The newspaper reports the money is paying for instructional coaches for teachers, leadership coaches for principals, analysts to pore over test data and pricey three-day professional-development seminars on changing school culture.

Most states don't track how much these failing schools pay private education consultants, but of the dozen or so that do, the Post's analysis found the average is about 25 percent of the grant money.

Education reform experts say consultants can play an important role in improving schools, but they are disturbed that neither the federal government nor the majority of states keeps track of the spending.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)