REPORT DIGEST REGIONAL OFFICE OF EDUCATION #54: VERMILION COUNTY FINANCIAL AUDIT FOR THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2016 Release Date: February 16, 2017 FINDINGS THIS AUDIT: 1 CATEGORY: NEW -- REPEAT -- TOTAL Category 1: 0 -- 1 -- 1 Category 2: 0 -- 0 -- 0 Category 3: 0 -- 0 -- 0 TOTAL: 0 -- 1 -- 1 FINDINGS LAST AUDIT: 1 Category 1: Findings that are material weaknesses in internal control and/or a qualification on compliance with State laws and regulations (material noncompliance). Category 2: Findings that are significant deficiencies in internal control and noncompliance with State laws and regulations. Category 3: Findings that have no internal control issues but are in noncompliance with State laws and regulations. State of Illinois, Office of the Auditor General FRANK J. MAUTINO, AUDITOR GENERAL To obtain a copy of the Report contact: Office of the Auditor General, Iles Park Plaza, 740 E. Ash Street, Springfield, IL 62703 (217) 782-6046 or TTY (888) 261-2887 This Report Digest and Full Report are also available on the worldwide web at www.auditor.illinois.gov SYNOPSIS • (16-1) The Regional Office of Education #54 did not have sufficient internal controls over the financial reporting process. FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS CONTROLS OVER FINANCIAL STATEMENT PREPARATION The Regional Office of Education #54 is required to maintain a system of controls over the preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). The Regional Office’s internal controls over GAAP financial reporting should include adequately trained personnel with the knowledge, skills, and experience to prepare GAAP based financial statements and include all disclosures as required by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB). The Regional Office of Education #54 did not have sufficient internal controls over the financial reporting process. The Regional Office maintains its accounting records on the cash basis of accounting during the fiscal year and posts year-end accrual entries for financial statement purposes. While the Regional Office maintains controls over the processing of most accounting transactions, there are not sufficient controls over the preparation of the GAAP based financial statements for management or employees in the normal course of performing their assigned functions to prevent or detect financial statement misstatements and disclosure omissions in a timely manner. During review of the Regional Office of Education #54’s financial information prepared by the Regional Office of Education #54, the auditors noted the Regional Office’s financial information required material adjusting entries to cash, due to other governments, revenue, and expenses in order to present its financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. According to Regional Office management, they did not have adequate funding to hire and/or train their accounting personnel in order to comply with these requirements. (Finding 2016-001, pages 10-11) This finding was first reported in 2010. The auditors recommended that as part of internal control over the preparation of financial statements, the Regional Office of Education #54 should implement comprehensive preparation procedures to ensure that the financial statements are complete and accurate. These procedures should be performed by a properly trained individual(s) possessing a thorough understanding of applicable GAAP, GASB pronouncements, and knowledge of the Regional Office of Education #54’s activities and operations. The Regional Office of Education #54 responded that it accepts the degree of risk associated with this condition because the additional expense to seek outside accounting expertise to prepare and/or review financial statements would take away from the funds available to provide educational services for the schools in the region. (For previous Regional Office response, see Digest Footnote #1 below.) AUDITORS’ OPINION Our auditors state the Regional Office of Education #54’s financial statements as of June 30, 2016 are fairly presented in all material respects. FRANK J. MAUTINO Auditor General FJM:csw AUDITORS ASSIGNED: West & Company, LLP were our special assistant auditors. DIGEST FOOTNOTES #1: CONTROLS OVER FINANCIAL STATEMENT PREPARATION—Previous Regional Office Response In its prior response in 2015, the Regional Office of Education #54 responded that it accepts the degree of risk associated with this condition because the additional expense to seek outside accounting expertise to prepare and/or review financial statements would take away from the funds available to provide educational services for the schools in the region.