2017-18 AUDIT: Schools paid workers who never showed up
Treasurer Hiwot Abraha said the clean audit is another step in DPSâ improvement efforts, following a move last year from high-risk to low-risk auditee.
âThis is a big achievement for our school district, our community, taxpayers and all stakeholders,â Abraha said. âWe are delighted that we received this unmodified opinion, and we will keep on improving going forward.â
In several recent years, Dayton audits had also listed âsignificant deficienciesâ or âmaterial noncomplianceâ tied to certain financial reporting procedures. The 2018-19 audit from the state shows no deficiencies, noncompliance items or material weaknesses for the first time in at least five years.
2016-17 AUDIT: Audit shows DPS paid $30K in unearned salary
In the past two yearsâ audits, one of DPSâ largest problems had been employees getting paid for periods they didnât work. In some cases, people were hired and received some pay, but never actually started, and in other cases people resigned and were still paid for awhile after they left.
School board President Mohamed Al-Hamdani congratulated the treasurerâs department, saying Abrahaâs team and other top district leadership have been working on âdotting our iâs and crossing our tâs.â
âI think itâs a product of a concentrated effort on our treasurerâs department, to work very hard to ensure that we stay fiscally responsible and also stay compliant,â Al-Hamdani said.
NOVEMBER: Dayton schoolsâ bond rating improves
The audit news comes on the heels of an improvement in DPSâ bond rating last fall. The Fitch agency upgraded Daytonâs default bond rating from BBB+ to A-, which could lower the districtâs borrowing costs in the future.
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