Finding 530223 (2024-003)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
E
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2024
Accepted
2025-03-26
Audit: 348312
Organization: City of Framingham (MA)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The City failed to provide adequate records for eligibility determinations of program participants.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with federal eligibility criteria was not met, leading to material weaknesses in internal controls.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Strengthen and implement procedures for maintaining records related to eligibility determinations.

Finding Text

Federal agency: U.S. Department of Education Federal program title: Adult Education - Basic Grants to States Assistance Listing Number: 84.002 Pass-Through Agency: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Pass-Through Number(s): Code 340 Award Period: July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024 Type of Finding: • Material Weakness in Internal Control over Compliance • Material Noncompliance (Modified Opinion) Compliance Requirements: Eligibility Criteria or Specific Requirement: The federal Office of Management and Budget's Compliance Supplement states that audit objectives for eligibility include determining whether required eligibility determinations were made (including obtaining any required documentation/verification), that individual program participants or groups of participants (including area of service delivery) were determined to be eligible, and that only eligible individuals or groups of individuals participated in the program. Condition and Context: For a significant majority of program participants selected for testing, the City could not provide adequate records related to eligibility determinations. Questioned Costs: None (questioned costs are reported in finding 2024-002) Cause: Procedures to maintain records related to eligibility determinations need to be implemented and/or strengthened. Effect: Noncompliance with the federal program occurred and we could not determine the eligibility of the majority of program participants selected for testing. Repeat Finding: Yes (Finding 2023-003) Recommendation: We recommend procedures to maintain records related to eligibility determinations be implemented/strengthened. Views of Responsible Officials: Management agrees with the finding.

Corrective Action Plan

2024-003 Adult Education - Assistance Listing Number 84.002 Recommendation: We recommend procedures to maintain records related to eligibility determinations be implemented/strengthened. Explanation of disagreement with audit finding: There is no disagreement with the audit finding. Action taken in response to finding: The Adult Education department will now scan in the physical intake form that Adult ESL students self-report their eligibility status for MA DESE ACLS as well as have the student sign that form. This form will be stored electronically in addition to the information from the form being entered into the Adult ESL Access database and LACES . Name(s) of the contact person(s) responsible for corrective action: Dr. Kevin O’Connor, Claudia Castro Alves and Kate Fiore Planned completion date for corrective action plan: Effective as of 08/01/2024

Categories

Eligibility Material Weakness Internal Control / Segregation of Duties

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 530213 2024-004
    Material Weakness
  • 530214 2024-004
    Material Weakness
  • 530215 2024-004
    Material Weakness
  • 530216 2024-004
    Material Weakness
  • 530217 2024-005
    Significant Deficiency
  • 530218 2024-005
    Significant Deficiency
  • 530219 2024-005
    Significant Deficiency
  • 530220 2024-005
    Significant Deficiency
  • 530221 2024-006
    Significant Deficiency
  • 530222 2024-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 530224 2024-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 530225 2024-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1106655 2024-004
    Material Weakness
  • 1106656 2024-004
    Material Weakness
  • 1106657 2024-004
    Material Weakness
  • 1106658 2024-004
    Material Weakness
  • 1106659 2024-005
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1106660 2024-005
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1106661 2024-005
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1106662 2024-005
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1106663 2024-006
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1106664 2024-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1106665 2024-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1106666 2024-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1106667 2024-001
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.425 Education Stabilization Fund $6.32M
21.027 Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds $5.37M
84.010 Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies $3.03M
84.027 Special Education Grants to States $2.91M
10.553 School Breakfast Program $1.12M
84.002 Adult Education - Basic Grants to States $982,377
84.371 Comprehensive Literacy Development $825,888
84.365 English Language Acquisition State Grants $821,551
84.367 Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants (formerly Improving Teacher Quality State Grants) $423,482
14.218 Community Development Block Grants/entitlement Grants $402,555
84.287 Twenty-First Century Community Learning Centers $340,259
66.468 Drinking Water State Revolving Fund $222,416
10.555 National School Lunch Program $190,151
93.959 Block Grants for Prevention and Treatment of Substance Abuse $180,828
94.006 Americorps State and National 94.006 $180,097
16.738 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program $145,011
21.016 Equitable Sharing $142,570
84.424 Student Support and Academic Enrichment Program $129,234
97.044 Assistance to Firefighters Grant $126,409
93.354 Public Health Emergency Response: Cooperative Agreement for Emergency Response: Public Health Crisis Response $120,000
10.559 Summer Food Service Program for Children $118,629
97.042 Emergency Management Performance Grants $81,496
84.048 Career and Technical Education -- Basic Grants to States $74,764
84.173 Special Education Preschool Grants $63,381
84.196 Education for Homeless Children and Youth $62,333
66.818 Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup Cooperative Agreements $61,360
20.600 State and Community Highway Safety $47,917
14.239 Home Investment Partnerships Program $35,535
93.268 Immunization Cooperative Agreements $32,887
16.607 Bulletproof Vest Partnership Program $8,535
45.310 Grants to States $382