Summary

Summary of Report on Financial Statements

Our audit disclosed that the District’s basic financial statements were presented fairly, in all material respects, in accordance with prescribed financial reporting standards.

We noted certain matters involving the District’s internal control over financial reporting and its operation that we consider to be significant deficiencies as summarized below.  However, these significant deficiencies are not considered to be material weaknesses.

The results of our tests disclosed no instances of noncompliance or other matters that are required to be reported under Government Auditing Standards; however, we noted certain additional matters as summarized below.

Significant deficiencies

Finding No. 1:        Improvements are needed in District procedures to ensure that accounts and transactions are properly reported on the financial statements.

Finding No. 2:       The District’s management of information technology (IT) access privileges needed improvement.

Additional Matters

Finding No. 3:       District purchasing procedures could be enhanced to ensure that payments are not made before services are received.

Finding No. 4:       Procedures could be enhanced to comply with Section 119.071(5)(a), Florida Statutes, and properly monitor collection and use of social security numbers.

Finding No. 5:       The District had not developed a formal fraud policy to provide guidance to employees for communicating and reporting known or suspected fraud to the appropriate authority.

Finding No. 6:       Improvements are needed to enhance controls over high school diplomas.

Finding No. 7:       Improvements to District procedures are needed to ensure that the required background screenings and fingerprinting are performed for contractual personnel.

Finding No. 8:       The District had not developed a written IT security awareness training program or performed ongoing security awareness training.

Finding No. 9:       The District’s security controls related to user authentication and logging needed improvement.

Finding No. 10:     District banking agreements did not restrict transfers to only Board accounts.

Summary of Report on Federal Awards

We audited the District’s Federal awards for compliance with applicable Federal requirements.  The Child Nutrition Cluster and Title I programs were audited as major Federal programs.  The results of our audit indicated that the District materially complied with the requirements that were applicable to the major Federal programs tested. 

Audit Objectives and Scope

Our audit objectives were to determine whether the Bay County District School Board and its officers with administrative and stewardship responsibilities for District operations had:

• Presented the District’s basic financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

• Established and implemented internal control over financial reporting and compliance with requirements that could have a direct and material effect on the financial statements or on a major Federal program;

• Established internal controls that promote and encourage:  1) compliance with applicable laws, rules, regulations, contracts, and grant agreements; 2) the economic and efficient operation of the District; 3) the reliability of records and reports; and 4) the safeguarding of District assets;

• Complied with the various provisions of laws, rules, regulations, contracts, and grant agreements that are material to the financial statements, and those applicable to the District’s major Federal programs; and

• Taken corrective actions for findings included in our report No. 2008-112.

The scope of this audit included an examination of the District’s basic financial statements and the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards as of and for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2008.  We obtained an understanding of the District’s environment, including its internal control and assessed the risk of material misstatement necessary to plan the audit of the basic financial statements and Federal awards.  We also examined various transactions to determine whether they were executed, both in manner and substance, in accordance with governing provisions of laws, rules, regulations, contracts, and grant agreements.

Audit Methodology

The methodology used to develop the findings in this report included the examination of pertinent District records in connection with the application of procedures required by auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America, applicable standards contained in Government Auditing Standards issued by the Comptroller General of the United States, and Office of Management and Budget Circular A-133.

Management's response is included in the report as Exhibit - M.