Natomas Charter Board certifies 2024–25 audit, hears findings on TK enrollment and documentation
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Summary
The board approved the fiscal year 2024–25 audit but was alerted to several findings — a clerical LCFF error, one transitional‑kindergarten student’s mis‑dated enrollment that could trigger state penalties, and incomplete enrollment forms for expanded‑learning programs. Staff will return with corrective‑action plans next month and budget for any state invoices.
The Natomas Charter School Board on Jan. 12 certified the school’s 2024–25 financial audit while acknowledging a small set of compliance findings that staff must correct.
Anita, who presented the audit to the board, said auditors Clinton, Larsen & Elmer completed fieldwork April–October and issued a report that requires no adjustment to the financial statements but identified several findings in the schedule of findings and questioned costs. "We are tonight, we're coming to you to certify the actual audit report," Anita told the board during the presentation.
Key findings cited by the auditors included a clerical error in the unduplicated Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) count — two students were incorrectly listed as eligible for free or reduced price meals in a sample — and a transitional‑kindergarten (TK) eligibility issue involving a single child whose birthdate missed the TK cutoff window. Anita said the TK matter produced two related findings tied to class‑size and adult‑to‑student ratios and that the California Department of Education (CDE) penalty calculator produced example estimates (cited by the presenter as about $24,001.45 and $28,009.24 for different penalties). "We missed a kid by 5 days," Justin (board member) said during the exchange; other board members characterized the missed window as 13 days in discussion.
Anita also reported problems with the expanded‑learning program (staffing ratios) and 17 enrollment forms that were incomplete or missing a parent’s signature; those incomplete records also generated a penalty calculation in the auditors’ spreadsheet. The business office said it expects to budget for potential state invoices in the second interim and will present audit corrective‑action plans at the next board meeting so the district can show evidence of remediation in the FY 25→26 audit cycle.
The board moved and approved certification of the audit by roll call vote. In open session the board also agreed to create an audit advisory committee to help board members and staff review the report and understand audit procedures.
Next steps: the business office and executive team will present written corrective‑action plans at the February meeting and will report any actual CDE invoices and the budget treatment of potential penalties.
