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HIGHEST LEVEL AUDIT OPINION ACHIEVED: UNMODIFIED OPINION

Cleanest possible audit opinion awarded to Anderson County Board of Education

LAWRENCEBURG, KY –The Anderson County Board of Education achieved the highest possible level for an audit opinion, an unmodified opinion, for the 2017-2018 school year. This audit was reviewed by the Anderson County Board of Education at the December 2018 board meeting.  Additional highlights from the highest possible level unmodified opinion audit include:

=       Raising the cash balance by 24% from $5,633,422 at the beginning of FY18 to ending the year with $7,478,434.

=       The general fund contingency fund was increased by 2% from FY17 to FY18.

=       Issuing $3,880,000 of School Building Refunding Revenue Bonds to advance refund previously issued 2007 bonds reducing interest paid on outstanding debt service.

Anderson County’s local chapter of the Kentucky Agency for Substance Abuse, KY-ASAP, is required to have a fiscal agent in order to operate. A board member served on the Anderson County Board of Education as well as the local ASAP board under the advisement of the Board attorney. 

The Superintendent is entitled to travel expenditure reimbursement under KRS 160.410 and approved by the Board through contract for employment. The reimbursement cited was for $192.20. The expenditure was approved for per diem incurred during travel to the 2018 ICLE Model Schools conference where Emma B. Ward was awarded the distinction an internationally recognized Model School. This was the only expenditure reimbursement requested by the Superintendent.

Insurance for Board owned buildings is procured by an agent who provides assurance each year that the appropriate level of coverage is obtained as required by statute. Additional oversight has been implemented and agreed-upon to maintain those levels of insurance.

The district’s bank reconciliation does not have a statutory requirement for a signature or review like school bank accounts however this audit suggestion will be reviewed.

Differences in two school monthly financial reports were small rounding differences from the implementation of new software and has been corrected.

Anderson County High School

=       The football account was in a deficit due to a timing issue in awarding the new year budget; the account is always reimbursed in the fall when the athletic budgets are approved. However, the district has implemented procedures to change this process.

=       Operating expenses can be paid from Board approved student fees collected and procedures have been applied to ensure these are paid at the district level.

=       The Principal has placed staff on notice to ensure checks are brought to the office daily for deposit. Staff are receiving additional training in FY19 to mitigate future instances.

=       Athletic booster clubs have received several trainings to ensure they are aware of the requirements to provide documentation required to be on file at the school level and the District will not approve any booster activity until the information is received.

Anderson County Middle School

=       Only one invoice out of a test of eighteen did not have an invoice and the Principal has place staff on written notice to ensure it does not occur in the future.

=       Certain fundraisers do not require inventory worksheets due to the nature of the event however only two worksheets were not utilized during the entire year for events that require an inventory worksheet.

=       There is a requirement for students third grade and above to are to sign multiple receipt forms however this instance was a payment received directly from the parent and a refund was made to the parent. The District is reviewing this suggestion from the auditor.

=       Schools can pay for contractors from school activity funds however, this function in particular receives direction from school administration during events. Given the nature of the role, the Board subsequently created the position to provide oversight of sales and inventory at the school. The Anderson News cited this item was from Emma B. Ward and in actuality it was for the Anderson County Middle School.

Emma B. Ward Elementary

=       Operating expenses can be paid from Board approved student fees collected and procedures have been applied to ensure these are paid at the district level.

=       The purchase order was only for a single event and in the future no purchases will be approved until a purchase order is in place.

=       The combining budget was on file with the district however submission was delayed two working days.

=       A delay in the receipt of paperwork has been addressed with staff who have been placed on notice by school administration to mitigate future occurrences.

=       Negative balances in the two accounts were addressed. The school is aware that any overage is to be covered in advance, prior to the expenditure, by the school general account.

Robert B. Turner Elementary

=       The Principal has placed staff on notice to ensure checks are brought to the office daily for deposit. Staff are receiving additional training in FY19 to mitigate future instances.

=       RBT’s PTO has received several trainings to ensure they are aware of the requirements to provide documentation required to be on file at the school level and the District will not approve any activity until the information is received.

School achievements from the 2017-2018 school year include:

=       Anderson County High School achieved the highest graduation rate at 98%.

=       The Emma B Ward principal and leadership team were asked to present at the International Center for Leadership in Education (ICLE) conference following the 2017-2018 school year. They showcased the multi-facetted behavioral curriculum that had full implementation during the 2017-2018 school year. These behavior measures and education resulted in a 38.5% reduction in behavioral referrals.

=       Anderson County Middle School purchased Chromebooks to reduce the ratio of devices per student and support cooperative learning.

=       The Ezra Sparrow Early Childhood Center continues to be the model school for the Kentucky System for Intervention.

=       Since March of 2009, the Anderson County School District has saved over $2 million dollars in energy and continues to save more each year with energy cost savings methods. The Ezra Sparrow Early Childhood Center is one of the top ten most energy efficient buildings in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

=       All schools achieved the high at performance level awarded by the Kentucky Department of Education current accountability model.

The District is elated to have received the overall very good, highest possible clean audit opinion, an unmodified opinion. Working as a team to enforce state and federal regulations, increase fund balances to provide the best resources for students and teachers to thrive, and reduce costs, the District has observed the comments as opportunities for growth. It was once said by Benjamin Franklin that “without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning.”

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