From Harford County Public Schools:
Harford County Public Schools (HCPS) recently participated in a financial management practices audit to evaluate whether the school system’s procedures and controls are effective in accounting for and safeguarding its assets and whether its policies provide for the efficient use of financial resources.
The nine-month audit was conducted in accordance with the requirements of the State Government Article, Section 2-1220(e) of the Annotated Code of Maryland, which requires the Office of Legislative Audits (OLA) to conduct an audit of each local school system at least once every six years.
The Joint Audit Committee of the Maryland General Assembly approved the audit process in September 2004 to include 10 specific areas to be audited at each local school system: Revenue and Billing Cycle; Federal Funds; Procurement and Disbursement Cycle; Human Resources and Payroll; Inventory Control and Accountability; Information Technology; Facilities Construction, Renovation, and Maintenance; Transportation Services; Food Service Operations; School Board Oversight; and Other Financial Controls.
Some positive comments that were presented in the HCPS audit report included: no reportable conditions regarding federal grant management; comprehensive programs in place for procurement and credit card purchasing procedures; proper contracts and expenditures for capital projects; an ethics policy that meets the current requirements of state law; and an operational fraud hotline to enable employees and others to confidentially report operational concerns and suspected fraud, waste and mismanagement.
The purpose of the financial management practices audit conducted by OLA is to highlight opportunities for improvements to internal control and increased cost effectiveness. HCPS has created an action plan that identifies specific actions to improve internal control and review cost effectiveness based on the OLA’s recommendations
Included in the action plan is the implementation of new bus routing software to improve HCPS’ bus routing efficiency. In conjunction with that effort, HCPS will review existing transportation policies and procedures in order to incorporate formal targets and goals for bus routes.
HCPS has already completed an action item regarding the implementation of a new security function for its business management software and has restricted user access to reduce system users’ abilities to perform incompatible duties.
In addition to the legislative audit that is conducted once every six years, HCPS is also subject to many other regular and periodic audits conducted by independent accounting firms, as well as state and federal agencies.
OLA issued its first round of reports of audits of the local school systems between January 2006 and January 2011. HCPS’ first report was issued in May 2008. OLA’s second round of audits is currently underway and its most recent audit of the Harford County Public Schools (HCPS) was issued on January 29, 2015. The report is available on the OLA website and at http://www.hcps.org/departments/BusinessServices/.
“Improve accountability”. Gee golly, I wasn’t expecting that (sarcasm).
The article details the positive, but the headline indicates the need for improvement. Where are the areas for improvement details? Who wrote this?
See line #1
“From Harford County Public Schools:”
We need a Value for Money/Performance Audit!
Last year, HCPS students SAT scores were above state and national averages. Also, graduates of HCPS high schools received in excess of 60 million dollars in scholarships. .
But how many students were in AP classes, did poorly, and didn’t bother to take the tests because they knew they wouldn’t get a good grade?
HCPS looks good because they can claim high AP participation rates, but they don’t talk about how it is accomplished by forcing students into classes where they can barely tread water…
AP students only need to take the national AP test I’d they need the college credit and this extra test isn’t part of their school work and it costs parents money. Most students take AP because it carries a higher GPA, improves performance and exposes kids to challenging learning and would otherwise be bored with normal classes. My son took AP classesand I paid hundreds for the tests to convert to college credit. If the kid is going to a public college, a two year school or a trade school the extra cost isn’t justified because some schools won’t accept AP credits as equivalent. My son had 18 credits transferred to state college but a private college wouldn’t accept them. So it depends if taking the extra test will help past high school or not. It is up to the kids/parents to take and pay for the test. The school benefits in federal funds if more students take the test..
If they’re going to trade school, why aren’t they at Harford Tech for an introduction to the trade?
And schools do have different standards on what scores they will take, some will take a 3 while others want a 4 or a 5, especially if it is in-major. That’s one of the aspects you must consider when you pick a college, a school that recognizes 15-18 AP credits means one less semester which can be a significant savings.
Because everyone who applies to Harford Tech gets in….right Kharn. SMH
moron…..
Because there isn’t enough room at Harford Tech for all of the people that want to go there and HCPS is too arrogant to create more tech schools. It would ruin their image. Anyway, all of the money goes to Fallston.
Did you know that Harford Tech relies on wells and on-property septic systems because the county won’t even extend public utilities to them and it also won’t extend utilities to Harford Community College across the street. Can you imagine running a community college and a good sized high school on wells and septic systems?
Dope:
Then tech school programs need to be pushed out to the high schools rather than saved for the few that Harford Tech can accommodate. Teach the fundamentals at the high schools and save Tech for grades 11-12 or whatever, but HCPS needs to offer job training to more students.
Not everyone is going to college or can be successful at college-level classes.
Alex:
My college was on septic. The honey dipper had a monthly schedule for the dorms.
Kids have to testing to be approved for AP curriculum. No one forces kids into classes they can’t handle. Not everything is a conspiracy or has a hidden agenda.
I can personally tell you that’s absolutely not true. There are in fact high schools in this county that push kids into AP to make themselves look good.
When the average student’s choice is either AP or a co-taught special ed class, which one are they going to pick?
Can you provide evidence that this is in fact, accurate? I’m quite certain, after seeing the course selections, that students have options between AP courses and special education classes.
Not everything is a hidden agenda at HCPS. I agree. They aren’t really smart enough to hide their agenda at HCPS.
Last year, HCPS students SAT scores were above state and national averages. Also, graduates of HCPS high schools received in excess of 60 million dollars in scholarships.
Doesn’t matter how you try to negatively spin it. It is what it is.
Whenever someone discusses HCPS beating the national average for SAT scores, I think back to one of the times I took the test. The girl next to me said to her friend “I hope I get over an 800 this time…” right before we opened our books.
Was she blonde?
How could you guess?
But then again, I’m dumb as poop. I just like to come on here and pretend to be intelligent.
You doing a, good job being a dumb ass, don’t change a thing.
I see a cold rush coming into HCPS next year. Keep going back on the contract that everyone signed and it will be sickout central.
Teachers really need to do something. We are looking at yet ANOTHER year of broken contracts. I would support an organized sick-out. However, until the parents in our county stand up for their children’s teachers, nothing will change. It will be interesting to see how many schools will begin next year with more “long-term substitutes” than certified, experienced teachers.
speaking of financial practices; anyone see where the HCPS HMO insurance cost for employees in going down; but the other two insurance options are going up. That is kind of lame.. They want to sucker more and more into the HMO’s.
Just wait until the next open season and see how the policy terms have changed. No health plan ever goes down in cost without the benefits being cut.