Finding 1227517 (2025-002)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
N
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-08-21

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: Eleven out of eighteen student removals lacked necessary documentation, violating Title I requirements.
  • Impacted Requirements: Internal controls over compliance with high school graduation rate reporting were not consistently applied.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Management should reinforce adherence to existing controls and policies to prevent future documentation issues.

Finding Text

Finding Number: 2025-002 Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Education Cluster/Program(s): Title 1A Disadvantaged Assistance Listing Number(s): 84.010 Compliance Requirement: Special Tests and Provisions Type of Finding: Significant Deficiency – Internal Control over Compliance Criteria: Under Title I’s high school graduation rate requirements, to remove a student from a cohort, a school must confirm in writing, that the student transferred out, emigrated to another country, transferred to a prison or juvenile facility, or is deceased. Grant recipients are required to design and implement internal controls to ensure compliance with grant requirements and their own policies and procedures. Statement of Condition: During testing, we identified eleven of the eighteen students tested lacked appropriate documentation of review/approval, as required by the control process. Cause: The District’s procedures for documenting and reviewing cohort removals were not applied consistently, and monitoring controls did not detect the missing approvals. Effect: High school graduation rate information could be reported incorrectly to the State of Maine. Recommendation: Management should ensure that existing controls and policies are followed. Questioned Costs: None

Corrective Action Plan

Management’s Response/Corrective Action Plan: Management has communicated directly with all staff responsible for student recordkeeping and cohort tracking at the high school level. The District procedural form for documenting student removals will be required in all cases. This form will serve as the official record and must be completed, signed, and retained in accordance with district policy and audit requirements. No student will be removed from the cohort without completed and verifiable documentation.

Categories

Special Tests & Provisions Subrecipient Monitoring Significant Deficiency Internal Control / Segregation of Duties

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1227515 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1227516 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1227518 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1227519 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1227520 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1227521 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1227522 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1227523 2025-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1227524 2025-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1227525 2025-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1227526 2025-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1227527 2025-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1227528 2025-005
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1227529 2025-006
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
14.251 Community Project Funding $1.94M
84.010 Title IA Disadvantaged $1.77M
10.555 National School Lunch Program $802,802
84.027 Local Entitlement $700,575
84.425 Elementary & Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund III - COVID 19 $437,484
10.553 School Breakfast Program $304,721
84.287 After School Learning Centers $295,170
84.184 School Safely National Activities $272,229
84.425 Literacy Grant - COVID 19 $263,917
10.558 Child and Adult Care Food Program $181,600
10.555 National School Lunch Program - Donated Commodities $137,791
84.048 Carl Perkins - Secondary $111,234
84.002 Adult Basic Education $107,228
84.367 Title IIA - Supporting Effective Instruction $102,835
10.582 Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program $100,605
21.027 CTE Personnel Infrastructure and Equipment - COVID 19 $99,670
21.027 Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan - COVID 19 $80,586
84.425 ARP Summer Learning and Enrichment - COVID 19 $73,780
84.010 Title IA - Summer School $66,655
10.559 Summer Food Service Program $64,680
84.425 Maine Outdoor Learning Intiative - COVID 19 $39,405
21.027 Pre-k Expansion - COVID 19 $33,000
84.010 Title IA Disadvantage - CIPS $31,641
10.579 Child Nutrition Discretionary Grants Limited Availability $19,804
84.048 Carl Perkins - CTE $14,814
84.173 Preschool $11,591