Finding 1176688 (2025-002)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
B
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-03-06
Audit: 390567
Organization: Great Hearts America - Texas (TX)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: There is a significant deficiency in allowable costs related to federal education grants.
  • Impacted Requirements: The same criteria and conditions apply as in the previous finding (#2025-001).
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Management acknowledges the issue and has a corrective action plan in place.

Finding Text

Finding #2025-002 – Allowable Costs – Significant Deficiency. Applicable federal program: U. S. Department of Education, Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants, Assistance Listing #: 84.367A, Contract #’s: S367A230041 and S367A240041. Criteria: Same as finding #2025-001. Condition and context: Same as finding #2025-001. Cause: Same as finding #2025-001. Effect: Same as finding #2025-001. Recommendation: Same as finding #2025-001. Views of responsible officials and planned corrective actions: Management agrees with the finding. See Corrective Action Plan.

Corrective Action Plan

Findings #2025-001 and #2025-002 – Significant Deficiency and Other Noncompliance. Applicable federal program: U. S. Department of Education, Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants, Assistance Listing #: 84.367A, Contract #’s: S367A230041 and S367A240041. Condition and context: During our testing of GAAP and FASRG coding, we identified 5 of 72 non- payroll transactions coded to the incorrect period, and 5 of 49 non-payroll transactions coded to the incorrect object or function code. Recommendation: Reemphasize current policies and procedures to ensure proper coding of disbursements based on the period and the organization’s chart of accounts and FASRG codes. Planned corrective action: Great Hearts America – Texas concurs with the findings. While the noted errors were immaterial, management recognizes the importance of consistent expense recognition and coding accuracy to ensure compliance with TEA, PEIMS and financial reporting standards. To strengthen controls, management has implemented the following actions: 1) Month-End Cutoff Procedures: The Finance Department will issue enhanced month-end closing guidance emphasizing invoice cutoff dates, accrual requirements, and proper period recognition. 2) AP Supervisor Review: The Accounts Payable Supervisor will conduct a secondary review of all significant invoices processed to confirm proper period recognition. 3) Coding Accuracy Checks: The Accounts Payable Supervisor will perform periodic sampling of expense transactions to verify correct Function, Object, and PIC coding. 4) Training: Refresher training will be provided to campus and department staff responsible for coding transactions to ensure understanding of chart of accounts structure. Responsible officer: Stacey Lawrence, Interim Chief Financial Officer. Estimated completion date: Procedures will be implemented during fiscal year 2026 month-end close and reinforced through staff training in January 2026.

Categories

Allowable Costs / Cost Principles Significant Deficiency

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
10.555 NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM $1.70M
84.027 SPECIAL EDUCATION GRANTS TO STATES $1.62M
84.010 TITLE I GRANTS TO LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES $1.10M
10.553 SCHOOL BREAKFAST PROGRAM $330,860
84.367 SUPPORTING EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION STATE GRANTS (FORMERLY IMPROVING TEACHER QUALITY STATE GRANTS) $298,211
84.425 EDUCATION STABILIZATION FUND $146,934
84.424 STUDENT SUPPORT AND ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT PROGRAM $112,301
84.365 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ACQUISITION STATE GRANTS $41,348
84.369 GRANTS FOR STATE ASSESSMENTS AND RELATED ACTIVITIES $5,454