Internal auditor and finance chief outline audits underway and budget snapshot

Makisha Anderson, the district's new internal auditor, told the board she assumed the role on Feb. 18 and is overseeing audit work across the agency. She said the Louisiana Department of Education has requested documentation "for over a million dollars worth of reimbursements" tied to past grants; the district plans to submit those documents on March 27. Anderson also outlined a desk-and-onsite audit of four grant programs with document deadlines in April and an onsite visit May 4, Medicaid-related reimbursement monitoring carried out by BDO with documents due in late May, and outstanding work with the Louisiana Legislative Auditor (LLA) and civil service auditors.

Tiffany Franklin, chief accounting officer, provided a financial snapshot. She said the board-approved state budget total figure reported in the meeting materials was unclear in the transcript but that about 62% of state funds have been expended to date; she listed multiple active contracts in negotiation and noted that the agency's SAM.gov registration is in place for upcoming FY27 funding. Franklin said the preliminary FY27 competitive Super App approvals from LDOE have come through and that final budget adoption must take place before the July 1 start of the fiscal year for the district to expend funds.

Board members were told that auditors will have access to student files for the on-site grant audits and that parents may be asked to participate in engagement meetings associated with those audits. Final LLA reports were said to be pending; the district will provide issued reports to the board and the public when available.