Finding 512474 (2024-004)

Material Weakness
Requirement
A
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2024
Accepted
2024-12-01

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: Unallowed costs of $74,502 were charged to the Title I grant due to a misunderstanding of allowable expenses.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with 2 CFR 200.402, which outlines allowable costs for federal awards, was not met.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Review all grant agreements to clarify allowable costs and implement internal controls to prevent exceeding budget limits.

Finding Text

Finding 2024-004 – ACTIVITIES ALLOWED OR UNALLOWED and ALLOWABLE COSTS/COST PRINCIPLES Type: Material weakness in internal control over compliance / Noncompliance Program: Title I (ALN 84.010) Condition: Expenditures charged to the grant were not authorized in the grant budget. Criteria: As detailed by 2 CFR 200.402, “the total cost of a Federal award is the sum of the allowable direct and allocable indirect costs less any applicable credits”. Cause: Management’s misunderstanding of costs allowed under this grant. Effect: Unallowed costs were charged to the grant based on comparison to MDE approved budgets. Consequently, reimbursements (funding sources) may be overstated. Context: Amounts expended for this grant by function code and/or object code were over the amounts allowed in the MDE approved budget by $74,502. Recommendation: We recommend that the District review all grant agreements to gain a thorough understanding of allowable costs and then establish internal controls to assure that charges to the grant do not exceed budget. Management’s Resp: Management is in agreement with this recommendation.

Corrective Action Plan

Finding 2024-004 - Corrective Action Plan CHSD - 2023-2024 Audit Findings Finding 2024-004 - Activities Unallowed or Allowed and Allowable Costs Cost Principles Type: Material weakness in internal control over compliance / Noncompliance. Condition: Expenditures charged to the grant were not authorized in the grant budget. Corrective action to be taken: Grant agreements will be reviewed, approved, and maintained by all applicable shareholders with correlating budgeting metrics in place to ensure compliance continuity throughout the life cycle of the grant. The collaborative approach is designed to provide a thorough understanding of allowable costs, provide redundancy in grant metrics in the event of personnel changes, and support the established internal controls to assure charges to the grant do not exceed the budget. Corrective action timeline: The corrective action is effective immediately. District leader responsible for Corrective Action Plan: The Finance Director will be responsible for ensuring compliance with this corrective action. Respectfully submitted, Marc Forrest, Director of Finance

Categories

Allowable Costs / Cost Principles

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 512475 2024-005
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 512476 2024-006
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1088916 2024-004
    Material Weakness
  • 1088917 2024-005
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1088918 2024-006
    Significant Deficiency

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.010 Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies $614,414
10.553 School Breakfast Program $259,040
84.367 Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants (formerly Improving Teacher Quality State Grants) $86,666
10.559 Summer Food Service Program for Children $57,811
84.424 Student Support and Academic Enrichment Program $51,049
10.555 National School Lunch Program $26,680
84.060 Indian Education Grants to Local Educational Agencies $24,481
93.778 Medical Assistance Program $11,876
10.582 Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program $1,402
84.425 Education Stabilization Fund $1,013