FINDING 2023-002
Information on the federal program:
Subject: Special Education Cluster (IDEA) - Activities Allowed or Unallowed, Allowable Costs/Cost Principles, Period of Performance
Federal Agency: Department of Education
Federal Programs: Special Education Grants to States, Special Educ...
FINDING 2023-002
Information on the federal program:
Subject: Special Education Cluster (IDEA) - Activities Allowed or Unallowed, Allowable Costs/Cost Principles, Period of Performance
Federal Agency: Department of Education
Federal Programs: Special Education Grants to States, Special Education Preschool Grants
Assistance Listings Numbers: 84.027, 84.027X, 84.173, 84.173X
Federal Award Numbers and Years (or Other Identifying Numbers): 19611-022-PN01, 20611-022-PN01, 21611-022-PN01, 22611-022-PN01, 22611-022-ARP, 23611-022-PN01, 20619-022-PN01, 21619-022-PN01, 22619-022-PN01, 22619-022-ARP, 23619-022-PN01
Pass-Through Entity: Indiana Department of Education
Compliance Requirements: Activities Allowed or Unallowed, Allowable Costs/Cost Principles, Period of Performance
Audit Finding: Material Weakness, Qualified Opinion
Condition: The School Corporation did not have internal controls in place to ensure that the Cooperative complied with the Activities Allowed or Unallowed, Allowable Costs/Cost Principles, and Period of Performance compliance requirements. The Cooperative had not designed or implemented adequate policies or procedures to determine that grant expenditures were for the excess costs of providing special education and related services to children with disabilities, were in conformance with the applicable cost principles and were obligated during the award period of performance. There was no documented oversight, review, or approval process in place at the Cooperative to ensure expenditures were allowable, conformed with cost principles and were incurred during the period of performance.
Context: The School Corporation is a member of the Greene-Sullivan Special Education Cooperative (Cooperative). During fiscal year 2021-2022 and 2022-2023, the Cooperative operated the special education programs and spent the federal money on behalf of all its members. As the grant agreements were between the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) and each member school, the School Corporation was responsible for ensuring and providing oversight of the Cooperative. However, there was inadequate oversight performed by the School Corporation in order to ensure compliance with the Activities Allowed or Unallowed, Allowable Costs/Cost Principles, and Period of Performance compliance requirements.
The School Corporation did not have internal controls in place to ensure that the Cooperative complied with the Activities Allowed or Unallowed, Allowable Costs/Cost Principles, and Period of Performance compliance requirements. The Cooperative had not designed or implemented adequate policies or procedures to determine that grant expenditures were for the excess costs of providing special education and related services to children with disabilities, were in conformance with the applicable cost principles and were obligated during the award period of performance. There was no documented oversight, review, or approval process in place at the Cooperative to ensure expenditures were allowable, conformed with cost principles and were incurred during the period of performance.
The lack of internal controls was a systemic issue throughout the audit period.
Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: Management agrees with the finding and will take the following corrective action:
1 – All invoices, as well as receipts, will be documented upon receipt by the Director of Special Education at Greene Sullivan Special Education Cooperative. After this takes place, The Director of Finance at Greene Sullivan Special Education Cooperative will then create vouchers and receipts accordingly. Prior to submission, the Director of Special Education of Greene Sullivan Special Education Cooperative will verify all documents for accuracy. The Superintendent and Treasurer of Southwest School Corporation will review the documentation for the Cooperative at lease semi-annually.
Responsible party and timeline for completion: Chris Stitzle, Superintendent – April 1, 2024