Audit 409535

Late Submission Federal Program Information: Funding agency: U.S Department of Education Title: Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund, American Rescue Plan - Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER), American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief - Homeless Children and Youth and Child Nutrition Cluster CFDA number: 84.425D, 84.425U, 84.425W, 10.555, 10.559 Award year and number: 32-0583-912020, 32-0584-922021, 32-0583-972021, 32-0583-932021, 32-0584-772021, 32-0584-772022, 32-0584-79-2022 Criteria or Specific Requirement: 2 CFR section 200.512(a) requires the reporting package and data collection form be submitted to the Federal Audit Clearinghouse the earlier of 30 calendar days after the reports are received from auditors or nine months after the end of the audit period. Condition: The fiscal year audit and reporting package is being submitted after the required due date. Context: We reviewed the audit submission date in comparison to the required due date. Questioned Costs: To be determined by grantor Effect: There is a potential for suspension or cessation of federal and/or state funding. Cause: The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic caused a delay in the audit and as such the required deadline could not be met. Repeat: Yes Auditor's Recommendations: The District should take steps to ensure that its financial records are maintained on a current basis, reconciled timely, and audited within nine months after year end. View of Responsible Officials: In November 2022, the District was informed by its then auditor that they could not complete the audit for FY2022. By that time, most audit firms were booked solid and the District had a difficult time contracting with a firm. Wipfli, LLC entered into a 3-year contract with the District with the understanding that the FY2022 audit would likely not be filed on time. The FY2022 audit was issued on May 7, 2024. The District committed to having financial information ready for the FY2023 audit by the end of June 2024, which was already twelve months after the end of the audit period. Unfortunately, the financial information for FY2023 was not ready as promised and this had an adverse effect on Wipfli LLC's ability to perform its work as scheduled. To further complicate matters, key accounting personnel left the District in August 2024 and June 2025. These individuals had 30 year and 20 years experience in the District, respectively. Despite the fact that this will be a repeat finding for the FY2024 and FY2025 audits, the current accounting personnel and their staff are committed to maintaining the District's financial records on a current basis, reconciling accounts timely and will work to have them audited within the required deadlines.