Finding 1213989 (2024-005)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
L
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2024
Accepted
2026-05-07
Audit: 400862
Organization: Exeter Township School District (PA)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The District's annual performance report for federal funds contained inaccuracies, with reported expenditures exceeding actual amounts by $36,000 and remaining funds understated by $770,000.
  • Impacted Requirements: The District failed to comply with reporting criteria set by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, leading to discrepancies in key financial data.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Implement a reconciliation process for grant awards and ensure accurate tracking of expenditures using the correct funding source codes.

Finding Text

2024-005 REPORTING - SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCY Federal Program Education Stabilization Fund - U.S. Department of Education passed through the Pennsylvania Department of Education COVID-19 - Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ARP ESSER) ALN 84.425U; Contract #223-21-0141; Grant Period 03/13/20 - 09/30/24 COVID-19 - ARP ESSER Learning Loss Set Aside ALN 84.425U; Contract #225-21-0141; Grant Period 03/13/20 - 09/30/24 Criteria The District is required to submit an annual performance report to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (the “State”) with data on expenditures, planned expenditures, subrecipients, and uses of funds, including for mandatory reservations. Condition During the year ended June 30, 2024, the District submitted a report for the funds used during the year ended June 30, 2023. The report submitted by the District contained expenditure amounts that did not agree to the amounts reported on the schedule of expenditures of federal awards for the year ended June 30, 2023 as well as other key reporting line items. Cause Grant expenditures were not being accurately tracked using the funding source codes identified in the Pennsylvania Department of Education standard chart of accounts. Effect The information submitted, which will be used in the State’s report to the Department of Education, was not accurate for the key line items that we tested based on the Compliance Supplement published by the Office of Management and Budget including current grant expenditures and remaining funds to be spent/obligated. Questioned Costs None. Context The District is required to submit the performance report on an annual basis. The required report was submitted timely. The expenditures reported and the remaining grants awards to be expended did not agree to the audited grant activity that occurred during the year ended June 30, 2023 as reported on the schedule of expenditures of federal awards. The expenditures reported were $36,000 over the actual expended while the remaining ESSER funds were understated by $770,000. Repeat Finding No. Recommendation We recommend the District keep a reconciliation of grant awards available to expenditure incurred. The accurate use of funding source codes will assist in that process. We also recommend the District continue working toward more timely financial and compliance audits. Management Response See corrective action plan included in this report package.

Corrective Action Plan

2024-005 REPORTING - SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCY Federal Program Education Stabilization Fund - U.S. Department of Education passed through the Pennsylvania Department of Education COVID-19 - Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ARP ESSER) ALN 84.425U; Contract #223-21-0141; Grant Period 03/13/20 - 09/30/24 COVID-19 - ARP ESSER Learning Loss Set Aside ALN 84.425U; Contract #225-21-0141; Grant Period 03/13/20 - 09/30/24 Criteria The District is required to submit an annual performance report to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (the “State”) with data on expenditures, planned expenditures, subrecipients, and uses of funds, including for mandatory reservations. Condition During the year ended June 30, 2024, the District submitted a report for the funds used during the year ended June 30, 2023. The report submitted by the District contained expenditure amounts that did not agree to the amounts reported on the schedule of expenditures of federal awards for the year ended June 30, 2023 as well as other key reporting line items. Recommendation We recommend the District keep a reconciliation of grant awards available to expenditure incurred. The accurate use of funding source codes will assist in that process. We also recommend the District continue working toward more timely financial and compliance audits. Management Response When the district received the audit, the 2023 federal reports were already submitted. The District made the adjustments for non-allowable expenses in the 2023 SEFA and took out the non-allowable in the 2024 State reports. The District has begun using and reconciling funding source codes related to grants more timely.

Categories

Reporting Subrecipient Monitoring Significant Deficiency

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1213988 2024-005
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
10.555 NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM $877,631
84.027 SPECIAL EDUCATION GRANTS TO STATES $805,261
84.010 TITLE I GRANTS TO LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES $550,801
10.553 SCHOOL BREAKFAST PROGRAM $286,442
84.367 SUPPORTING EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION STATE GRANTS (FORMERLY IMPROVING TEACHER QUALITY STATE GRANTS) $93,000
84.425 EDUCATION STABILIZATION FUND $38,042
84.424 STUDENT SUPPORT AND ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT PROGRAM $28,450
84.365 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ACQUISITION STATE GRANTS $16,375
84.173 SPECIAL EDUCATION PRESCHOOL GRANTS $13,675
10.649 PANDEMIC EBT ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS $5,763