Finding 1168795 (2024-004)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
A
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2024
Accepted
2026-01-12

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The District lacks proper documentation for the review and approval of journal entries related to the Education Stabilization Fund.
  • Impacted Requirements: Internal controls over compliance with federal program regulations are not effectively implemented.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: The District should enhance its internal control procedures to ensure that all journal entries are reviewed and approved by someone other than the preparer.

Finding Text

2024-004 ACTIVITIES ALLOWED OR UNALLOWED AND ALLOWABLE COSTS / COST PRINCIPLES Program: Education Stabilization Fund Federal Assistance Listing Number: 84.425 Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Education Pass-Through Agency: Arizona Department of Education Grantor Number: 21FESSII-111175-01A and 21FESIII-111175-01A Questioned Costs: None Type of Finding: Material weakness in internal controls Condition/Context: For five of seven journal entries tested for the Education Stabilization Fund program, the District did not have documentation supporting that the entry was reviewed and approved by an individual separate from the preparer. Criteria: The District’s policies and procedures should ensure that internal controls over compliance of Federal programs are in place and operating effectively. Cause: Management oversight and turnover in the federal grant department. Effect: Internal control weakness. Repeat Finding: No. Recommendation: We recommend the District to review its internal control procedures over federal programs to ensure that journal entries moving expenditures into the grant program is reviewed and approved by an individual separate from the preparer. Views of Responsible Officials: The District’s corrective action plan presented in a separate document includes the views and planned corrective action of its responsible officials. We are not required to and have not audited these responses and planned corrective actions and therefore provide no assurances as to their accuracy.

Corrective Action Plan

2024-004 ACTIVITIES ALLOWED OR UNALLOWED AND ALLOWABLE COSTS / COST PRINCIPALS Program: Education Stabilization Fund – ESSER II and ESSER III Federal Assistance Listing Number: 84.425 Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Education Pass-Through Agency: Arizona Department of Education Grantor Number: 21FESSII-111175-01A and 21FESIII-111175-01A Questioned Costs: None Type of Finding: Material weakness in internal controls Condition/Context: For five of seven journal entries tested for the Education Stabilization Fund program, the District did not have documentation supporting that the entry was reviewed and approved by an individual separate from the preparer. Corrective Action: The District will review its process for preparing and recording journal entries to include a step to have the entries reviewed and approved by someone other than the preparer. In addition, the journal entries will include supporting schedules and documentation to explain why the entry is being prepared. Planned completion date for corrective action plan: For the period ending June 30, 2025. Name of the contact person responsible for corrective action: Dorene Mudrow, Superintendent

Categories

Allowable Costs / Cost Principles Internal Control / Segregation of Duties Material Weakness

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
10.665 SCHOOLS AND ROADS - GRANTS TO STATES $659,344
84.425 EDUCATION STABILIZATION FUND $500,000
84.010 TITLE I GRANTS TO LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES $175,203
84.027 SPECIAL EDUCATION GRANTS TO STATES $141,608
84.048 CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION -- BASIC GRANTS TO STATES $25,304
84.041 IMPACT AID $19,151
10.553 SCHOOL BREAKFAST PROGRAM $18,625
84.367 SUPPORTING EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION STATE GRANTS (FORMERLY IMPROVING TEACHER QUALITY STATE GRANTS) $12,240
10.555 NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM $7,042
84.173 SPECIAL EDUCATION PRESCHOOL GRANTS $3,499