Audit Buzz Newsletter November 2021

In this issue of Audit Buzz, we summarize the status of current engagements, introduce a new Ask the Auditor series in the Knowledge Hive, highlight the Auditor General's recent virtual trip to Richmond, VA to participate in a peer review, and showcase a new OAG team member.

Prior editions of Audit Buzz are archived here on OAG's website.

OAG wishes a safe and happy Thanksgiving to all!

As always, we appreciate the cooperation and courtesies extended to our staff by FCPS management and staff during all past, current, and future audit engagements.

Engagement and Office Updates

Current Engagement Update

• The Business Continuity Plan and Community Use audits are currently ongoing.
• FY22 Continuous Monitoring testing for quarter one is underway. Continuous Monitoring is a year long process that is reported at the end of the fiscal year along with the end of year local school activity funds report. OAG will be reaching out to select schools to request documentation and schedule on site visits.
• OAG continues to serve as the project liaison for a comprehensive program review of FCPS’ special education, which American Institutes for Research (AIR) was contracted to perform. The researchers completed the Year 1 data collection activities and identified emerging themes. The Year 1 Interim Report and Year 1 Interim Report Presentation were presented to the School Board at the work session on September 21.  Based upon the feedback from the School Board, AIR has proposed updates to the Year 2 data collection activities.

Knowledge Hive

In the inaugural entry into Ask the Auditor, we provide answers to common questions received related to school-based continuous monitoring and the Local School Activity Fund (LSAF) audit.

Ask the Auditor

Have a question for the Office of Auditor General (OAG)*?  Questions submitted will be consolidated and answers will be provided periodically through the “Knowledge Hive”.  For this first issue of Ask the Auditor, we will provide answers to a few commonly asked questions.

Note:  The following questions apply to schools only.  The process for continuous monitoring of departmental transactions is under development.

1. Continuous monitoring – what is continuous monitoring? Continuous monitoring is a process whereby OAG selects transactions for review during the year. Each quarter OAG produces division-wide reports from which transactions are selected for review.  Schools receive requests for documentation if a selected transaction originated from their school.    This process streamlines testing and is much more efficient than selecting extensive samples from each school.  If a school’s transaction was reviewed, the school will receive their individual school results; however, the results of continuous monitoring are consolidated for the final report. 
2. Continuous monitoring - how are schools selected and why? As noted above, schools will receive requests for documentation if a transaction originating from their school was selected for review.  In addition to transactions, each quarter OAG randomly selects schools for a site visit.  OAG does try to ensure that a school that received a site visit in one quarter, does not get selected for a second site visit in the same year.  If a school is selected for a site visit, OAG will contact the school with a proposed date for the visit.  To keep within the established timeline OAG schedules multiple schools in one day, therefore it is helpful if a school can be available on the requested date.  However, if there is a conflict the school reach out to OAG.
3. How will be local school activity funds (LSAF) audits be conducted this year? Similar to the most recent LSAF audit, the nonappropriated funds transactions and site visits that are reviewed during continuous monitoring will serve as testing for the LSAF audit.  In addition to continuous monitoring activities, OAG will perform year end tests on fund account balances, transfers, bank reconciliations, etc.  While you will receive interim results as part of continuous monitoring, these results will be consolidated with those from our year end tests into the final year end LSAF audit report. 

Have a question for the auditor?  Contact OAG at internalaudit@fcps.edu.

*Disclaimer: Information provided through Ask the Auditor is intended for informational purposes and internal use by FCPS.  The questions asked, and answers provided, reflect a representative set of circumstances.  Your questions may involve a variation of facts which may cause answers/outcomes to be different.  Policies and regulations are subject to change and may require interpretation.  Where appropriate, FCPS resources and/or subject matter experts will be identified.

Did you Know?

Richmond Office of City Auditor Peer Review

In October, Esther Ko, Auditor General, was invited by the Association of Local Government Auditors (ALGA), to conduct a virtual Peer Review (i.e. Auditing the Auditors!) for the City of Richmond, VA, Office of City Auditor.  During this endeavor, Ms. Ko served as the team lead in assessing the Office of City Auditor’s compliance with the Government Auditing Standards.  This opportunity brought insight to further strengthen OAG audit processes.

Welcome Recent and New OAG Hires

Khalid Abudiab, Information Technology Auditor: Khalid joined OAG as an IT Auditor in November 2021. Khalid obtained a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting Information Systems degree and has worked as Senior IT auditor for 17 years for the Society for Human Resource Management. In addition, Khalid worked as an Adjunct Faculty for UMUC, Strayer, and Stratford Universities where he taught graduate and undergraduate Accounting, Business, and IT Auditing classes for 12 years.  Khalid is a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Information Systems Auditor, Certified Internal Auditor, and Certified Management Accountant. During his free time, Khalid enjoys reading, walking, and playing soccer. He aims to work with his colleague at FCPS, and to share knowledge and best practices on information technology and business governance, risk management, and controls to help FCPS Leadership and departments achieve their FCPS’s mission and strategic goals.

Next Audit Committee Meeting

The next Audit Committee meeting is scheduled for December 9, 2021 at 4:00 PM.  Please refer to BoardDocs for meeting information once it becomes available. 

Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Hotline:
(571) 423-1333 (anonymous voicemail)
InternalAudit@fcps.edu (email is not anonymous)

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