Ashley Hartley Case: Former Derby Principal Faces Felony Forgery and Theft Charges

April 1, 2026 · ~2 min read

A former principal and Derby Public Schools district employee is now facing felony charges. For many of us in Derby, the next questions are who she is, what she is being charged with, and what will happen next.

The former principal, Ashley Hartley, is being charged with alleged forgery and theft tied to Derby Public Schools. Court documents say Ashley Hartley, the former El Paso Elementary principal, is accused of forging checks and taking money from both the USD 260 Hospitality Fund and the El Paso Elementary Hospitality Fund.

What’s happening in Ashley Hartley’s case?

Overview of Ashley Hartley’s case

Ashley Hartley, a former principal at El Paso Elementary, is facing criminal charges in Sedgwick County. The allegations stem from actions that reportedly took place while she worked for Derby Public Schools between 2020 and 2025. She is set to make her first court appearance on April 1.

Get Your Business Discovered

If you have a business you need to have an strong online presence. We at DerbyPanthers help local businesses reach more customers in the Derby area. If you want to step up your marketing game, Contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can help your business grow.

Tell us about your business

What are Ashley Hartley’s charges?

Ashley Hartley is facing two specific charges: felony forgery and felony theft.

Felony Forgery Charge and Felony Theft Charge

Ashley Hartley is facing a felony forgery charge. According to court documents, the charge stems from allegedly attempting to defraud USD 260 by forging checks. She is also facing a felony theft charge for allegedly stealing a value between $1,500 and $25,000. According to the allegations, this was done by defrauding two hospitality funds: the USD 260 Hospitality Fund and the El Paso Elementary Hospitality Fund.

Launch Special: You can have your business featured here!

If you are a local Derby business owner, we would love to have your business featured on our site. During our launch phase, we are offering discounted advertising rates to help you reach more customers in the Derby area. Contact us today and be one of our first advertising partners!

Ask about launch advertising rates

What is the USD 260 Hospitality Fund and El Paso Elementary Hospitality Fund?

The USD 260 Hospitality Fund and El Paso Elementary Hospitality Fund appear to be accounts associated with Derby Public Schools that are used for hospitality-related expenses. There does not appear to be much additional public information available about these accounts.

Quick Recap

To recap, Ashley Hartley, a former Derby school principal, is now facing felony forgery and felony theft charges. Her first court appearance is on April 1, so watch for updates then.

Share with other Derby families

Know a parent, teacher, or future Panther who’d love this? Share this Derby Public Schools guide so more families can discover local clubs, activities, and Panther sports.

Tap the link to select it, or click “Copy” to copy it to your clipboard.