Finding 1213959 (2025-001)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
AB
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-05-06

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: Internal controls failed to detect unallowable costs charged to the federal program, leading to reimbursements exceeding actual expenses.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with 2 CFR 200.303(a) and 2 CFR 200.403 regarding necessary and reasonable costs and documentation.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Management should conduct regular reconciliations of expenditures to actual costs incurred to prevent future discrepancies.

Finding Text

C. Findings and Questioned Costs – Major Federal Award Program Audit 2025-001: Significant Deficiency in Internal Control over Activities Allowed or Unallowed and Allowable Costs/Cost Principles Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Education Assistance Listing Number: 84.287 Federal Program Name: Twenty-First Century Community Learning Centers Pass-through Entity: Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction Pass-through Award Number: S287C240048, S287C230048 Criteria: Under 2 CFR 200.303(a), the non-federal entity must establish and maintain effective internal control over compliance with the requirements of federal awards. Additionally, in accordance with 2 CFR 200.403, costs must “be necessary and reasonable for the performance of the Federal award and be allocable thereto under these principles” and “be adequately documented.” Condition: In our testing of compliance with the requirements for activities allowed or unallowed and allowable costs/cost principles, we identified one exception where estimated costs were charged to the major program for allowable programmatic activities; however, this estimate included costs that were not ultimately incurred by Washington Alliance for Better Schools (WABS). Cause: Internal controls over the review and reconciliation of actual costs incurred by WABS and amounts charged to the major program did not detect certain unallowable costs. Effect: Reimbursements in excess of actual costs incurred were requested through the major program. Questioned Costs: Known questioned costs arising from this finding total $30,102. Context: No similar estimated costs were charged to the major program, nor were any other unallowable costs identified in our testing of a statistically valid sample of forty payroll and general cash disbursement transactions. As such, we believe this finding represents an isolated incidence and not a systemic problem. Management is currently proceeding with corrective action at the pass-through agency’s direction and has adjusted the reported amounts in the financial statements and schedule of expenditures of federal awards accordingly. Repeat Finding: This is not a repeat finding. Recommendation: We recommend that management performs a periodic reconciliation of expenditures charged to federal awards to actual costs incurred. Views of Responsible Officials: There is no disagreement with the finding.

Corrective Action Plan

Finding 2025-001: Significant Deficiency in Internal Control over Activities Allowed or Unallowed and Allowable Costs/Cost Principles Corrective Actions Taken and Planned: Washington Alliance for Better Schools is reimbursing the passthrough agency for the identified questioned costs, at their direction, and has adjusted the financial statements and schedule of expenditures of federal awards as of and for the year ended August 31, 2025, accordingly. In addition, to prevent future errors, as part of the grant invoicing process, management will implement a formal reconciliation of amounts billed to federal programs to supporting documents for reimbursable costs incurred. Anticipated Completion Date: August 31, 2026 Contact Person: Emily Yim President and CEO 206-393-4918 emilyy@wabsalliance.org

Categories

Allowable Costs / Cost Principles

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.287 TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTERS $949,247
11.307 ECONOMIC ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE $158,632