Finding 526532 (2024-002)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
L
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2024
Accepted
2025-03-11
Audit: 345463
Auditor: Crowe LLP

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The School Corporation lacks an effective internal control system for managing federal awards, leading to a material weakness in compliance.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with 2 CFR section 200.303 regarding internal controls and reporting requirements is not being met.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Implement a documented, secondary review process for reimbursement claims to ensure accuracy and compliance with meal count data.

Finding Text

Information on the federal program: Subject: Child Nutrition Cluster - Internal Controls Federal Agency: Department of Agriculture Federal Program: School Breakfast Program, National School Lunch Program Assistance Listing Number: 10.553, 10.555 Federal Award Numbers and Years (or Other Identifying Numbers): FY 22-23, FY 23-24 Pass-Through Entity: Indiana Department of Education Compliance Requirement: Reporting Audit Finding: Material Weakness Criteria: 2 CFR section 200.303 states in part: "The non-Federal entity must: (a) Establish and maintain effective internal control over Federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the non-Federal entity is managing the Federal awards 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). . . ." Condition: An effective internal control system was not in place at the School Corporation in order to ensure compliance with requirements related to the grant agreement and the cash management compliance requirement. Cause: The School Corporation's management had not developed a system of internal controls to ensure compliance with the reporting requirements. Effect: The failure to establish an effective internal control system placed the School Corporation at risk of noncompliance with the grant agreement and the compliance requirements. A lack of segregation of duties within an internal control system could have also allowed noncompliance with the compliance requirements and allowed the misuse and mismanagement of federal funds. Questioned Costs: There were no questioned costs identified. Context: We noted that for two claims in a sample of six, the Food Service Director prepared the reimbursement claim without a secondary, documented review to ensure the accuracy of the reimbursement claim. The lack of controls was isolated to fiscal year 2023. Identification as a repeat finding, if applicable: Yes. See prior year finding 2022-001 Recommendation: We recommend that the School Corporation’s management ensure requests for claim reimbursement have a documented, secondary review prior to submission of the claim to ensure meal count data is accurate and agrees to underlying meal count reports. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: Management agrees with the finding and has prepared a corrective action plan.

Corrective Action Plan

Information on the federal program: Subject: Child Nutrition Cluster - Internal Controls Federal Agency: Department of Agriculture Federal Program: School Breakfast Program, National School Lunch Program Assistance Listing Number: 10.553, 10.555 Federal Award Numbers and Years (or Other Identifying Numbers): FY 22-23, FY 23-24 Pass-Through Entity: Indiana Department of Education Compliance Requirement: Reporting Audit Finding: Material Weakness Context: We noted that for two claims in a sample of six, the Food Service Director prepared the reimbursement claim without a secondary, documented review to ensure the accuracy of the reimbursement claim. The lack of controls was isolated to fiscal year 2023. Contact Person Responsible for Corrective Action: Cara Cornell Contact Phone Number: 765-379-2990 Views of Responsible Official: We concur with the finding. Description of Corrective Action Plan: In March 2023, the School Corporation implemented a secondary review/signoff to ensure accuracy of the reimbursement claim form. Anticipated Completion Date: March 2023

Categories

School Nutrition Programs Cash Management Internal Control / Segregation of Duties Material Weakness Reporting Matching / Level of Effort / Earmarking

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 526528 2024-001
    Material Weakness
  • 526529 2024-001
    Material Weakness
  • 526530 2024-001
    Material Weakness
  • 526531 2024-001
    Material Weakness
  • 526533 2024-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 526534 2024-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 526535 2024-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1102970 2024-001
    Material Weakness
  • 1102971 2024-001
    Material Weakness
  • 1102972 2024-001
    Material Weakness
  • 1102973 2024-001
    Material Weakness
  • 1102974 2024-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1102975 2024-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1102976 2024-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1102977 2024-002
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.425 Education Stabilization Fund $514,829
84.027 Special Education Grants to States $400,751
32.009 Emergency Connectivity Fund Program $303,912
10.553 School Breakfast Program $65,780
10.555 National School Lunch Program $57,284
84.010 Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies $50,281
84.367 Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants (formerly Improving Teacher Quality State Grants) $38,834
97.036 Disaster Grants - Public Assistance (presidentially Declared Disasters) $22,429
93.778 Medical Assistance Program $17,666
16.839 Stop School Violence $8,500
84.424 Student Support and Academic Enrichment Program $5,000
84.173 Special Education Preschool Grants $3,597
10.649 Pandemic Ebt Administrative Costs $628