HARRISBURG (April 26, 2021) – Auditor General Timothy DeFoor today announced the release of audit reports for school districts in Cambria, Centre, Schuylkill and Westmoreland counties. All four audits found errors in how districts calculated transportation reimbursements from the state.
“Students and staff deserve to know that administrators are using their schools’ resources efficiently and effectively,” DeFoor said. “That way, they can keep their focus where it belongs: on learning.”
The Department of the Auditor General examines the records of school districts, charter schools, intermediate units, and area vocational-technical schools. The audit assessments include whether school entities received the state subsidies and reimbursements to which they were entitled, accurately managed taxpayer funds, and complied with ethics codes.
The full audit reports are available online using the links provided below.
Cambria County
Central Cambria School District
Findings: The district’s failure to implement internal controls led to inaccurate transportation data being reported, resulting in the district receiving $132,421 in reimbursement overpayments from the state. The district also failed to maintain complete records for and properly monitor its contracted bus drivers and failed to adequately develop and file its required disaster response and emergency preparedness plan.
Centre County
Penns Valley Area School District
Findings: Due to a lack of adequate internal controls, the district inaccurately reported the number of nonpublic and charter school students it transported, resulting in the district receiving a $45,430 overpayment in supplemental transportation reimbursements from the state. The district also failed to retain documentation to support the more than $3.6 million in regular transportation reimbursements it received for the 2015-16 through 2018-19 school years.
Schuylkill County
Schuylkill Haven Area School District
Findings: Due to a lack of internal controls, the district inaccurately reported student transportation data, resulting in the district receiving $6,137 in reimbursement overpayments from the state. The district also failed to maintain complete records for and properly monitor its contracted bus drivers.
Westmoreland County
Findings: Due to a lack of internal controls, the district inaccurately reported student transportation data, resulting in an $18,741 reimbursement underpayment from the state. The district also failed to maintain complete records for and properly monitor its contracted bus drivers and failed to adequately develop and file its required disaster response and emergency preparedness plan.
Learn more about the Department of the Auditor General online at www.PaAuditor.gov.
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