Condition: For the year ended June 30, 2025, it was noted that meals submitted for reimbursement included meals for students that were not eligible per the District's application for the program, resulting in the District being reimbursed in excess for an estimated $33,771. Recommendation: The Distr...
Condition: For the year ended June 30, 2025, it was noted that meals submitted for reimbursement included meals for students that were not eligible per the District's application for the program, resulting in the District being reimbursed in excess for an estimated $33,771. Recommendation: The District should apply for reimbursement for meals that were served to students included in their program application or take measures to amend the program application. Management Response: During the 2024-2025 school year, East Alton-Wood River Community High School District #14 began providing breakfast and lunch service for the Region III Journeys Program, an off-site alternative learning program serving students from multiple districts including EAWR. This was the first year EAWR had ever provided meals for Journeys, and the District implemented this service with the good-faith intention of ensuring that all students attending the program had access to daily nutritious meals. Because this was a new service arrangement, the District did not realize that our existing Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) approval documentation needed to be amended to include the additional educational site. The meals served to students at the Journeys Program were therefore included on the monthly reimbursement claims. The variance identified by the auditors reflects only the meals served at this second site, which are not captured in Skyward because some of the Journeys students are not enrolled at EAWR. There was no intent to misclaim meals, and the District did not receive financial benefit beyond the actual cost of preparing and providing meals. The additional breakfasts and lunches prepared for Journeys (approximately 20 breakfasts and 20-30 lunches daily) do not exceed the District's total CEP enrollment capacity and represent meals that were prepared, delivered, and made available to students. Additionally, in prior years another CEP district provided meals to the Journeys Program under similar circumstances without receiving reimbursement from Region III districts, which contributed to our understanding of customary practice within the cooperative. This was an administrative oversight associated with the first year of providing meal service to an off-site program and not the result of intentional noncompliance or an attempt to secure unearned reimbursement. No financial harm occurred to the program, as all meals claimed were prepared and made available to students in accordance with CEP expectations for universal access. To ensure future compliance, the District will amend its CEP application to include all educational centers served by EAWR in subsequent program years. Anticipated Date of Completion: June 30, 2026