Finding 950872 (2023-002)

FINDING 2023-002 Subject: Child Nutrition Cluster - Eligibility Federal Agency: Department of Agriculture Federal Programs: School Breakfast Program, National School Lunch Program Assistance Listings Numbers: 10.553, 10.555 Federal Award Number and Year (or Other Identifying Number): 21-1620, 21-1620 Pass-Through Entity: Indiana Department of Education Compliance Requirement: Eligibility Audit Finding: Material Weakness Repeat Finding This is a repeat finding from the prior audit report. The prior audit finding number was 2021-003. Condition and Context The School Corporation had not properly designed or implemented a system of internal controls, which would include appropriate segregation of duties, that would likely be effective in preventing, or detecting and correcting, noncompliance related to the eligibility determination of a child receiving meals. INDIANA STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTS 18 LAWRENCEBURG COMMUNITY SCHOOL CORPORATION SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS (Continued) Any child enrolled in a participating school who meets the applicable program's definition of "child," may receive meals under the applicable program. In the case of the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program, children belonging to households meeting nationwide income eligibility requirements may receive meals at no charge or at reduced price. Children who have been determined ineligible for free or reduced-price school meals pay the full price, set by the School Food Authority, for their meals. Children attending SFSP meal service sites receive their meals at no charge. As a general rule, a child's eligibility for free or reduced-price meals under a Child Nutrition Cluster program may be established by the submission of an annual application or statement which furnishes such information as family income and family size. Local educational agencies, institutions, and sponsors then determine eligibility by comparing the data reported by the child's household to published income eligibility guidelines. Additionally, a child may be direct certified. For a direct certification, annual eligibility determinations are based on the child's household receiving benefits under SNAP, FDPIR, the Head Start Program (ALN 93.600), or, under most circumstances, the TANF program (ALN 93.558). A household may furnish documentation of its participation in one of these programs; or the school, institution, or sponsor may obtain the information directly from the state or local agency that administers these programs. Certain foster, runaway, homeless, and migrant children are categorically eligible for free school lunches and breakfasts. Direct Certified households do not need to complete an application. Free and reduced price applications were completed online. The information entered in the application was then automatically uploaded into the School Corporation's child nutrition software system. The software system calculated a student's eligibility for free and reduced price meals based on the parameters within the system. The system parameters were entered by the Food Service Director, without a documented review or oversight process to ensure the parameters entered were accurate. Additionally, there was not a review process in place to ensure that the eligibility determinations made by the software system were in compliance with the requirements of the programs. The lack of internal controls was isolated to fiscal year 2022-2023. Criteria 2 CFR 200.303 states in part: "The non-Federal entity must: (a) Establish and maintain effective internal control over the Federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the non-Federal entity is managing the Federal award 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). . . ." Cause A proper system of internal controls was not implemented by management of the School Corporation, which would include segregation of key functions. Embedded within a properly designed and implemented internal control system should be internal controls consisting of policies and procedures. Policies reflect the School Corporation's management statements of what should be done to effect internal controls, and procedures should consist of actions that would implement these policies. INDIANA STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTS 19 LAWRENCEBURG COMMUNITY SCHOOL CORPORATION SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS (Continued) Effect Without the proper design or implementation of the components of a system of internal controls, including policies and procedures that provide segregation of duties and additional oversight as needed, the internal control system cannot be capable of effectively preventing, or detecting and correcting, material noncompliance. Questioned Costs There were no questioned costs identified. Recommendation We recommended that management of the School Corporation design and implement a proper system of internal controls, including policies and procedures that would provide segregation of duties to ensure appropriate reviews, approvals, and oversight are taking place. Views of Responsible Officials For the views of responsible officials, refer to the Corrective Action Plan that is part of this report.