Audit finding corrective action

District takes corrective action following Title I audit finding
The Washington State Auditor’s Office during the May 20, 2015 exit interview for the district’s 2013-2014 annual audit reported the Walla Walla School District did not have adequate internal controls to ensure compliance with federal procurement requirements for its Title I program. The finding showed internal control deficiencies related to bid quotes and lack of adequate documentation of sole source vendors for procurements for the Title I program. In a separate communication, the auditor also found the district did not have adequate internal controls related to time sheet management resulting in $5478 in over reported summer hours.

Walla Walla Public Schools has taken the following corrective action based on these findings:
- The district has reorganized its administrative leadership team.
- Training has been provided to staff regarding federal requirements pertaining to Title I funding.
- Bid guidelines and the flow charts indicating proper dollar threshold have been updated and reviewed.
- Timesheets now adequately identify the project(s) for which employees claim additional hours.
- Timesheets are now reviewed by the Business Office by someone knowledgeable with the project to determine if the hours reported appear reasonable.
- All $5478 from the over reported summer hours has been repaid to the district.

“We are held to a high standard in public education,” said Superintendent Dr. Bill Jordan. “We fully cooperated with the Washington State Auditor’s Office throughout this process and accept the Auditor’s report. We are confident we have taken the necessary steps to ensure adequate internal controls over federal programs and time sheet management. Once it was discovered there was an unusual pattern in time sheet reporting, we began a preliminary investigation which then prompted the district to self-report to the Washington State Auditor’s Office. We take the findings seriously and are committed to remaining in compliance with federal laws, regulations, and provisions of these grant awards and ensuring proper time sheet management.”