DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Roman Catholic Diocese of Des Moines intends to conduct a legal review of $844,000 in Polk County grants that aided nine area Catholic schools. On Wednesday Bishop Richard Pates told The Des Moines Register there is “a legitimate question of legality” regarding the publicly financed grants used to buy equipment for the nine Catholic schools and one Christian academy in 2012 and 2013. Iowa state officials say they won’t challenge Polk County’s decision to provide the grants.

Several Catholic school supporters formed a new Iowa corporation called Education for the 21st Century to apply for and receive the county grants. The county Board of Supervisors awarded the corporation a $400,000 grant in 2012 and a $444,000 grant in 2013. The group is now defunct.