Finding 525530 (2024-002)

Material Weakness
Requirement
AB
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2024
Accepted
2025-03-04

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: Delays in certifying employee compensation charges to federal grants due to insufficient staffing and knowledge.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with 2 CFR § 200.430 and the District's Time and Effort Reporting policy.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Implement timely review procedures and update policy to require certifications within two months of the transaction date.

Finding Text

2 CFR § 200.430(g) states in part, “Charges to Federal awards for salaries and wages must be based on records that accurately reflect the work performed and be supported by a system of internal control that provides reasonable assurance that the charges are accurate, allowable, and properly allocated. Furthermore, Cleveland Municipal School District has adopted a Time and Effort Reporting policy that requires that all federal compensation charges be supported by a system of internal control that provides reasonable assurance that the charges are accurate, allowable, and properly allocated in accordance with 2 CFR § 200.430. In order to address the requirements in their policy and federal regulations, the District established a control procedure in which the Cost Center Manager or higher grant manager is required to certify an employee's charge to a federal grant within the Workday accounting system. Due to insufficient staffing and knowledge of the District policy and federal regulation, 28 of 40 (70%) tested employee compensation charges to the Child Nutrition Cluster and 31 of 40 (78%) charges to the Education Stabilization Grant were certified more than six months from the original pay date. This weakness could lead to a loss of accountability over Federal Time and Effort Reporting and could result in a loss or reduction of funding and potential questioned costs, related to these grants The District should establish procedures to ensure that employee compensation charges, to a federal grant, are timely reviewed for accuracy, allowability and proper allocation. Further, the District should update the existing policy to require the time and effort certifications to be completed within two months of the transaction date.

Categories

Allowable Costs / Cost Principles Reporting School Nutrition Programs Internal Control / Segregation of Duties

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 525520 2024-001
    Material Weakness
  • 525521 2024-001
    Material Weakness
  • 525522 2024-001
    Material Weakness
  • 525523 2024-001
    Material Weakness
  • 525524 2024-001
    Material Weakness
  • 525525 2024-002
    Material Weakness
  • 525526 2024-002
    Material Weakness
  • 525527 2024-002
    Material Weakness
  • 525528 2024-002
    Material Weakness
  • 525529 2024-002
    Material Weakness
  • 525531 2024-002
    Material Weakness
  • 525532 2024-002
    Material Weakness
  • 525533 2024-002
    Material Weakness
  • 525534 2024-003
    Material Weakness
  • 525535 2024-003
    Material Weakness
  • 525536 2024-003
    Material Weakness
  • 525537 2024-003
    Material Weakness
  • 1101962 2024-001
    Material Weakness
  • 1101963 2024-001
    Material Weakness
  • 1101964 2024-001
    Material Weakness
  • 1101965 2024-001
    Material Weakness
  • 1101966 2024-001
    Material Weakness
  • 1101967 2024-002
    Material Weakness
  • 1101968 2024-002
    Material Weakness
  • 1101969 2024-002
    Material Weakness
  • 1101970 2024-002
    Material Weakness
  • 1101971 2024-002
    Material Weakness
  • 1101972 2024-002
    Material Weakness
  • 1101973 2024-002
    Material Weakness
  • 1101974 2024-002
    Material Weakness
  • 1101975 2024-002
    Material Weakness
  • 1101976 2024-003
    Material Weakness
  • 1101977 2024-003
    Material Weakness
  • 1101978 2024-003
    Material Weakness
  • 1101979 2024-003
    Material Weakness

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.010 Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies $42.74M
10.555 National School Lunch Program $17.91M
84.425 Covid-19 Education Stabilization Fund-Esser $7.92M
10.553 School Breakfast Program $7.27M
21.027 Covid-19 Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds $4.84M
32.009 Covid-19 Emergency Connectivity Fund Program $4.84M
84.367 Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants (formerly Improving Teacher Quality State Grants) $2.96M
84.048 Career and Technical Education -- Basic Grants to States $1.48M
84.027 Covid-19 Special Education Grants to States $938,169
10.555 Covid-19 National School Lunch Program $846,148
84.365 English Language Acquisition State Grants $664,832
84.425 Covid-19 Education Stabilization Fund-Arp Esser $635,046
84.196 Education for Homeless Children and Youth $492,198
84.424 Student Support and Academic Enrichment Program $386,131
10.559 Summer Food Service Program for Children $378,218
93.079 Cooperative Agreements to Promote Adolescent Health Through School-Based Hiv/std Prevention and School-Based Surveillance $330,680
84.425 Covid 19 Educational Stabilization Fund-Govenors Emergency Education Relief Programs $302,989
84.173 Special Education Preschool Grants $273,946
93.566 Refugee and Entrant Assistance State/replacement Designee Administered Programs $258,807
84.173 Covid-19 Special Education Grants to States $138,436
10.582 Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program $121,819
84.041 Impact Aid $35,351
10.575 Farm to School Grant Program $6,848
12.000 JR Rotc Program $4,343
84.027 Special Education Grants to States $428