REPORT DIGEST

 

REGIONAL OFFICE OF EDUCATION #19

 

DUPAGE COUNTY

 

FINANCIAL AUDIT

(In Accordance with the
Single Audit Act and OMB Circular A-133)

For the Year Ended:

June 30, 2006

 

Summary of Findings:

 

Total this audit                          1

Total last audit                          3

Repeated from last audit           1

 

Release Date:

May 24, 2007

 

 

State of Illinois

Office of the Auditor General

WILLIAM G. HOLLAND

AUDITOR GENERAL

 

To obtain a copy of the Report contact:

Office of the Auditor General

Iles Park Plaza

740 E. Ash Street

Springfield, IL 62703

(217) 782-6046 or TTY (888) 261-2887

 

This Report Digest and Full Report are also available on

the worldwide web at

http://www.auditor.illinois.gov

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

 

·        The Regional Office of Education #19 did not comply with certain statutory administrative requirements.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

       

 

 

 

{Expenditures and Revenues are summarized on the reverse page.}

 


                                                                                   

                                               REGIONAL OFFICE OF EDUCATION #19

            DUPAGE COUNTY

 

                                                                  FINANCIAL AUDIT

      (In Accordance with the Single Audit Act and OMB Circular A-133)

                                                       For The Year Ended June 30, 2006

 

 

 

FY 2006

FY 2005

TOTAL REVENUES

$5,444,081

$5,114,203

Local Sources

$1,228,574

$1,102,019

% of Total Revenues

22.57%

21.55%

State Sources

$3,430,702

$2,817,788

% of Total Revenues

63.02%

55.10%

Federal Sources

$784,805

$1,194,396

% of Total Revenues

14.42%

23.35%

 

TOTAL EXPENDITURES

$5,203,089

$5,153,096

Salaries and Benefits

$2,350,986

$2,463,771

% of Total Expenditures

45.18%

47.81%

Purchased Services

$1,994,543

$1,885,025

% of Total Expenditures

38.33%

36.58%

All Other Expenditures

$857,560

$804,300

% of Total Expenditures

16.48%

15.61%

 

 

 

TOTAL NET ASSETS

$2,784,421

$2,543,429

 

 

 

INVESTMENT IN CAPITAL ASSETS

 

$343,836

 

$386,915

 

 

REGIONAL SUPERINTENDENT 

During Audit Period: Honorable Darlene Ruscitti

Currently:  Honorable Darlene Ruscitti

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 


The Regional Office of Education #19 did not comply with certain statutory administrative requirements.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

 

CONTROLS OVER COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS AND REGULATIONS

 

         The Illinois School Code (105 ILCS 5/3-14.11) requires the Regional Superintendent to examine at least once each year all books, accounts and vouchers of every school treasurer in her educational service region, and if she finds any irregularities in them, to report them at once, as directed by the School Code. 

 

         The Regional Office did not examine at least once each year all books, accounts, and vouchers of every school treasurer in the educational service region.  Regional Office officials noted they believe the mandate is outdated and that they are satisfying the intent of the statute by other reviews they undertake.    For example, the Regional Superintendent has been examining school district financial statements on an annual basis. This mandate has existed in its current form since at least 1953.

 

         The Illinois School Code (105 ILCS 5/3-5) also requires the Regional Superintendent to present under oath or affirmation to the county board at its meeting in September and as nearly quarterly thereafter as it may have regular or special meetings, a report of all her acts as county superintendent, including a list of all the schools visited with the dates of visitation.  This mandate has existed in its current form since at least 1953.

 

         The Regional Office did not present at the September county board meeting and as nearly quarterly thereafter, a report of all her acts including a list of all the schools visited and dates of visitation.  The Regional Superintendent submitted to the county board her annual report and presented the report to the county board on December 13, 2005.  The annual report included statistics on major areas of activities of the ROE, including the inspections of school buildings within the region. Details of the dates of visits and other statistics are provided to the board upon request.  

 

         Finally, the Illinois School Code (105 ILCS 5/3-14.5) requires the Regional Superintendent to visit each public school in the county at least once a year, noting the methods of instruction, the branches taught, the textbooks used, and the discipline, government and general condition of the schools.  This mandate has existed in its current form since at least 1953.

 

         The Regional Superintendent performs compliance inspections for each public school in her region on a rotational basis every five years instead of annually.  The Illinois Public School Accreditation Process Compliance Component document completed at these visits includes many of the items delineated in 105 ILCS 5/3-14.5, but does not include a review of the methods of instruction and the textbooks used in the district.  (Finding 06-1, pages 12-15) 

 

         The Regional Office accepted the recommendation to comply with the statutory requirements.  The Regional Office responded that with regards to compliance with 105 ILCS 5/3-14.11 and 105 ILCS 5/3-14.5, the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools and the Illinois State Board of Education have agreed to seek legislation to remove duplicative and/or obsolete sections of the Illinois School Code.  Both parties believe that 105 ILCS 5/3-7 of the Illinois School Code and 23 Ill. Adm. Code 1.20, respectively, contain more current, thorough, and comprehensive requirements concerning a public school district’s financial transactions and visitation of public schools by the Regional Superintendent.  As a result, the two parties working together will seek legislation to repeal these two sections of the Illinois School Code.  

 

         With regards to 105 ILCS 5/3-5, the Regional Superintendent of Schools will meet with the Chairman of the DuPage County Board and review the mandated responsibility placed upon the Superintendent by the Illinois School Code regarding in particular the requirements of the law.  It is hoped that through this discussion and additional discussions regarding the format of presenting quarterly reports that document and affirm the acts of the Superintendent by quarter, the Superintendent will have met the requirements of the mandate.

 

 

AUDITORS’ OPINION

 

         Our auditors state the Regional Office of Education #19’s financial statements as of June 30, 2006 are fairly presented in all material respects.

 

 

 

___________________________________

WILLIAM G. HOLLAND, Auditor General

 

WGH:KJM:ro

 

 

 

SPECIAL ASSISTANT AUDITORS

 

         Our special assistant auditors were E. C. Ortiz & Co., LLP.