APS audit team reports progress on fiscal‑year 2025 external audits; charter audits near draft statements

Courtney Jackson, chair of the Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education Audit Committee, presided over a Sept. 23 virtual meeting where district finance leaders and external auditors provided a status update on the district’s fiscal‑year 2025 external audit and related charter‑school engagements. The presenters said substantive fieldwork is complete and auditors are working through final balance reviews and support requests.

The update matters because the external audit and single audit underpin the district’s audited financial statements for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, and support compliance reporting for federal programs. Renette Apodaca, chief financial officer for Albuquerque Public Schools, and representatives from CliftonLarsonAllen spoke to the committee about remaining steps and timelines.

Sheila Quintana Filosa, CPA, director of state and local government for CliftonLarsonAllen, said work has moved into final account‑balance review. “We have began the final piece of the audit going through reviewing balances,” Quintana Filosa said. She added the audit team had been on site that week and had completed sample selections while awaiting supporting documentation for certain financial‑statement items.

Quintana Filosa also reported continuing work on the single audit and said the district foundation’s audit “is also well underway.” She told the committee CliftonLarsonAllen would complete on‑site procedures for APS charter schools that week and move into a wrap‑up phase, with the expectation of issuing draft financial statements for those charter engagements. “The team at ATS has been really helpful, super cooperative,” she said, thanking district staff for assistance during the auditor transition.

Mark Turnbull, CPA, executive director of accounting for the district, joined CliftonLarsonAllen in thanking staff and noted the audit team and district personnel were working through requests together. The presentation included no formal action; the committee did not take additional votes on audit timelines during the meeting.

Before the status update, the committee completed routine business: Board Member Josefina Dominguez moved to adopt the Sept. 23, 2025, Audit Committee agenda; Board Member Heather Benavides seconded the motion, which passed by roll call. Later, Benavides moved and Dominguez seconded approval of the Aug. 26, 2025, meeting minutes; that motion also passed by roll call.

The committee scheduled its next meeting for Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025, at 5 p.m., to be held virtually and streamed on the APS Board of Education YouTube channel. No substantive policy directions or formal audit findings were issued at the Sept. 23 meeting; auditors reported the engagement was progressing into final review and that draft financial statements for charter schools were expected to follow once requested support is returned.