Finding 1172461 (2025-002)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
B
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-02-05
Audit: 385625
Organization: Regional School Unit No. 18 (ME)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The School Unit claimed reimbursement for software costs that were prepaid in 2024 but recognized as current expenditures in 2025.
  • Impacted Requirements: Grants must only reimburse for expenditures that have actually been incurred, leading to questioned costs of $44,800.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Management should carefully review prepaid expenditures to ensure they are recognized in the correct period for accurate reporting.

Finding Text

2025-002 – U.S. Department of Education, For the Period July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025, Assistance Listing #84.027-84.173 – Internal Controls and Compliance over Special Education Cluster Criteria: Grants through the Department of Education are on a reimbursement basis. In order for a grant expenditure to be eligible for reimbursement, it must be for an allowable expenditure that has been incurred. Condition: The School Unit paid for a 5-year software agreement in 2024 and included the software costs in grant reimbursements in 2025. Cause: The payment for the software agreement was recognized as a prepaid expenditure in 2024. However, the entire amount was recognized as an expenditure in 2025 and was included in the calculation of grant reimbursements. Effect: The School Unit was reimbursed for expenditures that had not yet been incurred as the costs were for future services. Known Questioned Costs: $44,800. Recommendation: When reversing prior year prepaid expenditures, management should review the period for which the payment was to ensure the correct amount is recognized in current year expenditures.

Corrective Action Plan

Management’s response/corrective action plan: Management concurs with the audit finding. During fiscal year 2024, the School Unit appropriately recorded the cost of a five-year software agreement as a prepaid expenditure. However, in fiscal year 2025, the entire amount was incorrectly recognized as a current-year expenditure and included in the calculation of grant reimbursements. To remedy this issue, management will enhance internal controls over prepaid expenditures charged to federal grants. Specifically, finance staff and the business manager, will review all prepaid items at year-end and during grant reimbursement preparation to ensure that expenditures are recognized in the proper fiscal period and in accordance with the underlying contract terms. A reconciliation between prepaid balances, contract terms, and reimbursement requests will be performed prior to federal grant submission. In addition, written procedures will be updated to clearly require verification that only allowable and incurred costs are included in reimbursement claims, and relevant staff will receive additional training on grant compliance requirements related to prepaid expenditures. Management believes these actions will prevent similar issues in the future.

Categories

Cash Management Internal Control / Segregation of Duties

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1172458 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1172459 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1172460 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.425 Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER) 3 - COVID $1.20M
84.027 Special Education Grants to States $983,605
84.010 Title 1A - Basic Disadvantaged Program $550,649
10.555 NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM $549,458
84.367 Title IIA - Supporting Effective Instruction $240,802
10.553 National School Breakfast Program $151,993
10.555 National School Lunch Program - Donated Commodities $130,586
10.582 National School Lunch - Fresh Fruits and Vegetables $31,150
10.559 National School Lunch - Summer Food Service $19,477
84.358 Rural and Low Income $17,675
84.173 SPECIAL EDUCATION PRESCHOOL GRANTS $14,440
84.425 Educator workforce shortages - COVID $3,140
84.425 Learning Loss (Literacy grant)- COVID $1,299