Finding 1181397 (2025-002)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
N
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-03-18
Audit: 392640
Organization: Portage Township Schools (IN)
Auditor: CROWE LLP

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The School Corporation lacks an effective internal control system to ensure compliance with federal grant requirements for student cohort removals.
  • Impacted Requirements: Failure to document student transfers or removals as mandated by 20 USC 7801(23)(B) increases the risk of noncompliance with grant agreements.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Management should implement a robust internal control system to secure necessary documentation for student cohort removals and ensure proper oversight of federal funds.

Finding Text

FINDING 2025-002 Information on the federal program: Subject: Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies - Internal Controls Federal Agency: Department of Education Federal Program: Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies Assistance Listing Number: 84.010A Federal Award Numbers and Years (or Other Identifying Numbers): S010A220014, S010A230014, S010A240014 Pass-Through Entity: Indiana Department of Education Compliance Requirement: Special Test and Provisions – Annual Report Card, High School Graduation Rate Audit Finding: Material Weakness Criteria: 20 USC 7801(23)(B) states: "The non-Federal entity must: "To remove a student from a cohort, a school or local educational agency shall require documentation, or obtain documentation from the State educational agency, to confirm that the student has transferred out, emigrated to another country, or transferred to a prison or juvenile facility, or is deceased." Condition: An effective internal control system was not in place at the School Corporation to ensure compliance with requirements related to the grant agreement and the Special Test and Provisions compliance requirement. Cause: The School Corporation's management had not developed a system of internal controls that would have ensured compliance with the grant agreement and the Special Test and Provisions compliance requirement. Effect: The failure to establish an effective internal control system placed the School Corporation at risk of noncompliance with the grant agreement and the compliance requirements. A lack of segregation of duties within an internal control system could have also allowed noncompliance with the compliance requirements and allowed the misuse and mismanagement of federal funds and assets by not having proper oversight, reviews, and approvals over the activities of the programs. Questioned Costs: There were no questioned costs identified. Context: In a sample of 11 students who were removed from the cohort, we noted 2 students for which the School Corporation did not maintain any mobility documentation to support their removal from the cohort. Identification as a repeat finding, if applicable: No. Recommendation: We recommended that the School Corporation's management establish a system of internal controls related to ensure the school obtains all required documentation when removing a student from a cohort. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: Management agrees with the finding and has prepared a corrective action plan.

Corrective Action Plan

The Director of Grants and Assessments will work with the Data Department to refine the process to maintain mobility documentation to ensure appropriate documentation is received and retained for the removal of any students from the cohort.

Categories

Internal Control / Segregation of Duties Subrecipient Monitoring

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1181393 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1181394 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1181395 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1181396 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1181398 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.425 EDUCATION STABILIZATION FUND $6.90M
10.553 SCHOOL BREAKFAST PROGRAM $1.91M
84.010 TITLE I GRANTS TO LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES $831,203
10.555 NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM $768,818
10.559 SUMMER FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN $356,940
84.367 SUPPORTING EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION STATE GRANTS (FORMERLY IMPROVING TEACHER QUALITY STATE GRANTS) $181,055
84.424 STUDENT SUPPORT AND ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT PROGRAM $87,506
93.778 MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM $40,689
84.173 SPECIAL EDUCATION PRESCHOOL GRANTS $34,906
10.575 FARM TO SCHOOL GRANT PROGRAM $18,108
84.027 SPECIAL EDUCATION GRANTS TO STATES $4,593
84.365 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ACQUISITION STATE GRANTS $1,419