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FINDING 2022-005Subject: COVID-19 - Education Stabilization Fund - ReportingFederal Agency: Department of EducationFederal Program: COVID-19 - Education Stabilization FundAssistance Listings Numbers: 84.425D, 84.425UFederal Award Numbers and Years (or Other Identifying Numbers): S425D20013, S425D210013,S425U210013Pass-Through Entity: Indiana Department of EducationCompliance Requirement: ReportingAudit Findings: Material Weakness, Other MattersCondition and ContextAn effective internal control system was not designed, nor implemented, at the School Corporationto ensure compliance with requirements related to the grant agreement and the Reporting compliancerequirement.The School Corporation completed and submitted four annual Data Collection reports (Reports) forthe Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) grants. The Reports were prepared byone employee without an oversite or review process in place to prevent, or detect and correct, errors.Additionally, one of the four Reports tested was not supported by the School Corporation's records.The financial information provided did not agree to all the data submitted in the Report; therefore, we couldnot determine the accuracy of the Report. Additionally, two of six key line items selected for testing couldnot be traced to supporting documentation.The lack of internal controls and noncompliance were systemic issues throughout the audit period.Criteria2 CFR 200.303 states in part:"The non-Federal entity must:(a) Establish and maintain effective internal control over the Federal award that providesreasonable assurance that the non-Federal entity is managing the Federal award incompliance with Federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the Federalaward. These internal controls should be in compliance with guidance in 'Standards forInternal Control in the Federal Government' issued by the Comptroller General of theUnited States or the 'Internal Control Integrated Framework', issued by the Committee ofSponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). . . ."2 CFR 200.302(b) states in part:"The financial management system of each non-Federal entity must provide for the following:. . .(2) Accurate, current, and complete disclosure of the financial results of each Federalaward or program in accordance with the reporting requirements set forth in ?? 200.328and 200.329. . . ."34 CFR 76.722 states: "A State may require a subgrantee to submit reports in a manner and formatthat assists the State in complying with the requirements under 34 CFR 76.720 and in carrying out otherresponsibilities under the program."2 CFR 200.334 states in part:"Financial records, supporting documents, statistical records, and all other non-Federal entityrecords pertinent to a Federal award must be retained for a period of three years from the dateof submission of the final expenditure report or, for Federal awards that are renewed quarterlyor annually, from the date of the submission of the quarterly or annual financial report, respectively,as reported to the Federal awarding agency or pass-through entity in the case of a subrecipient.. . ."34 CFR 76.731 states: "A State and a subgrantee shall keep records to show its compliance withprogram requirements."CauseManagement had not developed a system of internal controls that would have ensured compliancewith the Reporting compliance requirement.EffectThe failure to establish an effective internal control system enabled noncompliance to go undetected.Noncompliance with the grant agreement and the Reporting compliance requirement could resultin the loss of future federal funds to the School Corporation.Questioned CostsThere were no questioned costs identified.RecommendationWe recommended that the School Corporation's management establish effective internal controlsto ensure compliance and comply with the grant agreement and the Reporting compliance requirement.Views of Responsible OfficialsFor the views of responsible officials, refer to the Corrective Action Plan that is part of this report.