MD, September 23, 2026–The Worcester County Board of Education acknowledges today's plea agreement involving former Chief Academic Officer (Gr. PK-8) Denise Shorts, who pled guilty to felony theft over $100,000 stemming from the misuse of Board funds.
As part of this matter, the Board has received full restitution in the amount of $118,741.89.
The school system first became aware of potential irregularities through the State legislative audit process and immediately cooperated with investigators upon notification of concerns. Throughout the investigation, Worcester County Public Schools worked closely with the Office of the State Prosecutor and other authorities while taking significant steps to strengthen financial safeguards and help ensure this type of misconduct cannot happen again.
"While we are pleased that full restitution has been made and that this matter has concluded, the actions that led to today's plea represent a serious breach of the public trust," said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Annette Wallace. "The funds involved were intended to support educational opportunities and services for our most vulnerable students, and we will not minimize the impact of these terrible actions and the hurt it has caused throughout our school system."
Board of Education President Todd Ferrante noted that the impact of the misconduct extended beyond the financial loss itself.
"Our community expects and deserves clarity, accountability, and responsible management of taxpayer dollars," Ferrante said. "Although the financial loss has been repaid, this incident required significant time, attention, and resources and affected the public’s confidence in our school system. We remain focused on learning from this situation and continuing to strengthen safeguards that protect the resources entrusted to us."
In a victim impact statement submitted to the Court, the Board emphasized that the misappropriated funds originated from Title I resources intended to support students facing the greatest barriers to academic success and that misuse of those funds undermines educational opportunities and public trust.
The Worcester County Board of Education appreciates the work of the Office of the State Prosecutor and the judicial system in bringing this matter to resolution. While today’s proceedings mark the conclusion of the criminal matter, the Board’s work continues. Through the comprehensive independent financial examination currently underway and other strengthened oversight measures, the Board remains committed to transparency, accountability, and ensuring that every public dollar entrusted to Worcester County Public Schools is protected and used to support the students and families of Worcester County.