Audit 395691

FY End
2025-06-30
Total Expended
$2.24M
Findings
1
Programs
10
Organization: Northwest Local School District (OH)
Year: 2025 Accepted: 2026-03-30

Organization Exclusion Status:

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Findings

ID Ref Severity Repeat Requirement
1200658 2025-001 Material Weakness Yes AB

Contacts

Name Title Type
CVLHLD4GJWS7 Julie Smith Auditee
7402595558 Natalie Millhuff-Stang Auditor
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Notes to SEFA

The accompanying Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (the Schedule) includes the federal award activity of Northwest Local School District (the School District) under programs of the federal government for the year ended June 30, 2025. The information in this Schedule is presented in accordance with the requirements of Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance). Because the Schedule presents only a selected portion of the operations of the School District, it is not intended to and does not present the financial position or changes in net position of the School District.
The School District passes certain federal awards received from Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (DEW) to other governments or not-for-profit agencies (subrecipients). As Note 2 describes, the School District reports expenditures of Federal awards to subrecipients when paid in cash. As a pass-through entity, the School District has certain compliance responsibilities, such as monitoring its subrecipients to help assure they use these subawards as authorized by laws, regulations, and the provisions of contracts or grant agreements, and that subrecipients achieve the award’s performance goals.
The School District commingles cash receipts from the U.S. Department of Agriculture with similar State grants. When reporting expenditures on this schedule, the School District assumes it expends federal monies first.
The School District reports commodities consumed on the schedule at the fair value. The School District allocated donated food commodities to the respective program that benefitted from the use of those donated food commodities.
Federal regulations require schools to obligate certain federal awards by June 30. However, with DEW's consent, schools can transfer unobligated amounts to the subsequent fiscal year's program. The School District transferred the following amounts from 2025 to 2026 programs: Program Title, AL Number, Amount Transferred Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies, 84.010A, $2,096.94 Title IV A Student Support and Academic Enrichment, 84.424A, $21,346.19

Finding Details

For a cost to be allowable, it must (1) be for a purpose the specific award permits and (2) fall within 2 CFR Part 200, Subpart E Cost Principles. Further, 2 CFR 200.403(g) states, in part, that except where otherwise authorized by statute, costs must be adequately documented to be allowable under Federal awards. Additionally, sound internal controls over the disbursement of Federal funds is pertinent to ensure that disbursements are accurate, complete, and in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. During fiscal year 2025, we noted that professional development stipends in the amount of $14,300 were paid out to teachers in the middle school and high school buildings, both of which were non-Title I buildings. Further, all stipend amounts paid for professional development trainings were not documented as being approved by the Board or any other professional development committee(s). The School District should adopt procedures to ensure that all costs are in accordance with the Code of Federal Regulations. Additionally, we recommend that professional development stipends amounts be approved by the Board. Supporting documentation of the review and approval by the Board should be maintained for a proper audit trail.