Information on the federal program: Subject: Special Education Cluster (IDEA) – Activities Allowed or Unallowed, Allowable Costs/Cost Principles Federal Agency: Department of Education Federal Programs: Special Education Grants to States, Special Education Preschool Grants Assistance Listing Numbers: 84.027 Federal Award Numbers and Years (or Other Identifying Numbers): 22611-047-PN01 Pass-Through Entity: Indiana Department of Education Compliance Requirement: Activities Allowed or Unallowed, Allowable Costs/Cost Principles Audit Finding: Material Weakness Criteria: 2 CFR 200.303 states in part: "The non-Federal entity must: (a) Establish and maintain effective internal control over Federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the non-Federal entity is managing the Federal award in compliance with Federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the Federal award. These internal controls should be in compliance with guidance in 'Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government' issued by the Comptroller General of the United States or the 'Internal Control Integrated Framework', issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). . . ." 34 CFR 300.202(a) states: "General. Amounts provided to the LEA under Part B of the Act – (1) Must be expended in accordance with the applicable provisions of this part; (2) Must be used only to pay the excess costs of providing special education and related services to children with disabilities, consistent with paragraph (b) of this section; and (3) Must be used to supplement State, local, and other Federal funds and not to supplant those funds." 34 CFR 300.208 states: "(a) Uses. Notwithstanding §§ 300.202, 300.203(b), and 300.162(b), funds provided to an LEA under Part B of the Act may be used for the following activities: Services and aids that also benefit nondisabled children. For the costs of special education and related services, and supplementary aids and services, provided in a regular class or other education-related setting to a child with a disability in accordance with the IEP of the child, even if one or more nondisabled children benefit from these services. (2) Early intervening services. To develop and implement coordinated, early intervening educational services in accordance with § 300.226. (3) High cost special education and related services. To establish and implement cost or risk sharing funds, consortia, or cooperatives for the LEA itself, or for LEAs working in a consortium of which the LEA is a part, to pay for high cost special education and related services. (b) Administrative case management. An LEA may use funds received under Part B of the Act to purchase appropriate technology for recordkeeping, data collection, and related case management activities of teachers and related services personnel providing services described in the IEP of children with disabilities, that is needed for the implementation of those case management activities." 34 CFR 300.800 states: "The Secretary provides grants under section 619 of the Act to assist States to provide special education and related services in accordance with Part B of the Act – (a) To children with disabilities aged three through five years; and (b) At a State's discretion, to two-year-old children with disabilities who will turn three during the school year." 2 CFR 200.403 states in part: "Except where otherwise authorized by statute, costs must meet the following general criteria in order to be allowable under Federal awards: (a) Be necessary and reasonable for the performance of the Federal award and be allocable thereto under these principles. (b) Conform to any limitations or exclusions set forth in these principles or in the Federal award as to types or amount of cost items . . . (g) Be adequately documented. . . ." 511 IAC 7-34-9 states in part: “(a) The public agency must hold title to and exercise continuing administrative control of all: (1) property; (2) equipment; and (3) supplies; the public agency acquires with Part B funds for the benefit of nonpublic school students with disabilities. (b) The public agency may place equipment and supplies in a nonpublic school for the period of time needed to provide special education and related services. The public agency must ensure that the equipment and supplies: (1) are used only for the provision of special education and related services; and (2) can be removed from the nonpublic school without remodeling the nonpublic school facility.” Condition: An effective internal control system was not in place at the School Corporation to ensure compliance with requirements related to the Special Education Cluster program and Activities Allowed or Unallowed and Allowable Costs compliance requirements. Cause: Management was not aware that non-public school officials have no authority to obligate or receive federal funds and that School Corporation must maintain control of all Special Education funds, property, equipment and supplies; therefore, reimbursements were made to a non-public school for proportionate share expenditures. Effect: The payment of proportionate share expenditures to a non-public school resulted in the potential misuse of funds that were meant to pay the excess costs of providing special education to students. The unallowable nature of these expenditures may also result in the School Corporation not meeting their requirements related to Non-Public Proportionate Share for the respective grants. Questioned Costs: There were questioned costs identified in the amount of $3,399. Context: During fiscal year 2023-2024, the School Corporation was a member as well as the fiscal agent of Cooperative School Services (Cooperative). The Cooperative operated the special education programs and spent the federal money on behalf of its member schools. As the grant agreement was between the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) and each member school, the School Corporation was responsible for ensuring and providing oversight of the Cooperative. For costs related to non-public schools, the practice of the Cooperative was to separate out the required amount for each member school from the Cooperative budget, and the member schools would work with the non-public schools to determine how to spend their proportionate share amount. Each member school would then request reimbursement from the Cooperative for non-public school expenditures incurred. This allowed both the Cooperative and member schools to maintain control of all Special Education funds, property, equipment and supplies. In the initial sample of 25 expenditures, there was no noncompliance identified. However, while performing a review of transactions for the Period of Performance compliance requirement, it was noted that non-public schools received direct reimbursements from the Cooperative for their proportionate share expenditures. A total of 13 expenditures were made from Special Education funds to non-public schools on behalf of the member schools during the audit period. Of the 13 expenditures, 3, totaling $3,399, were made on behalf of the School Corporation to a non-public school. In addition, one of the expenditures was used to reimburse the non-public school for the purchase of gift cards and certificates, totaling $670, which was not for the benefit of non-public students. The lack of controls and noncompliance was an isolated to the 22611-047-PN01 grant award. This issue was isolated to fiscal year 2024. Identification as a repeat finding, if applicable: No Recommendation: We recommended that the School Corporation's management establish a system of internal controls to ensure that no direct reimbursements are made to the non-public schools and to ensure compliance with the grant agreement and the Activities Allowed or Unallowed and the Allowable Costs/Cost Principles compliance requirements. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: Management has agreed with the finding and prepared a corrective action plan.
Information on the federal program: Subject: Special Education Cluster (IDEA) – Period of Performance Federal Agency: Department of Education Federal Programs: Special Education Grants to States, Special Education Preschool Grants Assistance Listing Numbers: 84.027, 84.027X, 84.173, 84.173X Federal Award Numbers and Years (or Other Identifying Numbers): 22611-047-PN01, 22611-047-ARP, 22619-047-PN01, 22619-047-ARP Pass-Through Entity: Indiana Department of Education Compliance Requirement: Period of Performance Audit Finding: Material Weakness Criteria: 2 CFR 200.303 states in part: "The non-Federal entity must: (a) Establish and maintain effective internal control over Federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the non-Federal entity is managing the Federal award in compliance with Federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the Federal award. These internal controls should be in compliance with guidance in 'Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government' issued by the Comptroller General of the United States or the 'Internal Control Integrated Framework', issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). . . ." 2 CFR 200.309 states: “A non-Federal entity may charge to the Federal award only allowable costs incurred during the period of performance (except as described in §200.461 Publication and printing costs) and any costs incurred before the Federal awarding agency or pass-through entity made the Federal award that were authorized by the Federal awarding agency or pass-through entity.” 34 CFR 76.707 states in part: “….If the obligation is for – a) Acquisition of real or personal property…. The obligation is made – On the date on which the State or subgrantee makes a binding written commitment to acquire the property.” Condition: An effective internal control system was not in place at the School Corporation to ensure compliance with requirements related to the Special Education Cluster program and Period of Performance compliance requirements. Cause: Management had established an initial obligation date that occurred in September of the second fiscal year but modified the final vendor for payment. The new obligation occurred after the period in which the School Corporation was allowed to incur the expense. Effect: If funds are not obligated by the end of the specified date, the grantor agency is not obligated to reimburse the School Corporation for costs incurred. This may indicate that the funding reimbursed that was incurred outside of the period of performance will need to be repaid to the grantor agency, and the School Corporation will then need to support the costs with non-federal funding. Questioned Costs: There were no questioned costs identified. Context: During fiscal year 2023-24, the School Corporation was a member as well as the fiscal agent of Cooperative School Services (Cooperative). The Cooperative operated the special education programs and spent the federal money on behalf of its member schools. As the grant agreement was between the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) and each member school, the School Corporation was responsible for ensuring and providing oversight of the Cooperative. For Special Education Cluster awards, funds must be obligated during the 27 months, extending from July 1 of the fiscal year for which the funds were appropriated through September 30 of the second following fiscal year. When testing transactions occurred in the liquidation period for the 22611-047-PN01, 22611-047-ARP, 22619-047-PN01 and 22619-047-ARP grant awards, two exceptions were identified in the initial sample of five transactions. When expanding the sample, a third exception was noted, and it was concluded that it would not be appropriate to examine the remaining 14 transactions. For the above listed awards, costs must be obligated by September 30, 2023. For the three identified exceptions, an initial purchase order was made in September, but the ultimate transaction was paid to a separate vendor than the original purchase order, and this obligation was incurred in November 2023. This issue was isolated to fiscal year 2024. Identification as a repeat finding, if applicable: No Recommendation: We recommended that the School Corporation's management establish a system of internal controls to ensure that no costs are incurred after the September 30 deadline and to ensure compliance with the grant agreement and the Period of Performance compliance requirement. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: Management has agreed with the finding and prepared a corrective action plan.
Information on the federal program: Subject: Special Education Cluster (IDEA) –Earmarking Federal Agency: Department of Education Federal Programs: Special Education Grants to States, Special Education Preschool Grants Assistance Listing Numbers: 84.027, 84.027A, 84.173 Federal Award Numbers and Years (or Other Identifying Numbers): 22611-047-PN01, 22611-047-ARP, 23611-047-PN01 Pass-Through Entity: Indiana Department of Education Compliance Requirement: Matching, Level of Effort, and Earmarking Audit Finding: Material Weakness, Other Matters Criteria: 2 CFR 200.303 states in part: "The non-Federal entity must: (a) Establish and maintain effective internal control over Federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the non-Federal entity is managing the Federal awards in compliance with Federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the Federal award. These internal controls should be in compliance with guidance in 'Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government' issued by the Comptroller General of the United States or the 'Internal Control Integrated Framework', issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO).... 2 CFR 200.207(a) states in part: "The Federal awarding agency or pass-through entity may impose additional specific award conditions as needed . . ." 511 IAC 7-34-7(b) states: "The public agency, in providing special education and related services to students in nonpublic schools and facilities, must expend at least an amount that is the same proportion of the public agency total subgrant under 20 U.S.C. 1411(f) as the number of nonpublic school students with disabilities, who are enrolled by their parents in nonpublic schools or facilities within its boundaries, is to the total number of students with disabilities of the same age range." Condition: An effective internal control system was not in place at the School Corporation in order to ensure compliance with requirements related to the grant agreement and the earmarking portion of the Matching, Level of Effort, Earmarking compliance requirement. Cause: The School Corporation participates in a Special Education Cooperative that manages and operates the special education program and oversees the majority of the federal compliance requirements. The School Corporation's management had not developed a system of internal controls that would have ensured compliance with the grant agreement and the Matching, Level of Effort, Earmarking compliance requirement. Effect: The failure to establish an effective internal control system placed the School Corporation in noncompliance with the grant agreement and the Matching, Level of Effort, Earmarking compliance requirement. Noncompliance with the grant agreement or the compliance requirement could have resulted in the loss of federal funds to the School Corporation. Questioned Costs: $27,967 Context: The School Corporation did not meet the earmarking requirements for the grants, which concluded during the audit period. Both the Special Education Grants to States and Special Education Preschool Grants required a proportionate share of their funding to be spent on non-public school students with disabilities. The 22611-047-PN01, 22611-047-ARP, and 23611-047-PN01 grant awards were fully expended during the audit period with minimum Non-Public Proportionate Share earmarking requirements of $20,890, $4,238, and $17,240, respectively. There were not sufficient non-public school expenditures incurred to meet the non-public proportionate share requirement for any of the four grants. The non-public school expenditures fell short of the minimum requirement by $12,644, $1,648 and $13,675 respectively. Identification as a repeat finding: Yes, Finding 2023-003. Recommendation: We recommended that the School Corporation's management establish internal controls to monitor earmarking requirements periodically to ensure compliance with the earmarking compliance requirements by the end of the grant period. This includes meeting with the Cooperative periodically to monitor and track progress towards meeting the earmarking requirements. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: Management agrees with the finding and has prepared a corrective action plan.