Finding 30119 (2022-001)

Significant Deficiency
Requirement
N
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2022
Accepted
2023-02-05
Audit: 36219
Organization: Downey Unified School District (CA)
Auditor: Eide Bailly LLP

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The District failed to report student enrollment information accurately and on time to NSLDS for the Pell Grant Program.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with OMB reporting requirements, specifically regarding timely updates of student certification dates and program enrollment details.
  • Recommended Follow-up: Establish a process to regularly review and verify enrollment statuses and program information on the NSLDS Enrollment Reporting Roster.

Finding Text

50000 ? NSLDS Reporting Requirements Program Name: Federal Pell Program Federal Financial Assistance Listing Numbers: 84.063 Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Education (ED) Direct funded by the U.S. Department of Education (ED) Criteria or Specific Requirements OMB Compliance Supplement, OMB No. 1845-0035 ? Institutions are required to report enrollment information under the Pell grant and the Direct and FFEL loan programs via the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS). Institutions must review, update, and verify student enrollment statuses, program information, and effective dates that appear on the Enrollment Reporting Roster file or on the Enrollment Maintenance page of the NSLDS Professional Access (NSLDSFAP) website which the financial aid administrator can access for the auditor. The data on the institutions? Enrollment Reporting Roster, or Enrollment Maintenance page, is what NSLDS has as the most recently certified enrollment information. There are two categories of enrollment information: ?Campus Level? and ?Program Level?, both of which need to be reported accurately and have separate record types. The NSLDS Enrollment Reporting Guide provides the requirements and guidance for reporting enrollment details using the NSLDS Enrollment Reporting Process. Condition Significant Deficiency in Internal Control over Compliance ? During testing over the NSLDS reporting requirements, the following deficiencies were noted: - Two of 60 student certification dates were not within 60 days of the date of change reported on NSLDS. - Four of 60 students did not have program enrollment information reported to NSLDS. Questioned Costs There are no questioned costs associated with the noncompliance. Context The District disbursed financial aid to approximately 550 students that required student enrollment and program enrollment reporting to NSLDS. A non-statistical sample of 60 students were haphazardly selected for testing of compliance requirements. Effect The District is not in compliance with the Federal enrollment reporting requirements described in the OMB Compliance Supplement. Cause The District did not report enrollment information for students under the Pell Grant Programs via NSLDS timely or accurately. Repeat Finding (Yes or No) No Recommendation The District should implement a process to review, update, and verify student enrollment statuses, program information, and effective dates that appear on the Enrollment Reporting Roster file or on the Enrollment Maintenance page of the NSLDS Professional Access (NSLDSFAP) website.

Corrective Action Plan

Corrective Action Plan and Views of Responsible Officials The Downey Adult School concurs with the finding and to prevent future occurrences, the school has purchased a new student database management software system that will articulate with the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) in reviewing, updating, verifying and reporting student enrollment statuses, program information, and effective starting and ending dates that are required to appear on the Enrollment Reporting Roster file. The District has also partnered with the National Student Clearinghouse. The National Student Clearinghouse offers no cost services that help institutions meet compliancy, administrative, student access, and accountability needs. The automated reporting capabilities of this new system will prevent human errors and omissions from occurring when reporting NSLDS data. In addition, staff will be specifically trained on how to use the new system to process, review, update, and verify student enrollment statuses, program information, and effective dates that appear on the Enrollment Reporting Roster file or on the Enrollment Maintenance page of the NSLDS Professional Access (NSLDSFAP) website.

Categories

Student Financial Aid Matching / Level of Effort / Earmarking Internal Control / Segregation of Duties HUD Housing Programs Reporting Significant Deficiency

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 606561 2022-001
    Significant Deficiency

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.010 Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies $6.41M
93.323 Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Infectious Diseases (elc) $3.50M
10.553 School Breakfast Program $2.96M
84.063 Federal Pell Grant Program $1.97M
10.555 National School Lunch Program $800,918
84.027 Special Education_grants to States $503,646
84.367 Improving Teacher Quality State Grants $473,145
10.558 Child and Adult Care Food Program $363,331
84.181 Special Education-Grants for Infants and Families $358,221
84.424 Student Support and Academic Enrichment Program $316,591
84.048 Career and Technical Education -- Basic Grants to States $247,314
84.173 Special Education_preschool Grants $76,643
84.425 Education Stabilization Fund $23,260
84.365 English Language Acquisition State Grants $20,638