Finding 943633 (2022-001)

Material Weakness
Requirement
B
Questioned Costs
$1
Year
2022
Accepted
2024-02-13
Audit: 290309
Organization: Real Journey Academies INC (CA)
Auditor: Eide Bailly LLP

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The Organization lacks adequate controls for time accounting documentation for employees working on multiple activities, leading to noncompliance with federal regulations.
  • Impacted Requirements: Failure to meet Title 2, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 200, Subpart E, Section 200.430(i)(1)(vii), which mandates accurate records for salary charges to federal awards.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Implement procedures to ensure compliance, including conducting time studies, training staff on payroll documentation, and retaining signed records monthly.

Finding Text

2022-001 50000 Allowable Cost and Costs Principles (Material Weakness, Noncompliance) Federal Program Affected Program Name: Title I, Part A Assistance Listing Number: 84.010 Pass-through Entity: California Department of Education Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Education Criteria or Specific Requirements Per Title 2, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 200, Subpart E, Section 200.430(i)(1)(vii), charges to Federal awards for salaries and wages must be based on records that accurately reflect the work performed. These records must support the distribution of the employee’s salary or wages among specific activities or cost objectives if the employee works on more than one Federal award; a Federal award and non-Federal award; an indirect cost activity and a direct cost activity; two or more indirect activities which are allocated using different allocation bases; or an unallowable activity and a direct or indirect cost activity. Condition The Organization did not have sufficient controls in place to ensure that employees working on multiple activities or cost objectives maintain time accounting documentation in accordance with Federal requirements. Questioned Costs There were no direct questioned costs associated with the condition identified. However, the salaries charged without adequate time accounting documentation totaled $747,565. Context/Sampling A non-statistical sample of 40 transactions out of 1,351 total transactions were selected for testing, which accounted for $795,265 of $935,043 of federal program expenditures. Effect The Organization has not complied with the requirements identified in Title 2, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 200, Subpart E, Section 200.430 (i)(1)(vii). Cause The condition identified appears to have materialized due to the Organization’s lack of established procedures to ensure compliance with the requirements under Title 2, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 200, Subpart E, Section 200.430 (i)(1)(vii). Repeat Finding No. Recommendation The Organization should review the requirements stated in Title 2, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 200, Subpart E, Section 200.439 and implement a procedure to address the deficiency currently identified. Corrective Action Plan and Views of Responsible Officials The Organization has developed an action plan to conduct time studies on staff working in program areas supported with federal funding resources. Staff training will be provided to the departments on proper payroll documentation. Time studies will be conducted twice annually. Proper documentation of allowable payroll expenditures will be submitted monthly. Signed documents will be retained on file by the department.

Categories

Questioned Costs Allowable Costs / Cost Principles

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 367191 2022-001
    Material Weakness

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
10.555 National School Lunch Program $1.82M
84.215 Fund for the Improvement of Education $675,250
84.184 Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities_national Programs $572,818
16.588 Violence Against Women Formula Grants $292,766
84.010 Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies $184,817
32.009 Emergency Connectivity Fund Program $129,300
84.365 English Language Acquisition State Grants $99,002
84.027 Special Education_grants to States $79,021
84.424 Student Support and Academic Enrichment Program $42,923
84.367 Improving Teacher Quality State Grants $38,531
84.425 Education Stabilization Fund $28,341