Financial Reports And Accountability

Interim Reports The Superintendent or designee shall submit two interim fiscal reports to the Board of Education, the first report covering the district's financial and budgetary status for the period ending October 31 and the second report covering the period ending January 31. The reports and supporting data shall also be made available by the district for public review. (Education Code 42130) Within 45 days after the close of the period reported, the Board shall assess the interim report on the basis of criteria adopted by the State Board of Education pursuant to Education Code 33127 and on current information regarding the adopted state budget, district property tax revenues if any, and ending balances for the preceding year. The Board shall approve the fiscal report and send it to the County Superintendent of Schools in a format or on forms prescribed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction. In addition, the Board shall submit its certification of the district's financial status based on current projections, in accordance with the following: (Education Code 42130, 42131; 5 CCR 15453-15463) - "Positive certification" indicating that the district will meet its financial obligations for the current fiscal year and two subsequent fiscal years - "Qualified certification" indicating that the district may not meet its financial obligations for the current fiscal year or two subsequent fiscal years - "Negative certification" indicating that the district will be unable to meet its financial obligations for the remainder of the fiscal year or the subsequent fiscal year If the second interim report of the fiscal year is accompanied by a qualified or negative certification as determined by the Board or subsequently by the County Superintendent, the Superintendent or designee shall, no later than June 1, provide to the County Superintendent, the Controller, and the Superintendent of Public Instruction a financial statement that reports data for the period ending April 30 and projects the district's fund and cash balances as of June 30. (Education Code 42131) Whenever the district has a qualified or negative certification, it shall allow the county office of education at least 10 working days to review and comment on any proposed agreement with exclusive representatives of employees. The district shall provide the County Superintendent with all information relevant to provide an understanding of the financial impact of any final collective bargaining agreement. (Government Code 3540.2) Annual Statement of Receipts and Expenditures On a form prescribed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Superintendent or designee shall prepare a statement of all receipts and expenditures of the district for the preceding fiscal year. On or before September 15, the Board shall approve this statement and file it with the County Superintendent. (Education Code 42100) Appropriations Limit Resolution The Board shall adopt a resolution by September 15 of each year to identify the estimated appropriations limit for the district for the current fiscal year and the actual appropriations limit of the district during the preceding year. Documentation used to identify these limits shall be made available to the public on the day of the Board meeting. (Education Code 42132) Audit Report By April 1 of each year, the Board shall either provide for an audit of the district's books and accounts or make arrangements with the County Superintendent to provide for that audit. (Education Code 41020) The Superintendent or designee shall establish a timetable for the completion and review of the audit within the deadlines established by law. To conduct the audit, the Board shall select a certified public accountant, or public accountant licensed by the State Board of Accountancy, from among those deemed qualified by the State Controller. (Education Code 41020, 41020.5) The Board shall not select any public accounting firm to provide audit services if the lead audit partner or coordinating audit partner having primary responsibility for the audit, or the audit partner responsible for reviewing the audit, has performed audit services for the district in each of the six previous fiscal years. (Education Code 41020) While a firm is performing the audit of the district, it shall not provide any nonauditing, management or other consulting services except as provided in Government Accounting Standards, Amendment #3, published by the U.S. Government Accounting Office. (Education Code 41020) The audit shall include an audit of income and expenditures by source of funds for all funds of the district, including the student body and cafeteria funds and accounts and any other funds under the control or jurisdiction of the district, as well as an audit of student attendance procedures. (Education Code 41020) The district's audited financial reports shall include: - Management's discussion and analysis, which shall introduce the basic financial statements and provide an analytical overview of the district's financial activities, including: - An objective and easily readable analysis of the district's financial activities based on currently known facts, decisions, and conditions - Comparisons of the current year to the prior year - An analysis of the district's overall financial position, enabling a determination as to whether that position has improved or deteriorated as a result of the year's activities - An analysis of significant changes that occur in funds and significant budget variances - A description of capital asset and long-term debt activity during the year - A description of currently known facts, decisions, and conditions that are expected to have a significant effect on the district's financial position - Basic financial statements, including: - Districtwide financial statements, consisting of a statement of net assets and a statement of activities which report all of the assets, liabilities, revenues, expenses, and gains and losses of the district - Fund financial statements, consisting of a series of statements that focus on information about the district's major governmental and enterprise funds, including its blended component units - Notes to the financial statements that are essential to a user's understanding of the basic financial statements - Supplementary information required by the Governmental Standards Accounting Board, including but not limited to budgetary comparison schedules No later than December 15, the Superintendent or designee shall file the report of the audit for the preceding fiscal year with the County Superintendent, the California Department of Education, and the State Controller. (Education Code 41020) By January 31 of each year, the Board shall review, at an open meeting, the annual district audit for the prior year, any audit exceptions identified in that audit, the recommendations or findings of any management letter issued by the auditor, and any description of correction or plans to correct any exceptions or any issue raised in a management letter. (Education Code 41020.3) Non-Voter-Approved Debt Report Whenever the Board approves the issuance of certificates of participation bonds, revenue bonds, or any agreement for financing school construction, the Superintendent or designee shall notify the County Superintendent and the county auditor. The Superintendent or designee shall provide the Board, the county auditor, the County Superintendent, and the public with related repayment schedules and evidence of the district's ability to repay the obligation. Within 15 days, the County Superintendent and county auditor may comment publicly to the Board regarding the district's capability to repay the debt. (Education Code 17150) Accrued Benefits and Claims Report The Superintendent or designee shall plan for the implementation of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board Statement 45, including the procurement of a qualified actuary to determine the district's annual expense and liability for post-employment health and welfare benefits. In addition, the Superintendent or designee shall recommend actions to the Board to mitigate the financial impact to the district of any unfunded liabilities. The Superintendent or designee shall annually provide the Board, at a public meeting, information and related actuarial reports showing the estimated accrued but unfunded cost of workers' compensation claims. The Board shall disclose, as a separate agenda item, whether or not it will reserve in the budget sufficient amounts to fund the present value of these claims or if it is otherwise decreasing the amount in its workers' compensation reserve fund. The Board shall annually certify to the County Superintendent the amount, if any, that it has decided to reserve in the budget for these costs. The Board shall submit to the County Superintendent any budget revisions that may be necessary to account for this budget reserve. (Education Code 42141)