School Board Audit Committee Training

Module 8

Compliance Matters and Other Topics

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Session objectivesAfter completing this session you will:

Understand the Audit Committee’s duties related to compliance matters

Understand timelines and topics for audit committee meetings

Have knowledge of the recommendations from the Operational Review Process

Know how to stay up to date

Understand recommendations from the Interim Financial Reporting Committee (IFRC)

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Audit Committee’s Duties Related to Compliance Matters [ON Regulation 361/10 9(5)]

• To review the effectiveness of the School Board’s system for monitoring compliance with legislative requirements and with the Board’s policies and procedures and follow up on any non-compliance

• To review any significant findings of regulatory entities, and any observations of the internal or external auditor related to those findings

• To review the School Board’s processes for communicating any applicable codes of conduct and for administering those codes of conduct

• To obtain regular updates from management and legal counsel regarding compliance matters

• To obtain confirmation from the Director of Education and supervisory officers that all statutory requirements have been met

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Sign-off on Compliance Matters• A best practice followed by many organizations is a management sign-off

indicating that the organization is in compliance with specific regulatory/legislative requirements

• For a School Board, this sign-off could confirm the School Board’s compliance within areas such as:

• A compliance sign-off could be provided to the Audit Committee on an agreed upon basis (i.e. semi annual)

• Other matters communicated could include areas such as material litigations not fully insured and other financial risk areas.

Fulfillment of all wage payments, including vacation pay and any severance Remittance of all required employee deductions Remittance of all required HST amounts Compliance with pay equity legislation Compliance with relevant sections of the Education Act (specify key requirements)

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Audit Committee should be established

• 1st Meeting of the new Audit Committee shall be held

• Elect a chair and secretary• Prepare a work plan 2

• Review and approve the internal audit plan

• Review year end external audit plan and scope

• Discuss fraud risks with external auditor• Conduct a self-assessment of the Audit

Committee’s performance• Review the annual report from internal

audit

• Review draft audited financial statements with management and external auditors

• Review a summary of internal audit findings, make recommendations to address any concerns

• Evaluate the effectiveness of internal audit

• Report to the Board of Trustees on the performance of the Audit Committee

Suggested 2011 audit committee time-table/agenda items1

January 31

March 31

September 30

November 30

1 See revisions to suggested time-table /agenda depending on date of completion of Risk Assessment (Tool kit)2 Work plan should address compliance oversight including how and when monitored

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Operational Review of District School BoardsStrengthening Management CapacityGoals:

Ministry Operational Review of all Ontario District School Boards over a 3 Year period will:

• Increase public confidence and support for the public education system by:

− Strengthening management capacity in business processes across the sector through recommending improvements in non-academic operations;

− Highlighting to the sector and the school board communities existing successful business practices currently being utilized by boards; and

− Leveraging best practices across the sector.

• Provide support and assistance to ensure that all boards are financially healthy, well managed and positioned to direct optimum level of resources to support student success.

• Provide the Ministry with input into DSB capacity/capabilities for consideration in the on-going development of policy.

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Operational Review of District School Boards

Focus of Operational Reviews:

1. Governance and School Board Administration

2. Human Resource Management and School Staffing/Allocation:− Organization− Human Resource Management− School Staffing / Allocation

3. Financial Management:− Organization− Budget Planning and Development; − Financial Reporting & Analysis− Treasury Management− Non-Grant revenue Management− Procurement.

4. School Operations and Facilities Management: − Organization− Custodial and Maintenance Operations− Energy Management− Health, Safety and Security− Capital Plans, Policies and Procedures− Construction Management

Strengthening Management Capacity

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Operational Review Approach

2 .Analyze Board Background Data

5. Issue Data Request to DSB

6. Gather & Submit Required Data

1. Develop Board background Profile

7. Analyze Data & Submit to Database

8. Conduct Fieldwork with DSB

10. Assist & Participate in Fieldwork

11. Develop Draft Report

12. Review Draft Report

13. Review Draft Report

14. Issue Final Report

15. Accept & Approve Final Report

16. Communicate Final Report

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3. Plan Fieldwork & Communicate to DSB

4. Commit to Fieldwork Plan

Pre-Fieldwork Fieldwork Reporting

9. Participate in Fieldwork

Follow-up

17. Follow-up Review

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Formal Recommendations from Operational Reviews, to date, relate to the following areas:

Source: Summary Report of Operational Reviews

Establishment of strategic direction and

development and reporting of annual board

improvement plans

Attendance management

Clear delineation between the roles and

responsibilities of the School Board’s Trustees and Director of Education

Audit functionInterim financial reporting

Energy managementParticipation in buying

consortiaMulti-year maintenance

and renewal plan

Procurement policies and procedures

Compliance audit of benefit carriers

Formal succession plans for senior management and implementation of supporting initiatives

Performance management for all employee groups

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Interim Financial Reporting

• An Interim Financial Reporting Committee (IFRC) was established as a result of one of the improvement opportunities identified in the Operational Reviews.

• Key recommendations of the IFRC were as follows:• Establish a reporting cycle at the beginning of the year, sharing the

proposed cycle with Trustees in September;• Provide a minimum of 3 in-year reports in a consistent format with

each report containing the same performance indicators;• Include non-financial performance indicators in the report (i.e.

enrolment and staffing); and• Explain key variances and form a conclusion

Source: 2009: SB38

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Interim Financial Reporting

• The IFRC recommended that the interim financial reports align with reporting dates of existing Ministry reports, based on October 31, March 31 and a discretionary month-end close date between June 30 and August 31

• Supporting revenue and expense schedules would also be included in the reports, providing a more detailed break-down with two key assessments:− Budget assessment that compares the year-end forecast to the

budget, providing an explanation for all key variances; and− Risk assessment that compares prior year results to the current year

actual.• Boards are encouraged, but not mandated to adopt these

recommendations• There is a growing trend in government and government organizations to

prepare quarterly financial reporting for stakeholders

Source: 2009: SB38

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Exercise

• Discuss the benefits and challenges of interim financial reporting amongst your table groups

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How to Stay Up To Date

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How to Stay Up To Date

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How to Stay Up To Date

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How to Stay Up To Date

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How to Stay Up To Date

• The Ministry of Education website is a good source for information - http://faab.edu.gov.on.ca/AuditCommittees.html

• The Institute of Internal Auditors is a good source of information relating to Internal Audit – http://www.theiia.org

• The CICA website is a good source for new developments relating to Audit Committees - http://www.cica.ca/auditcommittees/index.aspx

• The PSAB website is a good source for upcoming changes in accounting standards - http://www.psab-ccsp.ca/index.aspx