At the June 26, 2025 meeting of the Savannah-Chatham County Public School Audit Committee, the committee approved the internal audit summary and the FY2026 audit plan (July 1, 2025–June 30, 2026) with two amendments: changing the program-management audit title to focus on capital projects program management and updating the count of business-process reviews to 31.

The committee first approved the meeting agenda and the minutes from the April 24, 2025 meeting by voice vote. Later in the meeting, Leah (Audit staff) introduced the FY2026 audit plan, saying the plan was "designed only for the current employees that we have on hand" and noting that "we do have 8 applicants, for that open position that we will be interviewing for." Committee members approved an amended audit plan and accepted staff’s explanation that, if the department hires another auditor, additional audits could be proposed and brought back for committee approval.

What the plan includes and what was changed

- Timeframe and staffing: The audit plan covers July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. Leah told the committee staffing is a constraint; eight applicants were under consideration for a vacancy and the committee must approve any additions to the plan if staff capacity increases.

- Discontinued and deferred audits: The audit of the competitive purchasing process and asset management were discontinued because a third party will review those processes. The planned audit on classroom cell-phone use was put on hold because the new "Distraction Free Education Act" (as cited by staff) changes the regulatory environment. A student-promotion audit was deferred to FY2027 to allow recommendations from attendance and grading audits to be implemented and observed.

- In-progress items and scheduling: Contract management and purchase-card audits remain scheduled for September 2025. The committee noted the number of business-process reviews increased from 29 to 31 because of principal changes.

Votes at a glance

- Motion: Approve meeting agenda (mover/second not named). Outcome: approved by voice vote.
- Motion: Approve minutes of April 24, 2025. Outcome: approved by voice vote.
- Motion: Approve summary of audits as presented. Outcome: approved by voice vote.
- Motion: Approve amended FY2026 audit plan (amendments: title change to "capital project program management" and update to 31 business-process reviews). Outcome: approved by voice vote.

Committee discussion emphasized that the audit plan is tied to current staffing levels and that staff must return to the committee if hiring allows expansion of the work plan. Leah said the department sometimes overbudgeted audit capacity in prior years when hiring was expected but delayed. The committee also asked staff to update the board-clean version of the school list before it is presented to the full board.

Ending: The committee accepted the audit calendar and asked staff to circulate materials and calendar invites earlier for future meetings. The audit plan as approved will be forwarded to the full board.