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External auditors give Ector County ISD an unmodified opinion; board asked to approve annual financial report
Summary
Whitney Penn presented an unmodified (clean) audit opinion on the district's 2024-25 financial statements; the administration asked the board to approve the annual financial report but noted the single-audit opinion for federal awards remains in draft pending a final compliance supplement from the federal guidance.
The district's independent auditors told trustees Nov. 18 that they had issued an unmodified (clean) opinion on the Ector County Independent School District's 2024-25 financial statements, and district staff requested board approval of the draft annual financial report (AFR) with the understanding that a portion of the single-audit work was still pending final federal guidance.
Roger Tovar of Whitney Penn summarized the audit process and results, telling the board the audit produced an unmodified opinion and that there were no control findings related to financial reporting. He said the auditor's single-audit opinion on federal-award compliance remains in draft because the final compliance supplement from federal authorities had not been released; auditors said they do not expect changes but cannot issue the final single-audit opinion until that supplement is available.
Finance staff walked trustees through highlights of the AFR. The district reported an increase in governmental fund balance of about $10.2 million for 2024-25 and listed an ending fund balance receivable of $27,261,000 (as presented in the AFR draft). Staff noted that while the district had planned to submit the AFR by Nov. 27, Texas Education Agency's platform changes required an extension and the district will submit in February once the platform is available.
The external auditor also noted that the district's total federal expenditures subject to single-audit procedures exceeded $47,000,000 and that the district qualified as a low-risk auditee. The finance team asked trustees to approve the AFR and sign the required board certificate; a trustee moved to approve the AFR during the meeting.
What trustees were told: the AFR draft includes management's discussion and analysis, fund financial statements, notes, internal-service fund detail and other exhibits; auditors reported no disagreements with management and no reportable control findings.
What remains: the single-audit opinion on federal awards is in draft pending the final federal compliance supplement; administration will finalize and file the AFR with TEA when the portal and guidance permit.
Quotes: "We did issue an unmodified opinion," auditor Roger Tovar said, describing the highest level of assurance on the financial statements. "We're not expecting any changes" to the single-audit results, he added, but noted the technical limit on issuing the final opinion while federal guidance is pending.
Ending: Trustees were asked to approve the AFR draft and to sign the board certificate; staff said the district will publish required statements in the local newspaper and will submit the AFR to TEA when the platform and guidance allow.
