EDLD 5342 Week 4 Part 4 - Interview with Assoc. Superintendent of Finance

Week Four Assignment, Part 5 – Interview with Assoc Superintendent of Finance

Our Associate Superintendent of Finance, John Piscacek, assisted the Superintendent in making it possible for our district to receive eight consecutive “Superior Achievement” ratings on our FIRST report. The first step that they take is to advertise in numerous places that are taking proposals. A committee is used to review and rank the proposals. They use a scoring grid to make sure the proposals have certain criteria they are looking for. A representative of the firm comes in to give a verbal presentation to the committee. In the interview they are asked questions about our accounting system and given information about the scope of the audit. They are given a 20 page data sample to evaluate to see how thorough they are. The reputation and how many school districts a firm has audited are part of the equation. The committee selects the top three proposals and submits them to the Superintendent. At that point, our Superintendent and Assoc. Superintendent hold a rigorous interview with the firm representatives. The firm chosen is taken to the board for approval. It is best practice and TEA recommends since the cost of setting up is costly to have a firm from 3 to 5 years.

The auditor will begin with four weeks in June. Components such as Special Programs, Grants, and Federal Funds will be evaluated. Then a review of Investment Officer Training was completed along with PEIMS submission data will be checked against Board minutes. A random number of checks will be pulled and documentation verified. The auditor will return in October and work through the end of December on Year-End audit items. The audit book and conclusions will be prepared and presented to the Board for approval.

The audit concludes where the district is financially. The Auditor’s Opinion is critical as agencies such as state and federal government view these documents and it effects a district’s rating. It determines whether a district is in compliance of state laws and has followed schedules/procedures. Whether a district has met standards will be determined.

The Auditor makes a presentation to the Board. During the presentation financial data is highlighted. Then any Board questions are answered during that time. Once the Board approves it into the minutes, the book will be published on the district website for all to see.