Finding 952212 (2023-003)

Material Weakness
Requirement
A
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2023
Accepted
2024-03-13
Audit: 294827
Organization: City School District of Albany (NY)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: Staffing changes in the District led to delays in reconciling accounts, resulting in inaccurate reporting of state and federal grants.
  • Impacted Requirements: Management must maintain accurate accounting records for federal awards, which were not met, leading to adjustments of over $1 million.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Ensure year-end reconciliation of significant asset and liability accounts to accurately reflect grant balances, with completion expected by June 30, 2024.

Finding Text

Federal Agency - United States Department of Agriculture Federal Program - Child Nutrition Cluster (10.553, 10.555) Federal Award Years - 2023 State Agency - Department of Education Reference - 2023-003 Criteria - Management is responsible for maintaining accurate accounting records, including the tracking of state and federal grants. Condition - Significant changes occurred in the District staffing during the year resulting in delays in reconciling asset and liability accounts in the school lunch fund, and therefore, the accounting records did not accurately reflect appropriate balances of the state and federal grants receivable, including the amounts reported on the schedule of expenditures of federal awards. Cause - The District’s change in staffing caused the controls over reconciling asset and liability accounts to not operate as designed. Effect of Condition - Audit adjusting journal entries were recorded amounting to $1,063,327 of federal awards that was previously excluded from the District’s schedule of expenditures of federal awards and the school lunch fund. Questioned Costs - None. Perspective - Two of the twelve months of child nutrition reimbursements were not accounted for in the school lunch fund or schedule of expenditures of federal awards. Audit adjusting journal entries were recorded to properly report the grants. Recommendation - We recommend that significant asset and liability accounts be reconciled at year-end to ensure accounting records accurately reflect appropriate balances. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions - (a) Comments on the finding and recommendation: The District agrees with the finding. The District also agrees with the recommendation. See below for actions taken. (b) Actions Taken: Management will reconcile significant asset and liability accounts, including state and federal receivables, at year end to ensure accounting records accurately reflect appropriate balances. (c) Anticipated Completion Date: Management anticipates this finding will be resolved by June 30, 2024.

Categories

Cash Management Reporting School Nutrition Programs

Other Findings in this Audit

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.425 Covid-19 - American Rescue Plan - Education Stabilization Fund $10.71M
84.027 Special Education_grants to States $3.19M
84.425 Covid-19 - Education Stabilization Fund $2.98M
10.553 School Breakfast Program $1.08M
84.287 Twenty-First Century Community Learning Centers $748,754
10.555 National School Lunch Program $474,267
84.027 Covid-19 - Special Education_grants to States $213,158
84.173 Special Education_preschool Grants $172,687
84.367 Improving Teacher Quality State Grants $154,196
84.365 English Language Acquisition State Grants $143,613
84.048 Career and Technical Education -- Basic Grants to States $117,607
84.424 Student Support and Academic Enrichment Program $101,328
84.196 Education for Homeless Children and Youth $69,608
10.575 Farm to School Grant Program $44,233
84.173 Covid-19 - Special Education_preschool Grants $38,157
84.010 Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies $22,793