Finding 1170531 (2025-003)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
B
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-01-26

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: Nine employee payroll claims exceeded the approved hourly rate, violating federal cost principles.
  • Impacted Requirements: Non-compliance with 2 CFR Part 200 regarding allowable costs and budget deviations.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Management should enhance internal controls to ensure compliance with approved payroll rates and budgetary guidelines.

Finding Text

8. Criteria or specific requirement: Per Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (2 CFR Part 200) Subpart E, Cost Principles Section 200.403(b), Factors affecting allowability of costs, costs must conform to any limitations or exclusions set forth in these principles or in the Federal award as to types or amount of cost items. Per 2 CFR Section 200.308(b), Deviations from approved budget, the recipient must report deviations from the approved budget, project, or program scope, or objectives. The recipient must request prior approvals from the Federal agency or pass-through entity for budget and program plan revisions in accordance with this section. '9. Condition: Nine (9) employee payroll expenditures were claimed at an hourly rate greater than that approved by ISBE. 10. Cause: The District's internal controls over compliance were not functioning effectively to ensure claims for payroll expenditures were made at the approved hourly rate. '11. Effect: The District was not in compliance with the allowable costs/cost principles compliance requirement. '12. Questioned Costs: Questioned costs of $28,651 were computed based on the difference between the payroll expenditures claimed and the allowable amount calculated using the hourly rate approved by ISBE. '13. Context: From the population of one hundred (100) employees claimed under this grant, a sample of ten (10) employees were selected for testing. We noted nine (9) employee payroll expenditures were claimed at a rate greater than the rate allowable per the ISBE approved budget. A statistically valid sample was not utilized. 14. Recommendation: We recommend that management review its policies and procedures and implement changes to strengthen internal control over compliance. 15. Management's response: The District agrees with the auditor's finding and recommendation.

Corrective Action Plan

Condition: Nine (9) employee payroll expenditures were claimed at an hourly rate greater than that approved by ISBE. Corrective Action Plan: Management will review its policies and procedures and implement changes to strengthen internal control over federal reporting. In addition, budgets will be monitored and amended accordingly within the period performance of the grant. Responsible Person: Janiesa Owens, Chief School Business Official Anticipated Completion Date: June 30, 2026

Categories

Allowable Costs / Cost Principles Subrecipient Monitoring

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1170529 2025-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1170530 2025-004
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.425 EDUCATION STABILIZATION FUND $3.86M
84.027 SPECIAL EDUCATION GRANTS TO STATES $332,649
10.553 SCHOOL BREAKFAST PROGRAM $169,838
84.424 STUDENT SUPPORT AND ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT PROGRAM $91,521
84.367 SUPPORTING EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION STATE GRANTS (FORMERLY IMPROVING TEACHER QUALITY STATE GRANTS) $90,536
93.778 MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM $69,028
84.010 TITLE I GRANTS TO LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES $50,657
10.555 NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM $30,310
84.365 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ACQUISITION STATE GRANTS $27,807
84.173 SPECIAL EDUCATION PRESCHOOL GRANTS $6,081