Finding 381203 (2023-003)

Material Weakness
Requirement
EN
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2023
Accepted
2024-03-19

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The School Corporation lacks effective internal controls, leading to potential noncompliance in managing federal nutrition programs.
  • Impacted Requirements: Key compliance areas include eligibility verification and oversight of free and reduced price applications, as well as proper accounting for meal reimbursements.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Management should establish a robust internal control system with clear policies and procedures to ensure proper reviews and segregation of duties.

Finding Text

FINDING 2023-003 Subject: Child Nutrition Cluster - Internal Controls Federal Agency: Department of Agriculture Federal Programs: School Breakfast Program, National School Lunch Program Assistance Listings Numbers: 10.553, 10.555 Federal Award Numbers and Years (or Other Identifying Numbers): SY22, SY23 Pass-Through Entity: Indiana Department of Education Compliance Requirements: Eligibility, Special Tests and Provisions - Verification of Free and Reduced Price Applications (NSLP), Special Tests and Provisions - Non-Profit School Food Service Accounts Audit Finding: Material Weakness Condition and Context The School Corporation had not established effective internal controls that would likely be effective in preventing, or detecting and correcting, noncompliance. Eligibility The School Corporation's policy is to have the Treasurer review and initial paper applications processed by the individual school treasurers to ensure that the eligibility determination was correct. However, six of the ten applications tested lacked documentation of this review. In addition, there was no internal control in place over applications submitted online. INDIANA STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTS 18 BORDEN-HENRYVILLE SCHOOL CORPORATION SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS (Continued) Special Tests and Provisions - Verification of Free and Reduced Price Applications (NSLP) The Treasurer performed the verification of free and reduced price applications without a documented review or oversight process in place to ensure that applications selected for verification were in compliance with requirements related to the program. Special Tests and Provisions - Non-Profit School Food Service Accounts The School Corporation did not have an internal control in place to ensure that reimbursements for meals served were properly credited to the School Lunch fund. The lack of internal controls for Eligibility and Special Tests and Provisions - Verification of Free and Reduced Price Applications (NSLP) was isolated to the second year of the audit period. The lack of internal controls over Special Tests and Provisions - School Food Accounts was systemic throughout the audit period. Criteria 2 CFR 200.303 states in part: "The non-Federal entity must: (a) Establish and maintain effective internal control over the Federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the non-Federal entity is managing the Federal award in compliance with Federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the Federal award. These internal controls should be in compliance with guidance in 'Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government' issued by the Comptroller General of the United States or the 'Internal Control Integrated Framework', issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). . . ." Cause A proper system of internal controls was not designed by management of the School Corporation, which would include segregation of key functions. Embedded within a properly designed and implemented internal control system should be internal controls consisting of policies and procedures. Policies reflect the School Corporation's management statements of what should be done to effect internal controls, and procedures should consist of actions that would implement these policies. Effect Without the proper design or implementation of the components of a system of internal controls, including policies and procedures that provide segregation of duties and additional oversight as needed, the internal control system cannot be capable of effectively preventing, or detecting and correcting, material noncompliance. Questioned Costs There were no questioned costs identified. INDIANA STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTS 19 BORDEN-HENRYVILLE SCHOOL CORPORATION SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS (Continued) Recommendation We recommended that management of the School Corporation design and implement a proper system of internal controls, including policies and procedures that would provide segregation of duties to ensure appropriate reviews, approvals, and oversight are taking place. Views of Responsible Officials For the views of responsible officials, refer to the Corrective Action Plan that is part of this report. INDIANA STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTS 20

Categories

School Nutrition Programs Internal Control / Segregation of Duties Cash Management Eligibility Material Weakness Matching / Level of Effort / Earmarking Special Tests & Provisions

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 381202 2023-003
    Material Weakness
  • 381204 2023-003
    Material Weakness
  • 381205 2023-003
    Material Weakness
  • 381206 2023-003
    Material Weakness
  • 957644 2023-003
    Material Weakness
  • 957645 2023-003
    Material Weakness
  • 957646 2023-003
    Material Weakness
  • 957647 2023-003
    Material Weakness
  • 957648 2023-003
    Material Weakness

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
10.555 National School Lunch Program 2023 $633,938
84.027 Special Education_grants to States 2022 $363,782
84.027 Special Education_grants to States 2023 $337,866
84.010 Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies 2023 $337,324
10.553 School Breakfast Program 2022 $194,329
84.010 Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies 2022 $183,021
84.425 Education Stabilization Fund 2023 $155,542
84.367 Improving Teacher Quality State Grants 2023 $129,035
10.553 School Breakfast Program 2023 $117,889
93.778 Medical Assistance Program 2023 $48,307
93.778 Medical Assistance Program 2022 $43,302
10.555 National School Lunch Program 2022 $29,708
97.036 Disaster Grants - Public Assistance (presidentially Declared Disasters) 2022 $22,670
84.173 Special Education_preschool Grants 2022 $18,122
84.424 Student Support and Academic Enrichment Program 2023 $12,419
84.173 Special Education_preschool Grants 2023 $12,099
84.424 Student Support and Academic Enrichment Program 2022 $10,875
84.367 Improving Teacher Quality State Grants 2022 $7,689
10.649 Pandemic Ebt Administrative Costs 2023 $628
10.649 Pandemic Ebt Administrative Costs 2022 $614