DETROIT, July 23 (UPI) -- Detroit's public schools have been accused of misusing $53.6 million in federal funds and U.S. education officials say they want the money back.

The allegations came in an audit performed by the U.S. Department of Education that contends the Detroit Public Schools can't properly document how the Title I funds, meant to aid low-income and at-risk students, were spent, the Detroit News reported Wednesday.

The newspaper said the federal audit unearthed more than $1 million questionable personnel expenditures and $52 million in poorly documented costs between 2004 and 2006. How much of the money the district will have to repay is yet to be determined, officials said, depending on how much documentation the school district can provide.

District spokesman Steve Wasko pointed out the audit criticized activities that happened under past administrations, telling the News, "As we have said, with so many other financial issues, systems and processes apparently were not in place."