Finding 1164819 (2025-002)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
N
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2025-12-15
Audit: 374632
Organization: Berryessa Union School District (CA)
Auditor: NIGRO & NIGRO PC

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: A private school requested Title I services, but their response was mishandled due to a staff transition, preventing necessary consultations.
  • Impacted Requirements: The District failed to comply with Title I provisions requiring equitable services for eligible private school students.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: The District should create a system to ensure private school responses are reviewed and processed correctly.

Finding Text

Finding 2025-002: Private School Letters (50000) Program Identification: Title I, Part A (AL No. 84.010) Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Education Pass‐through Entity: California Department of Education (pass-through number 14329) Repeat Finding? No Criteria: The equitable services provision of the Title I statute requires that local educational agencies (LEAs) provide eligible private school children with Title I educational services or other benefits that are equitable to those provided to eligible public school children. Title I services for eligible private school children must be developed in consultation with private school officials. Eligible students enrolled in private schools receive Title I, Part A services; private schools do not receive Title I, Part A funds. The public school district, where the students reside, is responsible for making these services available for students in private schools. (ESEA section 1117(b)(1)) Condition: One of the private schools contacted by the District submitted a response electing to participate in Title I Programs; however, the response was sent to a former employee of the District and was not processed. No succeeding consultation was conducted. Cause: The District had a transition in the coordinator position during the 2024-25 school year. The response letter was sent to the former employee. Context: The discrepancy was noted for only one private school. Effect: The private school requesting services was not able to proceed with a District consultation. Questioned Costs: None. Recommendation: The District should implement procedures to ensure private schools responses are properly reviewed. Views of Responsible Officials: The District recognizes the importance of this process and will establish a follow-up procedure in which the Business Department confirms with the Educational Services Department that all steps have been completed.

Corrective Action Plan

Finding 2025-002: Private School Letters (50000) Program Identification: Title I, Part A (AL No. 84.010) Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Education Pass-through Entity: California Department of Education (pass-through number 14329) The District recognizes the importance of this process and will establish a follow-up procedure in which the Business Department confirms with the Educational Services Department that all steps have been completed. Corrective Action Plan for the 2025-26 School Year: A. Annual Tracking and Logging Process a. Create and maintain a Private School Participation Log that records: i. Date outreach letters are sent ii. Date responses are received iii. Method of receipt ( email, mail, phone); b. The log will be monitored by both the Coordinator of Student Services and Director Fiscal Services B. Monitoring and Verification a. The Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services will review the Private School Participation Log to verify that responses and consultations are documented and completed. C. The Business Department will conduct an annual internal audit each Spring to ensure compliance with ESEA private school consultation requirements. D. Person Responsible a. Coordinator of Student Services - Primary responsibility for implementation of procedures and consultation activities. b. Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services - Oversight and monitoring to ensure full compliance. Director of Fiscal Services - Internal Audit and additional support

Categories

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Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.010 TITLE I GRANTS TO LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES $866,129
10.553 SCHOOL BREAKFAST PROGRAM $301,545
10.555 NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM $272,534
84.367 SUPPORTING EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION STATE GRANTS (FORMERLY IMPROVING TEACHER QUALITY STATE GRANTS) $141,832
84.027 SPECIAL EDUCATION GRANTS TO STATES $72,337
84.365 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ACQUISITION STATE GRANTS $56,655
84.424 STUDENT SUPPORT AND ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT PROGRAM $52,194
84.425 EDUCATION STABILIZATION FUND $8,772
84.173 SPECIAL EDUCATION PRESCHOOL GRANTS $385