Finding Text
Non-Federal entities must establish and maintain effective internal controls over Federal awards that provide reasonable assurance that the non-Federal entity is managing Federal awards in compliance with Federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the Federal award. During fiscal year 2025, the District participated in Child Nutrition Cluster programs, for which the Federal Government reimburses the District for eligible children. The District is required to establish a child's eligibility to receive program benefits. The District accepted applications for free and reduced meals, with which eligibility was determined based on several factors, including, but not limited to family size and income. The District contracted with PaySchools to make eligibility determinations; however, the District had no procedures in place to ensure the system determined the proper eligibility status based on the information provided in the application. Failure to implement controls over all eligibility applications could result in ineligible students receiving benefits. We recommend the District establish and implement control procedures for online applications and eligibility determinations to ensure students are properly marked as paid, free or reduced.