What Was Performed? A performance audit of the design and operation of Brandywine School District’s internal controls over Local Funds and compliance with the requirements of the Delaware Code, State of Delaware Administrative Code, State of Delaware Budget and Accounting Policy Manual, School District Accounting Policies, and the School District Budget.Why This Engagement? The State Auditor is authorized under 29 Del. C., §2906 to conduct post-audits of local school district tax funds budgets and expenditures. Delaware Code provides for school districts and vocationaltechnical school districts to levy and collect additional taxes for school purposes upon the assessed value of real estate in the district with some exceptions. For purposes of this report, real estate taxes levied for school purposes are referred to as “Local Funds.” The school districts’ authority to levy taxes is governed by 14 Del. C., c. 19 for nonvocational districts and by 14 Del. C., c. 26 for vocational districts.There were four objectives established for the performance audit of the school district:1. School district internal controls over the expenditure of Local Funds were designed and operated based on requirements in the Delaware Code, State of Delaware Administrative Code, State of Delaware Budget and Accounting Policy Manual, School District Accounting Policies, and the School District Budget.2. The school district’s internal controls over the receipt of Local Funds were designed and operated in accordance with the requirements.3. The school district’s real estate taxes were approved and calculated in accordance with the requirements.4. The school district’s tuition tax funds were calculated and spent in accordance with the requirements.In March 2020, the Governor of the State of Delaware declared a state of emergency to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Precautionary measures to slow the spread of the virus continued throughout 2021 and included temporary school district closures. In response to the challenges faced by school districts related to teaching, remote learning, nutrition and emotional support to students, State Auditor McGuiness honored requests from school districts to delay this engagement. This accommodation not only fulfilled the needs of school districts but ensured the integrity of the engagement.What Was Found? Based on the work performed, the following findings were identified:▪ Lack of Approved Purchase Orders for Vendors: Forty-nine (49) vendors did not have an approved purchase order and 104 vendors had purchase orders for only a portion of the purchases in the state accounting system out of 279 tested vendors with cumulative purchases greater than $5,000.▪ Non-Compliance with State Procurement Requirements: One purchase order for $346,844 did not have the required state procurement actions completed by the district out of five purchase orders tested. The district piggybacked on another School District’s expired contract.The Brandywine School District Local Funds Performance Audit for Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2021 can be found on our website: click here.
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