Finding 1166293 (2025-001)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
AB
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2025-12-23

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The Unit lacks effective internal controls over allowable activities and costs, particularly in the payroll process.
  • Impacted Requirements: Noncompliance risks arise from inadequate coding and lack of contracts for private school employees, potentially leading to improper funding use.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Implement stronger internal controls to ensure only allowable activities and costs are charged to the program.

Finding Text

SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCY 2025-001 - Allowable Activities/Allowable Costs Federal Program Information: Department of Education: CFDA - 84.010 - Title I Criteria: The following CFR(s) apply to this finding: 2 CFR 200.303), 2 CFR section 200.430(g). Condition: During audit procedures, it was identified that the Unit’s controls over allowable Activities/Allowable Costs were not working adequately for the payroll process. Cause: The Unit does not have the necessary internal controls over compliance. Effect: The Unit’s inadequate controls over coding enables an inherent risk of noncompliance of allowable activities/allowable costs by allowing employees to be incorrectly paid from the wrong account. Lack of contracts from private school employees creates a risk of supplanting funding rather than supplementing. Identification of Questioned Costs: None identified. Context: Eighty payroll charges were tested, results are as follows: timesheets do not include the program code or program name the time should be charged to. Unit has to rely on correct input of coding when the employee is set up in the system and external notes for employees who work in more than one program. No additional check and balance was noted and one non Title I employee was incorrectly paid out of the program, which was corrected during audit. Timesheet program did not have the same employment position as the contracted position for two of the employees reviewed, eight of the employees positions were inconsistent on the timesheets. Contracts or form of employment and wage documentation was not required from the private school for the Title I employees which could result in unallowable costs or supplanting private funds with federal funding. Eighty payroll charges were tested. This is not a statistically valid sample. Repeat Finding: This is not a repeat finding. Recommendation: It is recommended that the Unit implement internal control processes and procedures to ensure that only Allowable Activities/Allowable Costs are charged to the program. Views of Responsible Officials and Corrective Action Plan: Please see the Corrective Action Plan issued by the Maine School Administrative District No. 1.

Corrective Action Plan

Corrective Action Plan Finding Reference: 2025-001 – Allowable Activities/Allowable Costs Federal Program: CFDA 84.010 – Title I Fiscal Year Ended: June 30, 2025 Corrective Action Plan Condition The audit identified weaknesses in internal controls over payroll charges to Title I, creating a risk that costs may be charged to the program in error. Root Cause Although program coding is built into the payroll system during employee setup, controls were not consistently documented or monitored, particularly for staff working across multiple funding sources and for private school Title I employees. A lack of secondary review allowed for one miscoding error and inconsistent position information between contracts and timesheets. Corrective Actions to Be Taken 1. Payroll Coding Review: Implement a second-level review process, led by the Business Manager, to verify all federal program payroll coding each pay period before submission. 2. Position Alignment: Require a monthly reconciliation of contracted positions against timesheet records to ensure consistency. 3. Private School Documentation: Effective immediately, require written wage documentation from private schools for all Title I-funded employees, with documents retained for audit purposes. 4. Update the written procedures related to federal and state funded payroll charges and provide refresher training for payroll and program staff by December 31, 2025. Responsible Officials - Business Manager – Oversight and monitoring of corrective actions - HR/Payroll Specialist – Implementation of payroll coding and reconciliation procedures - Title I Coordinator – Verification and retention of private school documentation Completion Date All corrective actions will be fully implemented by December 31, 2025. Monitoring and Sustainability The District will conduct quarterly internal reviews of Title I payroll activity, maintaining a monitoring log, requiring time and effort sheets and retaining documentation in the business office. Annual refresher training will be provided to ensure ongoing compliance with federal requirements. Views of Responsible Officials The District concurs that stronger documentation and monitoring are necessary. Program coding is established in the payroll system during employee setup, and controls exist to ensure proper allocation. The purpose of the timeclock system is to log hours. The issue arose due to insufficient secondary review rather than the absence of program coding. Immediate corrective measures have already been taken, and the District is committed to implementing the above actions to ensure full compliance with 2 CFR 200.303 and 2 CFR 200.430(g).

Categories

Allowable Costs / Cost Principles Significant Deficiency

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.010 TITLE I GRANTS TO LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES $742,322
84.027 SPECIAL EDUCATION_GRANTS TO STATES $629,165
84.425 EDUCATION STABILIZATION FUND $365,856
10.555 NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM $354,428
21.027 CORONAVIRUS STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS $319,581
84.148 SCHOOL SAFETY NATIONAL ACTIVITIES $234,022
84.367 IMPROVING TEACHER QUALITY STATE GRANTS $209,854
10.553 SCHOOL BREAKFAST PROGRAM $133,563
10.649 PANDEMIC EBT ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS $106,739
84.048 CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION -- BASIC GRANTS TO STATES $64,883
10.582 FRESH FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PROGRAM $54,729
84.002 ADULT EDUCATION - BASIC GRANTS TO STATES $21,603
84.173 SPECIAL EDUCATION_PRESCHOOL GRANTS $8,839