Finding 1218744 (2025-001)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
B
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-06-25

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The School failed to maintain required time and effort certifications for employees funded by Title I grants.
  • Impacted Requirements: This violates 2 CFR 200.430(i), which mandates accurate records for salary and wage charges to federal awards.
  • Recommended Follow-up: The School should establish procedures to ensure time and effort certifications are consistently maintained for all grant employees.

Finding Text

2025-001 U.S. Department of Education Passed-through the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies – ALN 84.010 Compliance Finding and Material Weakness in Internal Controls Over Compliance Criteria: Per 2 CFR 200.430(i) of the Uniform Guidance, charges to federal awards for salaries and wages must be based on records that accurately reflect the work performed. Semi-annual or monthly time and effort certifications are to be utilized if the non-federal entity’s records do not meet the related standards described in the Uniform Guidance. Condition: Time and effort certifications were not maintained for grant employees. Cause: The School was not aware of the applicable time and effort requirements. Effect: The School is not in compliance with applicable cost principles related to salaries and wages. Questioned Costs: $966,130, which represents total payroll costs charged to the grant Repeat Finding from Prior Year: No. Recommendation: The School should implement procedures to maintain time and effort certifications for all grant employees. Views of Responsible Official: Management agrees with the finding.

Corrective Action Plan

Finding 2025-001 Condition: Time and effort certifications were not maintained for grant employees. Corrective Action Planned: Southbridge Public Schools will be creating and implementing procedures for time and effort certifications. The procedure will include use of the form distributed by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for employees who are paid by a grant and require a time and effort certification. Anticipated Completion Date: July 31, 2026 Contact: Matthew Robidoux – Business Manager

Categories

Allowable Costs / Cost Principles Material Weakness Matching / Level of Effort / Earmarking

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1218740 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1218741 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1218742 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1218743 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1218745 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1218746 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1218747 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1218748 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1218749 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1218750 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1218751 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1218752 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1218753 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
11.307 ECONOMIC ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE $756,483
10.553 SCHOOL BREAKFAST PROGRAM $448,865
21.027 CORONAVIRUS STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS $210,301
84.010 TITLE I GRANTS TO LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES $170,113
10.555 NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM $150,163
97.036 DISASTER GRANTS - PUBLIC ASSISTANCE (PRESIDENTIALLY DECLARED DISASTERS) $102,221
84.287 TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTERS $80,838
81.128 ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM (EECBG) $68,519
84.424 STUDENT SUPPORT AND ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT PROGRAM $59,415
84.365 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ACQUISITION STATE GRANTS $38,068
20.939 SAFE STREETS AND ROADS FOR ALL $35,896
84.027 SPECIAL EDUCATION GRANTS TO STATES $35,000
10.559 SUMMER FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN $32,725
16.922 EQUITABLE SHARING PROGRAM $27,374
10.558 CHILD AND ADULT CARE FOOD PROGRAM $25,989
14.228 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS/STATE'S PROGRAM AND NON-ENTITLEMENT GRANTS IN HAWAII $20,465
10.727 INFLATION REDUCTION ACT URBAN & COMMUNITY FORESTRY PROGRAM $18,774
20.614 NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (NHTSA) DISCRETIONARY SAFETY GRANTS AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS $13,407
84.425 EDUCATION STABILIZATION FUND $10,000
97.042 EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERFORMANCE GRANTS $5,100
84.367 SUPPORTING EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION STATE GRANTS (FORMERLY IMPROVING TEACHER QUALITY STATE GRANTS) $2,479
93.889 NATIONAL BIOTERRORISM HOSPITAL PREPAREDNESS PROGRAM $1,681
84.173 SPECIAL EDUCATION PRESCHOOL GRANTS $59