Auditor General DeFoor: Audit Shows West Perry School District Missed Out on More than $500,000 in State Busing Reimbursements
Auditor General DeFoor: Audit Shows West Perry School District Missed Out on More than $500,000 in State Busing Reimbursements
HARRISBURG (May 5, 2021) – Auditor General Timothy DeFoor today said that the West Perry School District in Perry County short-changed itself by $533,441 due to its errors in reporting student transportation costs to the state, according to a new audit.
“Our audits help to make sure school districts are properly reimbursed for transportation costs, which helps to reduce burdens on local taxpayers,” DeFoor said. “We truly don’t want to see any school district leave a half-million dollars of state funds on the table.”
The audit, which covered July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2019, found the school district made numerous errors in reporting student transportation costs eligible for reimbursement from the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE). Altogether, these errors led to the district receiving a net of $533,441 less than it was eligible to receive during the audit period.
“It’s essential for school districts to have strong internal controls that help to prevent such errors,” DeFoor added. “Every dollar counts.”
In addition to urging the West Perry district to implement stronger internal controls and extra levels of review, DeFoor’s audit recommends that PDE correct the matter by adjusting the district’s future reimbursements.
In its response to auditors, West Perry officials outlined a series of corrective actions the district will take to strengthen its tracking, calculating and reporting of eligible transportation costs.
Review the West Perry School District audit report and learn more about the Department of the Auditor General online at www.paauditor.gov.
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