ECTOR COUNTY INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTLocal Government

CFDA title and number: 10.555 National School Lunch Program--Cash Assistance Federal award identification number and year: Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Agriculture Pass-through entity: Texas Department of Agriculture Criteria: Per the National School Lunch Program: Administrator?s Reference Manual section 7, counting, coding, and recording meals served, the District is required to establish procedures for counting, coding, and reporting an accurate daily count of the number of students receiving a reimbursable meal by category, an accurate process for coding reimbursable and non-reimbursable meals served, and processes or common practices that prevent overt identification of student eligibility status. Condition: Siblings of pre-kindergarten students, who were categorically eligible for free meals, were extended meals erroneously for which the District submitted reimbursement for. Additionally, there is a lag between student enrollment and when eligibility testing is completed. During this lag time, the District is not seeking reimbursement for meals served. Cause: During 2018-2019, the District was using a program called Titan School Solutions. An error in the program caused meals to be erroneously extended to students not categorically eligible to be submitted for reimbursement. Additionally, limited staffing and resources does not allow the District adequate time to submit claims during the processing lag time. Questioned Costs: The District has estimated that they net under submitted reimbursements approximating $13,000 from the period between August 2018 and June 2019. Effect: Local funds generated from paid meals were being used to absorb losses for meals that could have been submitted for federal reimbursement. Recommendation: We recommend management of the District carefully evaluate and perform the necessary checks each reporting period to ensure the meals submitted for reimbursement are accurate and complete prior to submission. Management?s Response: Management has performed edit checks and onsite reviews, as required by state regulations, every year. In order to address the extended meals condition identified above, the District will add further sample testing of pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, community eligibility provision, and faculty accounts on a weekly basis.