Finding 1175646 (2025-003)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
C
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-02-27
Audit: 389467
Organization: Durham Public Schools (NC)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: Timely bank reconciliations were not completed, risking inaccurate financial decisions by the Board.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with cash management controls was not met, leading to delays in the audit process.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Management should continue to monitor monthly reconciliations to ensure timely completion and accuracy.

Finding Text

U.S. Department of Education Passed Through the N.C. Department of Public Instruction Program Names: Title I, Grants to Local Educational Agencies (AL #: 84.010), Supporting Effective Instruction State Grant (AL #: 84.367), COVID-19 – Education Stabilization Fund (AL #: 84.425) MATERIAL WEAKNESS Compliance – Cash Management Criteria: Controls should ensure that bank reconciliations are prepared in a timely manner each month to enable the Board to make timely decisions based upon accurate data. Condition: State bank account reconciliations were not prepared in a timely manner during the year. Effect: Since bank account reconciliations were not performed in a timely manner, management decisions could have been made by the Board while relying upon inaccurate financial reporting. Cause: The June 30, 2024 audit could not be completed until August, 2025 due to account reconciliations having to be finalized. Therefore, the account reconciliation process for the 2024-2025 fiscal year was already approximately a full year behind at the conclusion of the June 30, 2024 audit. Management implemented controls and procedures during the 2024-2025 year to address this issue and has worked diligently to catch-up these reconciliations during the 2024-2025 year. Questioned costs: None. Identification of a repeat finding: This is a repeat finding from the immediate previous audit, Finding 24-06. Recommendation: Management has indicated that with the controls and procedures put in place during the 2024-2025 year, the district is now current with its monthly reconciliation processes. We recommend that management continue to monitor and review these monthly reconciliations to ensure that all general ledger accounts are being reconciled in a timely manner. Views of responsible officials and planned corrective actions: The Board of Education agrees with this finding. Management will take the necessary actions as described in the Corrective Action Plan.

Corrective Action Plan

Contact Person: Jeremy Teetor, Chief Financial Officer Corrective Action Plan: The finding resulted primarily from significant turnover within the Finance Department. Management has established procedures to ensure that all bank account and other required reconciliations are prepared on a timely basis going forward. The Finance department will also strive to keep key positions filled at all times and ensure that staff receives appropriate training regarding reconciliations. Proposed Completetion Date: Immediately

Categories

Subrecipient Monitoring Cash Management Material Weakness Reporting

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1175637 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1175638 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1175639 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1175640 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1175641 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1175642 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1175643 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1175644 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1175645 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.010 TITLE I GRANTS TO LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES $13.40M
10.553 SCHOOL BREAKFAST PROGRAM $3.63M
84.367 IMPROVING TEACHER QUALITY STATE GRANTS $2.09M
84.424 STUDENT SUPPORT AND ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT PROGRAM $1.42M
84.165 MAGNET SCHOOLS ASSISTANCE $978,011
84.365 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ACQUISITION STATE GRANTS $664,288
84.048 CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION -- BASIC GRANTS TO STATES $663,449
16.839 STOP SCHOOL VIOLENCE $368,401
10.559 SUMMER FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN $263,554
12.000 ROTC $181,601
84.196 EDUCATION FOR HOMELESS CHILDREN AND YOUTH $164,058
10.185 LOCAL FOOD FOR SCHOOLS COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT PROGRAM $122,483
84.027 SPECIAL EDUCATION_GRANTS TO STATES $90,728
10.579 CHILD NUTRITION DISCRETIONARY GRANTS LIMITED AVAILABILITY $37,242
84.173 SPECIAL EDUCATION_PRESCHOOL GRANTS $7,303
10.555 NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM $4,142
84.425 EDUCATION STABILIZATION FUND $950