FAC Explorer

Finding 524943 (2024-002)

Material Weakness
Requirement
N
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2024
Accepted
2025-02-28
Audit: 344288
Organization: El Camino Community College District (CA)
Auditor: Cliftonlarsonallen LLP

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The District has a material weakness in internal controls, leading to late reporting of student enrollment status changes.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with 34 CFR 685.309(b) and NSLDS Enrollment Reporting Guide, which mandates timely updates to student enrollment data.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Review and improve reporting procedures to ensure accurate and timely enrollment information is submitted to NSLDS.

Finding Text

2024 – 002: NSLDS Enrollment Reporting Federal Agency: Department of Education Federal Program: Student Federal Assistance Cluster Assistance Listing Number: Various Federal Award Identification Number and Year: Various - 2024 Award Period: July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024 Type of Finding: Material Weakness in Internal Control over Compliance and Noncompliance Criteria: In accordance with 34 CFR 685.309(b) and the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) Enrollment Reporting Guide published by the Department of Education, schools 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. In addition, schools must report enrollment status changes within 30 days of becoming aware of the status change or in its next scheduled enrollment submission if the scheduled submission is within 60 days. Condition: During our testing of 40 students, which is a statistically valid sample, we noted nine instances of late reporting of student status changes. Questioned Costs: None. Context: During our audit procedures, we noted nine instances of noncompliance. Cause: The District's internal controls did not identify the errors for compliance with the criteria mentioned above. Effect: Inaccurate information is reflected on the NSLDS database. A student’s enrollment data protects the rights of borrowers by ensuring that loan interest subsidies are based on accurate enrollment data, ensures loan repayment dates are accurately based on the last data of attendance, allows in-school deferments to be automatically granted using NSLDS enrollment data, and provides vast amounts of critical data about the effectiveness of Title IV aid programs, including completion data. Repeat Finding: No. Recommendation: We recommend the District review its reporting procedures to ensure that enrollment and program information is accurately reported to NSLDS as required by regulations. Views of Responsible Officials: Management concurs with the finding.

Corrective Action Plan

Recommendation: We recommend the District review its reporting procedures to ensure that enrollment and program information is accurately reported to NSLDS as required by regulations. Action taken in response to finding: The District has taken the following actions to address this recommendation: Assess Current Reporting Delays  Review the current submission schedule and identify specific time gaps between when Clearinghouse files are sent and when the data reaches NSLDS.  Work with the Clearinghouse to confirm file submission dates and compare them with NSLDS report uploads.  Document delays and establish a baseline for necessary improvements. Action 1.2: Communicate with NSLDS and Clearinghouse  Contact NSLDS and Clearinghouse support teams to communicate the delays and request any assistance or expedited processes.  Set clear expectations with these parties on how to resolve the reporting issue and prevent future delayed submissions. Establish Clear Reporting Timelines  Work with Clearinghouse to establish a clear, consistent timeline for file submission and confirm the timing of data submission to NSLDS.  Ensure reporting timelines align with NSLDS deadlines to ensure timely reporting.  Update internal policies and procedures to reflect the new reporting timeline and expectations. Staff Training and Awareness  Conduct training sessions for staff involved in the Clearinghouse file preparation and submission process, emphasizing the importance of timely submissions.  Provide regular updates and reminders about deadlines and processes. Automate or Enhance File Submission Process  Implement any necessary technology upgrades to streamline the data submission process.  Explore the possibility of setting up automatic file uploads directly to NSLDS to minimize delays. Implement Monitoring and Reporting System  Set up a monitoring system to track Clearinghouse file submissions to NSLDS, including confirmation that files have been successfully submitted and processed.  After implementing process changes, conduct monthly reviews to verify that student data is being submitted to NSLDS on time.  Track and report submission times Continuous Communication with NSLDS and Clearinghouse  Establish a point of contact at both NSLDS and the Clearinghouse to improve communication regarding file submission issues. Conduct regular reviews to ensure that the institutions’ reporting process aligns with NSLDS requirements. Name of the contact person responsible for corrective action: Dr. Kristina Martinez, Acting Dean of Enrollment Services Planned completion date for corrective action plan: June 30, 2025

Categories

Student Financial Aid Reporting Material Weakness Matching / Level of Effort / Earmarking

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 524939 2024-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 524940 2024-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 524941 2024-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 524942 2024-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 524944 2024-002
    Material Weakness
  • 524945 2024-002
    Material Weakness
  • 524946 2024-002
    Material Weakness
  • 1101381 2024-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1101382 2024-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1101383 2024-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1101384 2024-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1101385 2024-002
    Material Weakness
  • 1101386 2024-002
    Material Weakness
  • 1101387 2024-002
    Material Weakness
  • 1101388 2024-002
    Material Weakness

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.063 Federal Pell Grant Program $29.65M
84.425 Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds (heerf) - Institutional $2.63M
84.268 Federal Direct Student Loans $896,713
84.007 Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants $810,522
84.048 Career and Technical Education -- Basic Grants to States: Perkins Title I-C $781,078
84.033 Federal Work-Study Program $465,543
59.037 Small Business Development Centers $343,190
84.116 Ecc Warriors Resource Program $217,918
84.116 Warriors Stem Industry Program $187,981
93.558 Temporary Assistance for Needy Families $186,263
84.423 Center for Collaborative Education $154,610
84.002 Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, Title II (wioa) $136,607
11.611 Manufacturing Extension Partnership $78,980
84.031 Wings-Warrior Initiative $77,408
12.600 California Advanced Defense Ecosystems & National Consortia Effort (cadence) $59,017
47.076 Replication of Cohort-Based Computer Science Bachelor's Degree Model $56,623
64.117 Veterans Education $48,573
12.617 California Advanced Supply Chain Analysis and Diversification Effort Phase II (cascade Ii) Project $47,489
10.580 Calfresh Snap Outreach Program (cfo) $37,717
93.658 Foster and Kinship Care Education Program $35,539
94.006 Americorps State and National 94.006 $4,561
93.778 Medi-Cal Administrative Activities $1,039