Maine DOE is providing notice of several changes to requirements and procedures as well as reminders about the annual audit requirements for audits for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2012, and subsequent years.
Changes to State Law
Pursuant to Public Law 2012, Chapter 167 (LD 485) “An Act to Amend and Clarify Certain Education Laws” Part A, the following amendments and additions were made to state law regarding annual audit requirements:
- Sec. A-3. 20-A MRSA §6051, sub-§1, ¶I, as amended by PL 2011, c. 678, Pt. A, §3, is further amended to read:
I. A determination of whether the school administrative unit has exceeded its authority to expend funds, as provided by the total budget summary article; and
- Sec. A-4. 20-A MRSA §6051, sub-§1, ¶J, as enacted by PL 2011, c. 678, Pt. A, §4, is amended to read:
J. A determination of whether the school administrative unit has complied with the applicable provisions of the unexpended balances requirements established under section 15004.; and
- Sec. A-5. 20-A MRSA §6051, sub-§1, ¶K is enacted to read:
K. A schedule of expenditures of federal awards.
Procedural Changes
- The Department requests that all annual audits, requests and correspondence be submitted electronically by email to DOE.Audit@Maine.gov or by direct link on the audit website www.maine.gov/education/audit.
- Municipalities are not required and are kindly requested to withhold from submitting their municipal annual report a.k.a. town report to the Department. The municipal annual report cannot be accepted in lieu of the complete municipal annual audit. Municipal school units are required to submit either a combined annual audit or a school department audit and a municipal audit to the Department. We hope this will relieve any undue burden.
- The Maine Department of Education Audit Team is now formally known as the Fiscal Review and Compliance Team.
Reminders
- School boards are required to comply with Title 20-A MRSA 6051 §4 on or before November 1 each year.
- Annual audit reports are due within six months after the end of the audit period; e.g., reports for the fiscal year ending June 30 are due on or before December 30.
- Per statute, it is the school board’s responsibility to submit the audit unless it is included in the engagement letter that the audit firm will submit the audit to the Department on behalf of the school board.
- The auditor shall review the audit with the school board.
- It is the Superintendents responsibility to request extensions and/or exceptions. The forms are available online at www.maine.gov/education/audit.
Please contact Heather Neal, Fiscal Review and Compliance Team Supervisor, with questions by email at heather.m.neal@maine.gov or by phone at 207-624-6863.