2022 Extracurricular Accounts

Introduction

Recording Financial Transactions

Custody and Control

Subsidiary Ledgers - Reconciling

Funds, Records, Accounts, Reports

Booster Groups

Overdrawn Funds

Recording School Corporation Financial Transactions

Extracurricular Mileage Claims

Equipment Purchases

Witholding Tax, Social Security and Retirement

Accounting for Gifts, Donations

Approval of Expenditures

INTRODUCTION

The accounting system and procedures detailed herein are based on IC 20-41-1-1 et seq..

Activity or activities as used herein has reference to conducting any athletic, social, class, or other school function and the collection, custody and disbursement of any money in connection therewith, other than functions conducted solely by any organization of parents and teachers, which does not include public money. The collection, custody, and disbursement of the money for an activity are represented in the accounting records by a fund and the control account for all of the activity funds is designated as the "School Extracurricular Account."

The information contained herein is intended to assist you and does not represent legal advice, or a legal opinion, references to statutes or other authoritative materials may not be all inclusive.

RECORDING FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS

Please note from the definition above, that the extracurricular account is to be used only for functions which are not educational in nature. Accounts for educational functions must be maintained in the school corporation records.

Separate funds are required for each class or activity.

IC 20-41-1-4 provides that forms and records used shall be prescribed or approved by the State Board of Accounts and that the State Board of Accounts may examine the records and affairs of the extracurricular activities when in the judgment of the State Examiner such examination is necessary.

IC 20-41-1-4 further provides that no money shall be transferred from the fund of any organization, class or activity except by a majority vote of its members, if any, and by the approval of the principal, sponsor and treasurer of the organization, class or activity; except that in the case of athletic funds, approval of the transfer shall be made by the athletic director, principal and treasurer. However, see Approval of Expenditures, Page 1-4. Payments should not be made to any member.

CUSTODY AND CONTROL

IC 20-41-1-5 provides that a treasurer shall be appointed for each public school, that such treasurer shall be the superintendent or principal or some clerk of the school corporation or member of the faculty appointed by the superintendent or principal. "Treasurer", as used in IC 20-41-1 includes an assistant or deputy treasurer. The designation of the treasurer must be made immediately upon the opening of the school term or upon the occurrence of a vacancy in the office. A school corporation may appoint one (1) or more assistant or deputy treasurers.

The cost of prescribed or approved records shall also be paid from the operation fund of the school corporation.

Bonds

IC 20-41-1-6 provides for the requirements of bonding the Treasurer. The treasurer of each extracurricular account shall provide a faithful performance of duty bond for one year, the term of the office. The amount of the bond shall be fixed and approved by the school superintendent and principal approximating the total amount of anticipated funds which will come into the hands of the treasurer at anyone time during the regular school year. The statute goes on to provide the option to bond individuals separately or use a single blanket position bond for all individuals required to obtain a bond. The blanket bond must cover all employees listed and include aggregate coverage for all amounts approved for each individual.

IC 20-41-2-6 provides additional bonding requirements if the school lunch or curricular materials rental program is accounted for in the extracurricular records. It provides in that situation the governing body of the school corporation shall approve the amount of the bond of the treasurer.

Premium on the official bond is payable from the Operations fund of the school corporation. The requirement for giving bond and requirement to deposit receipts in a separate bank account do not apply where the receipts, as estimated by the principal, will not exceed $300.00 during the school year.

IC 20-26-4-5 provides additional bond requirements for individuals whose official duties include receiving, processing, depositing, disbursing, or otherwise having access to funds that will exceed $5,000 in a single year.

SUBSIDIARY LEDGERS - RECONCILING

Subsidiary ledger balances must reconcile to the control ledger fund balance. Every transaction should be posted to the control ledger and to the appropriate subsidiary ledger. Fund balances should reconcile between the control ledger and the subsidiary ledger.

FUNDS, RECORDS, ACCOUNTS, REPORTS

The treasurer shall deposit without unreasonable delay, all receipts in one bank account to be known as the "(name of school) School Extracurricular Account." Accordingly, when funds are lawfully deposited, all disbursements must necessarily be made by check.

IC 5-13-6-1(c) states in part: "Public funds deposited . . . shall be deposited in the same form in which they were received."

Payments may be made only upon approval by the principal or teacher in charge of the school. However, see Approval of Expenditures in this section. As a method of internal control, we recommended that the appointed treasurer be someone other than the principal of the school so that the principal may countersign all extracurricular checks as a means of showing approval of the expenditure.

The extracurricular treasurer is required to keep an accurate account of all money received and expended, showing the source of each receipt, the purpose of each disbursement and the overall balance on hand, which is the control account for all of the activity funds. A separate fund must be maintained in the ledger to record the transactions of each class, organization or activity so that the balance in each fund may be known at all times. The money in the "School Extracurricular Account" may be invested under the conditions specified in IC 5-13 for investment of school corporation money; however, investments under the section are at the discretion of the principal. The interest earned from any investment may be credited proportionately to each separate extracurricular fund or be credited to an "Investment Income Fund." The interest earned from such investments may be used for any school purpose upon approval by the principal in charge of the school. The interest earned from the investment may be used in addition to the appropriation under IC 20-26-5-4(3). However, see Approval of Expenditures in this section.

The ledger forms prescribed for use by school extracurricular account treasurers include a control account, "Extracurricular Account," in which to record all receipts, all disbursements and the balance of all activity funds combined. Posting to the control should be made each day from the receipt and check registers in individual amounts or accumulated by receipt and check number. There shall also be kept a record of the transactions of each activity, showing each receipt, each disbursement and the balance of each particular fund. Posting to the fund of each individual activity should be made from the receipt and check registers by recording each transaction separately or by grouping receipts with consecutive serial numbers and checks with consecutive serial numbers if such are issued for the same source or purpose respectively.

A financial report must be made within two weeks after the close of the school year, of all activity funds. Bank statements should be dated as of the last day of school. Forms for making the report have been prescribed; they are Forms SA5-1, SA5-2, SA5-3 and SA5-4. The report shall be made in detail on the prescribed forms showing the source of all receipts, the purpose of all disbursements and the balance remaining in the fund of each activity. The SA forms shall be filed with the school board within two weeks after the close of each school year together with the records and files of the activities. Schools having two (2) or more semesters in any one school year are required to have the treasurer of such school file a copy of the financial report of receipts and disbursements within two (2) weeks after the close of each semester. The law also requires that a copy of the report shall be filed with the superintendent of schools.

These records shall be permanent records for five years, after which time they may be destroyed. [IC 20-41-1-8] See Preservation and Destruction of Public Records in this chapter.

OUTSIDE ORGANIZATION'S RECORDS – BOOSTER GROUPS

IC 20-41-1-7 states in part: "The treasurer has charge of the custody and disbursement of any funds . . . incurred in conducting any athletic, social, or other school function (other than functions conducted solely by any organization of parents and teachers) . . ." Therefore, activities and organizations which are not extracurricular in nature should be responsible for their own accounting and cash handling systems. The extracurricular account should not collect, receipt, remit, or disburse outside organization's monies.

OVERDRAWN FUNDS

Overdrafts may not be created or exist in any fund. The extracurricular treasurer should advise the activity sponsor and student treasurer periodically, preferably monthly, of the current balance in the fund of their activity. Therefore, comparisons can be made and differences reconciled before transactions become past due or particulars are difficult to recall.

RECORDING SCHOOL CORPORATION FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS

All financial transactions related to the school corporation should be accounted for in the School Corporation Records.

EXTRACURRICULAR MILEAGE CLAIMS

Individuals requesting reimbursement for driving personal vehicles for extracurricular purposes should properly complete a Mileage Claim, General Form 101, prior to receiving reimbursement.

EQUIPMENT PURCHASES

IC 20-26-5-4 states in part: "In carrying out the school purposes of a school corporation, the governing body acting on the school corporation's behalf has the . . . specific powers . . . to acquire personal property or an interest in personal property as the governing body considers necessary for school purposes . . ." Therefore, extracurricular equipment purchases should be approved prior to purchase by the Board of School Trustees.

WITHHOLDING TAX, SOCIAL SECURITY AND RETIREMENT

When salaries are paid which are subject to withholding tax, social security, or retirement, the following procedure is suggested:

A check is written to the employee for the net amount (gross pay less tax, social security or retirement) and posted to the control account. The gross amount of the check is posted as a disbursement from the individual activity fund; and, the federal tax and state gross income tax deductions are posted as receipts to clearing accounts for these items. Likewise, social security deductions are posted as a receipt to a social security clearing account and, retirement deductions are posted as a receipt to a retirement clearing account. This method disburses the amounts of tax, social security and retirement as salary and transfer the deductions to a clearing account for each deduction.

Governmental funds generally are exempt for the payment of sales tax on qualifying purchases. Respective tax agencies should always be contacted concerning tax exemptions and payments.

Due to numerous and continuing changes in payroll withholding requirements and payment dates, we are unable to print dates that will be usable for any length of time. The following agencies and circulars should be consulted for the various regulations and due dates:

Indiana Department of Revenue

Indiana Public Retirement System

Federal Internal Revenue Service

For an Employees' Earnings Record, General Form 99B, should be used in connection with salaries and deductions. Form 99B and all forms for reporting deductions are the same as those used by the Treasurer of the School Corporation. The deductions in some instances, may be deposited with the school corporation for transmittal to the proper agency with deductions from the school corporation payrolls.

ACCOUNTING FOR GIFTS, DONATIONS

Cash donations that are extracurricular in nature may be accounted for in the Extracurricular Account. Any School Corporation donations shall be accounted for in the school corporation records. The acceptance of these donations shall have prior approval by the Board of School Trustees. Either the School Corporation Treasurer or Extracurricular Treasurer will be responsible for the accounting of these funds as applicable.

APPROVAL OF EXPENDITURES

Expenditures by the treasurer of the extracurricular account are limited to those approved by the principal of the school and they should be in accordance with the general administration policies of the school corporation since the law provides that all expenditures shall be subject to review by the local school board.

Distribution of extracurricular funds to students, teachers or others should not occur unless authorized by statute.

Pay of teachers and other personnel for service at interscholastic athletic events such as ticket takers, scoreboard personnel, etc., are expenses of the Athletic Fund of the Extracurricular Account. Pay of concession stand supervisors and of ticket takers, etc., for fine arts events should be paid from the proceeds of the activity sponsoring these events. Payment to all such personnel must be by way of a payroll. If an extracurricular payroll is not maintained, the payments may be made a part of the school corporation payroll and charged to an applicable school corporation fund appropriation; however, the school corporation fund must be reimbursed for such payment by the activity which the employees served.

Forms and Records

Purchase Order and the Accounts Payable Voucher

Check and Register of Checks

Receipt and Register of Receipts

Ticket Sales

Tickets

Extracurricular Financial Report

Cash Reconcilement

Detail of Receipts and Expenditures by Fund

Report Certificate

Extracurricular Ledger

Claim for Payment

Summary Collection

Accountable Items

APPENDIX (PICTURES OF FORMS)

FORMS AND RECORDS

The forms and records prescribed for use are:

All Extracurricular Activities

• SA-1     Purchase Order and Accounts Payable Voucher
• SA-2     Check and Register of Checks
• SA-3     Receipt and Register of Receipts
• SA-4     Ticket Sales
• SA-5-1  Financial Report (School Extracurricular Account)
• SA-5-2  Cash Reconcilement and Outstanding Check List
• SA-5-3  Detail of Receipts and Expenditures by Funds
• SA-5-4  Report Certificate
• SA-6     Extracurricular Ledger
• SA-7     Claim for Payment
• SA-8     Summary Collection
• SA-9     Accountable Items Review
• General Form 370      Receipt Register
• Various other General Forms as applicable.

School Lunch

• SF-1    Certification of Meals Provided Per Home Rule
• SF-2    Daily Record of Cash Received
• SF-2A  Daily Record of Meals/Milk Served
• SF-3    Cash Disbursements and Fund Balance
• SF-4    Ledger of Receipts, Disbursements and Fund Balance
• SF-5    Ticket Control
• SF-6    Equipment Inventory
• SF-7    Food Inventory

Textbook Rental

• TBR-1   Inventory of Rental Textbooks
• TBR-2   Official Receipt - Individual Textbook Rental List

General Forms

• 101 Mileage Claim
• 350 Register of Investments

PURCHASE ORDER AND ACCOUNTS PAYABLE VOUCHER (SA-1)

The Purchase Order and Accounts Payable Voucher (SA-1) is to be used when a purchase is made for delivery at a later date. The form is to be executed in full and signed by the person authorized to purchase for the particular activity concerned. Before the activity is permitted to use the Purchase Order and Accounts Payable Voucher (SA-1), the extracurricular account treasurer must determine if there is sufficient balance in the fund of the activity to make payment upon receipt of the merchandise. The treasurer is required to certify as to the unobligated balance. The sponsor must also know that approval for the purchase has been given by the membership of the activity , as applicable, except in the case of athletic, school lunch, and curricular materials rental purchases.

The Purchase Order and Accounts Payable Voucher (SA-1) is to be prenumbered in triplicate, printed in single sets and packaged for storage, or padded 60 to 120 sheets to a pad. An original and two carbon copies (1 set) are to be prepared for each transaction. These must either be prepared by the Treasurer of the extracurricular account, or issued by pads to the activities, or by set as required for their immediate needs. When the form is prepared, the original is to be given to the vendor. The receiving copy (duplicate) and the file copy (triplicate) shall be retained by the treasurer of the extracurricular account and filed in an obligation file by fund and serves notice that an expense has been incurred against that particular fund, and also enables the treasurer to see that no further purchase orders are issued against a particular fund if that fund balance is depleted.

When shipment is made, the vendor shall send an invoice to the school. Shipments received by an activity must be verified with the invoice and voucher (duplicate copy) as to quantity and price by the person who made the purchase and received the items. The person receiving the shipment indicates on the voucher that they have received and checked the shipment and the voucher is to be forwarded to the treasurer who makes the payment after signing the certification required on the form SA-1. After payment is made, the check number and date the voucher is paid are entered on the duplicate copy before filing. The duplicate may be filed in a Vendor file if desired. The date and check number must also be entered on the file copy (triplicate). The file copy must then be removed from the obligation file and placed in a numerical file along with the vendor invoice.

A requisition form may be used in conjunction with the Purchase Order and Accounts Payable Voucher (SA-1) if desired.

CHECK AND REGISTER OF CHECKS (SA-2)

The Check and Register of Checks (SA-2) form is to be prenumbered and printed in duplicate, three checks to the page if checkbook bound and five checks to the page if printed loose-leaf. If loose-leaf, the duplicate shall be contained in a post binder as a permanent record. The check form shall be used to make disbursements for any activity whether such disbursement is for accounts payable or direct purchases. If used for accounts payable, the tear strip at the top is removed by the treasurer before presentation to the payee; however, if used for payroll purposes, the strip serves as a statement of earnings and deductions for the employee and is removed by the employee before cashing the check. The check provides for making all types of disbursements through the use of one printed form bearing one series of numbers.

The duplicate copy serves as a permanent check register from which all disbursements are posted to the proper activity funds and to the control account. Checks to be properly issued shall show the date, the payee, the amount, the purchase order number, the activity fund to be charged and the purpose for which the check was issued. Space is provided for entering the invoice number, if desired. The check is to be signed by the treasurer and countersigned by the principal or other designated official of the school. Posting to the control account will be made from the duplicate checks either by individual items or by daily totals, showing by reference the serial numbers of the checks included in such total posting. If each check is posted individually to the control, the fund number should be entered as well as t he check number. Posting to the separate activity funds will be made from the check register, individually or in total.

RECEIPT AND REGISTER OF RECEIPTS (SA-3)

The receipt form is to be prenumbered and printed in duplicate, three receipts to the page if bound and five receipts to the page if printed loose-leaf. If printed loose-leaf, the duplicate shall be contained in a post binder as a permanent record. The receipt is to be issued for any and all money received. A separate receipt shall be issued for each amount of money received. The duplicate serves as a register of receipts from which all receipts are posted to the proper activity funds and the control account.

The receipt, to be properly issued, shall show the date, the name of the person from whom the money was received, the payment type, the activity fund for which it was received, the amount and the source of the receipt. The receipt form must be signed by the treasurer of the extracurricular account or collecting authority. The cash receipts collected by and for the benefit of any activity fund should be in charge of some designated official or sponsor of the activity, until turned over to the treasurer of the extracurricular account. Posting to the control account and the activity funds will be made from the duplicate receipts (Register of Receipts) in the same manner as previously outlined for the posting of checks.

TICKET SALES (SA-4)

Ticket sales conducted by any activity should be accounted for as follows:

The treasurer should be responsible for the proper accounting for all tickets and should keep a record of the number purchased, the number issued for sale, and the number returned. The treasurer should see that proper accounting is made for the cash received from those sold. All tickets shall be prenumbered, with a different ticket color and numerical series for each price group. When cash for ticket sales is deposited with the treasurer, the treasurer's receipt issued therefore should show the number of tickets issued to the seller, the number returned unsold and the balance remitted in cash. All tickets (including free or reduced) must be listed and accounted for on the SA-4 Ticket Sales Form.

TICKETS

Serially prenumbered tickets by the printing supplier should be used for all athletic and other extracurricular activities and events for which admission is charged. Part of the prenumbered ticket should be given to the person paying for the ticket upon admission to the event. The other part of the ticket (which should also be prenumbered, referred to as the stub) should be retained. All tickets (unused tickets and stubs) should be retained for audit.

Tickets for each price group should be different colors and/or different in their series number.

FINANCIAL REPORT OF SCHOOL EXTRACURRICULAR ACCOUNTS (SA-5-1)

The Financial Report of School Extracurricular Accounts (SA 5-1) should begin with the close of the last report and cover the school year. The report should be made in triplicate. One copy shall be filed in the school business office, a copy shall be filed with the school board and the third copy shall be filed with the superintendent of schools. The report is to be filed as an official record and must be preserved for a period of five years. All bank statements, canceled checks, duplicate checks, duplicate receipts, invoices, purchase orders, payment authorizations, claims and ledger accounts from which the report is pre- pared must be filed with that year-end report and preserved for five years. The law permits an audit of the records of the school extracurricular treasurer by the State Board of Accounts and an appreciable amount of time can be saved by an orderly preservation of all records.

The report is of all the individual activity funds and includes the name of each fund, beginning balances (column 1), receipts during the report period (column 2), expenditures during the report period (column 3), and closing balances at the end of the period (column 4). In column 1, enter the closing fund balances as reported in column 4 of the report for the prior year. Do not alter these balances. The column 1 balances on the report for this year should be exactly the same as the column 4 balances shown in the report for the prior year. If there have been adjustments to any of these balances, they should be shown in the detail by funds report, Form SA-5-3.

When column 1 has been checked against the preceding report, a Form SA-5-3 should be prepared for each fund. The total receipts of each fund should then be placed in the proper area in column 2 on Form SA-5-1.

The total expenditures of each fund as shown on Form SA-5-3 should then be recorded in the proper place in column 3 on Form SA-5-1. The amount to be entered in column 4 is the result obtained by adding columns 1 and 2 and deducting the amount in column 3. The total of column 1 must agree with the beginning balance of the control account; the total of column 2 must agree with the total receipts for the period as shown in the control account; the total of column 3 must agree with the total disbursements as shown in the control account; and, the total of column 4 must agree with the ending balance as shown in the control account and is the amount which must be reconciled to the depository balance as shown on the bank statement. The column totals should be cross balanced to verify the correctness of the total in column 4.

Curricular Materials Rental and School Lunch – In the SA-5-1

IC 20-41-2-4 and IC 20-41-2-5 provide that school corporations have the option of accounting for their curricular materials rental and school lunch programs in their corporation records or their extracurricular records.

The central office of a school corporation should ensure all financial information for school lunch and curricular materials rental maintained at all buildings is summarized and properly accounted for in School Lunch Fund 0800, and Curricular Materials Rental Fund 0900, in each Biannual Financial Report (Form 9) filed with the Indiana Department of Education.

Two items which an extracurricular treasurer should ensure are, be up to date for proper reporting through June 30 in the SA 5-1 report are school lunch and curricular materials rental.

CASH RECONCILEMENT (SA-5-2)

The Cash Reconcilement (SA 5-2) is a cash reconcilement and list of outstanding checks. The law provides that all funds be promptly placed in a depository. The bank statements showing the bank balances of the extracurricular account should be carefully preserved. The name of the bank and balance should be listed according to the statement; also all outstanding checks should be listed, showing the date, check number and amount. The amounts should then be totaled and the total entered in the proper space. When this total of the outstanding checks is deducted from the balance as shown on the bank statement, the remainder (plus cash on hand, if any) should equal the record balance as shown in the control account and as the total of column 4 in the Form SA 5-1 report. A bank statement should be secured showing the bank balance as of the same date as the closing date of the report.

DETAIL OF RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES BY FUND (S-A 5-3)

The Detail of Receipts and Expenditures by Fund (SA-5-3) must be used to prepare a detail of each activity fund reported in Form SA-5-1. A minute detail is not necessary since receipts may be grouped according to their source and nature and expenditures may be grouped according to their purposes. An example would be the athletic fund receipts may be grouped as game receipts, tournament receipts, game contracts, season tickets, tourney tickets, schedules, I.H.S.A.A. distributions, etc. Addit- ionally, expenditures may be grouped as dues, officials, transportation, meals, tourney tickets, medical expense, insurance, repair of equipment, laundry and cleaning, equipment, etc. Do not combine items of either receipts or disbursements to the extent that the report will be incomprehensible. Neither receipts nor expenditures should be combined and listed as miscellaneous items.

REPORT CERTIFICATE (SA-5-4)

The Report Certificate (SA-5-4) includes vital information, such as the name and location of the bank, date of closing school, and the official bond of the treasurer of the extracurricular account. The Report Certificate (SA-5-4) also includes the certificate of the treasurer and principal of the school extracurricular account.

EXTRACURRICULAR LEDGER (SA-6)

The Extracurricular Ledger (SA-6) is a 9 1/4" x 11 7/8" stock ledger form which provides separate amount columns for posting receipts and disbursements and a third amount column for entering the balance. The same form is to be used for the control account and for each of the individual funds. The Extracurricular Ledger (SA-6) is designed to be contained in a standard post binder. The form also provides space for entering the date and receipt or check numbers as well as an item or description column.

A ledger sheet is to be opened for the "Extracurricular Account" as a control account. Daily totals of receipt transactions are to be posted to the left hand amount (debit) column and the daily totals of disbursements to the right hand amount (credit) column each day. These daily totals will be obtained from the register of receipts (duplicate receipts) and from the register of checks (duplicate checks), respectively. Each entry will show the serial numbers of the receipts or checks whose amounts are included to arrive at the total for that day. A new balance will be entered after the posting of the daily transactions.

A ledger sheet is to be opened for each individual activity fund to maintain a separate accounting of the receipts, disbursements and balances for each activity as required by law. The name of the activity shall be entered on the upper margin of the ledger sheet as a title of the fund. Each receipt and each disbursement transaction will be posted individually to the ledger sheet of the fund whose balance is affected or by grouping like items consecutively numbered if for the same source or purpose. The posting will include the date, any necessary description, the receipt or check number, the amount of the receipt in the left hand amount (debit) column or the amount of the disbursement in the right hand amount (credit) column, as the case may be. A new balance will be entered on the ledger sheet for each fund following the posting of all transactions affecting that fund each day.

A proof of posting may be obtained by adding together the balances of all funds in the ledger and comparing the total with the balance in the control account (Extracurricular Account). A favorable comparison will prove accuracy in posting to both areas; any differences must be located and corrected immediately. At the close of each month, the balance in the Extracurricular Account (control) shall be reconciled to the balance on the bank statement. The reconcilement will prove the accuracy of the records to those of the bank as maintained for the cash account. Any outstanding checks (those which have not cleared the bank and returned with the statement) must be considered in making these reconcilements. A list of outstanding checks may be obtained by comparing the canceled checks returned with the bank statement, to the duplicate checks in the check register. List those not returned and total the amounts. If an analysis or breakdown of receipts and disbursements is to be kept for any one activity, a subsidiary ledger may be established by setting up a ledger sheet for each classification of receipts and disbursements within that activity's fund. These sheets may be carried in the ledger immediately following the fund for that activity or a subsidiary ledger in a separate binding may be used. The analysis may be maintained on a stock form columnar sheet, which will fit the same binder as that used for the ledger, by using a column for each classification of receipts and disbursements. The amount of each receipt or check should be posted daily and distribution made to the proper classification at the time of posting. The classifications should each be totaled periodically and the total of all classifications of receipts should equal the total of the receipts column in the fund for that activity. The same comparison should be made for the disbursements.

Maintaining a breakdown of receipts and disbursements will facilitate the preparation of report form SA5-3 as discussed in this section.

CLAIM FOR PAYMENT (SA-7)

The Claim for Payment (SA-7) is to be printed and print ruled, original only, and gathered in pads of 50. The Claim for Payment (SA-7) shall be used for claiming payment by anyone in situations where purchase orders are not used; for example, purchases from delivery salesmen, services of officials at athletic events, etc.

Signatures are required by the person authorized to purchase and the person acknowledging the receipt of the good or services. Additionally, the extracurricular treasurer is to sign the required certification on the form SA-7.

The claims shall be prenumbered and filed in numerical sequence.

SUMMARY COLLECTION FORM (SA-8)

Summary Collection Form (SA-8) is prenumbered and to be prepared in duplicate by the sponsor. The original is to the extracurricular treasurer to be retained in numerical order and the duplicate is to be retained in numerical order by the sponsor.

A sponsor for the purpose of Form (SA-8) is the teacher or other person in charge of a classroom or function collecting money. Form SA-8 is to be used as a transmittal document each time fundraiser or field trip money is reported from the sponsor to the extracurricular treasurer. From SA-8 can be used at the discretion of school officials to account for other items. Space is provided to list check numbers and amounts as applicable.

ACCOUNTABLE ITEMS REVIEW FORM (SA-9)

Accountable Items Review Form (SA-9) is prenumbered and to be prepared in duplicate by the treasurer. The original copy goes to the principal with the duplicate to be retained in numerical order by the treasurer.

Form SA-9 is to be used at least once a year at the end of the school year. The form is to be used to help account for beverages sold from vending machines. However, the form can be used at the discretion of school officials to account for other items such as, concessions, books, etc.

Form SA-9 is not designed to account for revenue from "exclusive or franchise contracts".

School Lunch Program

School Food Verifications of Eligibility

School Food Systems - Prepaid Food

SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM (SCHOOL FOOD AND NUTRITION PROGRAM)

Although the preferred method of accounting for a school food and nutrition program is through a School Lunch Fund (School Food Service Fund) in the school corporation account, authority is provided in IC 20-41-2-4 to account for the program in an extracurricular account or accounts. A provision is if the latter method is used, the school board shall approve the amount of the official bond of the treasurer of the extracurricular account in an amount deemed sufficient to protect the account for all funds coming into the custody of said treasurer.

A School Lunch Fund in either method shall be maintained. The ledger maintained (school corporation or extracurricular) is determined by which method the school board elects to use.

An accounting system and the necessary forms for its maintenance are prescribed by the State Board of Accounts. If these forms are properly maintained for your program, you will have little difficulty obtaining the information needed to prepare monthly federal reimbursement claims, quarterly financial reports, etc.

Effective internal controls of cash receipts and meals served are built into the system by using one of several methods. The methods are the use of properly maintained and approved class rosters, prenumbered meal tickets, and cash registers. Computerized cash systems could be used after submission and review by the State Board of Accounts. All cash register systems must be equipped with identifi- cation keys to indicate (1) paid student meals, (2) reduced price student meals, (3) free student meals, (4) adult meals, (5) a la carte sales and other additional categories the school corporation may wish to identify that may be required by the accounting system. The register must have locked-in audit tapes and non-resettable totals for each category. If any type of cash register system is used, the cashier is accountable for the cash registered on that machine when it is totaled and checked out.

If meal tickets are used, the tickets are issued to each ticket seller in prenumbered blocks. Each ticket seller is charged with the value of the tickets issued and must either turn in money or unused tickets to discharge his liability. A receipt must be issued to each ticket seller for the money deposited with the Treasurer. If a daily ticket is used, it is collected at the serving line; however, if the ticket is for multiple days, it is punched at the serving line as that day's meal is served.

All methods to account for the cafeteria operation require that the person responsible for collecting and reporting the money received for meals be different from the person responsible for counting and reporting the number of meals served. Under no circumstances should all duties be vested in the treasurer or any other single individual.

The Certification of Meals Provided Per Home Rule, Form SF-1, is a daily record of meals provided free (or at less than normal price) in accordance with written school board policy other than the students who qualify for free or reduced price meals or milk as documented on School Forms 521 or 522. The total number provided as documented on SF-1 is carried forward to the appropriate column on SF- 2A.

School Food Form SF-2, Daily Record of Cash Received, categorizes cash receipts on a daily basis and should be totaled monthly.

School Food Form SF-2A, Daily Record of Meals/Milk Served, records daily the number of meals/milk served and should be totaled monthly and will be a source of information for preparation of the monthly claim for federal reimbursement.

School Food Form SF-3, Cash Disbursements and Fund Balance, is used to record on a daily basis the disbursements of the School Food Service Program and together with the SF-2 acts as the source information for the calculation of the fund balance as shown on the SF-3. The disbursement categories Service Area Direction and Food Preparation and Dispensing are defined as:

Service Area Direction. Activities pertaining to directing and managing the food service program for the school corporation.

Food Preparation and Dispensing. Activities concerned with preparing and serving the food and beverages associated with the food service program. This includes operating kitchen equipment, preparing food, cooking, serving food, cleaning and storing dishes and kitchen and lunch room equipment.

Form SF-4, Ledger of Receipts, Disbursements and Balances, is the form on which the monthly totals of Forms SF-2 and SF-3 are accumulated and posted. This provides a composite annual accounting for the overall school food service program of the school corporation.

Form SF-5, Ticket Control, shall be used only in those systems using the meal ticket method of control. Persons charged with selling tickets are responsible for the value of the tickets issued to them.

Form SF-6, Equipment Inventory, shall be used to take a complete physical inventory in each school of all equipment on hand at the close of each school year. A copy of this annual inventory shall be kept on file in the office with the school food service records.

Form SF-7, Food Inventory, is designed for use in taking a complete physical inventory in each school of all food items each month. Separate sheets shall be used for each category inventoried; such as USDA donated commodities, meat, fruit, vegetables, staples, frozen foods, etc.

Forms SF-1, SF-2, SF-2A and SF-3 shall be maintained on a daily basis and totaled monthly. These monthly totals are a source of information for preparation of the claim for federal reimbursement, the quarterly financial report, etc. If a separate accounting of the receipts or disbursements from each school in the corporation is desired, separate forms may be maintained for each school.

SCHOOL FOOD VERIFICATIONS OF ELIGIBILITY

We understand situations exist which could be a concern regarding school corporations test-checking the validity of information provided on the applications for free and reduced-priced meals. The results of test checks, are to be reported to the Indiana Department of Education in accordance with federal grant compliance requirements. Some tests note a very high incidence of errors or inaccurate applications.

An error for purposes of the test-check is an approved application, attempted to be verified that cannot be verified by the program participants with requested income verification information (i.e., paycheck stub, W-2, etc.). Program participants who have an application that cannot be verified are not always dropped from the free and reduced-price meal program and corrections in reporting and additional testing does not always occur.

The State Board of Accounts is of the audit position school corporation officials should request a written position from the Indiana Department of Education stating whether the corrective action taken was sufficient or if additional verifications need to be performed when high incidences of errors in test sample verifications are noted. The written communication to the Department of Education should also request a determination if any increases or decreases in funding will result to the school corporation because of the concerns noted with the verification process.

SCHOOL FOOD SYSTEMS - PREPAID FOOD

SBOA opinion is that money a student puts into their individual meal account (prepaid food account) should not be considered income to the child nutrition program until that student goes through the lunch line and charges a meal to their account. Therefore, while it is in the student’s individual account the balance it should not be included in the School Lunch fund. It is required that you set up a Prepaid School Lunch Accounts fund clearing account. When a student brings in a deposit the receipt would be recorded to the Prepaid School Lunch Accounts fund. Periodically, after the student has charged meals, you should disburse the amount charged from the Prepaid School Lunch Accounts fund and receipt it into the School Lunch fund. At this point it is considered program income and should be included on any reports that are required to be completed. Also, on a monthly basis the balance of the Prepaid School Lunch Accounts fund should be reconciled with the total of the individual meal accounts. The School Food Prescribed Forms and any approved computerized Forms will be required to be maintained in the following manner to accurately account for prepaid items.

A column titled "Prepaid Food" is added to the Daily Record of Cash Received, Form SF-2, for recording prepaid amounts received which have not been identified as to revenue type, i.e., lunch, breakfast, etc. Amounts will be entered both in "Prepaid Food" and "Total Cash Received" for each day because cash has been received.

Another column "Prepaid Food Applied" is also added to Form SF-2, which will show periodic (and monthly) activity whenever prepaid meals are identified (charged to breakfast, lunch, etc.). Amounts in "Prepaid Food Applied" should at all times equal for each day, the amounts charged to various categories, i.e., student lunch, adult breakfast, etc. that were not paid for in cash. Amounts will not be added to "Total Cash Received" because cash has been previously entered and recognized in "Prepaid Food". You are merely transferring "Prepaid Food" to the applicable categories.

The final column added to SF-2 is "Prepaid Food Trust", which is the running balance column which shows the difference between "Prepaid Food" and "Prepaid Food Applied". The amounts in "Prepaid Food Trust" are deducted from the "Balance" column in SF-3 Form, School Food Service Cash Disbursements which then should equal the amount in the new SF-3 Column "Available Cash Balance". Amounts are not entered in "Total Cash Received" because "Prepaid Food Trust" is merely a balance column. Computerized systems should provide a list, by student, of cash balances which should sum to the "Prepaid Food Trust".

The Ledger of Receipt, Disbursement and Balances, SF-4 Form should also show appropriate columns for those transactions.

Curricular Materials Rental

CURRICULAR MATERIALS RENTAL

The preferred method of accounting for a curricular materials rental program is through a Curricular Materials Rental fund in the school corporation account. Where no curricular materials have been purchased and no financial commitments or guarantees for such purchases have been made by the school corporation, authority is provided in IC 20-41-2-5 to account for the curricular materials rental program in the extracurricular account or accounts. However, if the latter method is used, the school board shall approve the amount of the official bond of the treasurer of the extracurricular account in an amount deemed by the school board sufficient to protect the account for all funds coming into the custody of said treasurer.

In either method, a Curricular Materials Rental fund shall be maintained. The ledger in which it is maintained (school corporation or extracurricular) is determined by which method the school board elects to use.

Two special forms are prescribed by the State Board of Accounts to be used with the prescribed ledger forms, etc., when accounting for the curricular materials rental program in the extracurricular account. Form TBR-1, Inventory of Rental Textbooks, shall be used for all inventory purposes in the curricular materials rental program. It is imperative that a physical inventory be taken of all curricular materials, materials, supplies, etc., on hand as of July 1 each year after the students have returned all rental curricular materials. A physical inventory may be taken at any other specified time if deemed desirable by school officials. Upon completion of the inventory, a master list by curricular materials, grade or subject matter should be prepared. Accordingly, school officials can determine the number of books available for rent and what workbooks, materials and supplies are on hand.

A perpetual inventory could be devised and used to provide availability of this information at all times. Perpetual inventory systems require verification by physical inventory at specified intervals or upon demand of the proper officials.

Form TBR-2, Official Receipt - Individual Textbook Rental List, is to be prenumbered and printed in triplicate. The form, one set for each student, is to be prepared when curricular materials and related materials are issued to the student. Form TBR-2, Official Receipt - Individual Textbook Rental List provides for the date the curricular materials were issued, the name of the student and the total fee collected. The completed form shall be signed by the issuing officer who could be the treasurer of the extracurricular account or someone designated by the treasurer to issue the curricular materials and collect the rental fees. If the volume of transactions for grades with a fixed list (applicable to all students) of books and materials is great enough to demand it, a copy of the printed list may be attached to the TBR-2 form and the form processed with a reference to such attached list instead of further itemization.

The original of Form TBR-2 is to be given the payer (student or parent). The duplicate is to be retained by the issuing officer and the triplicate is to remain intact in the book. The duplicate, together with rental fees collected, must be transmitted daily to the treasurer of the extracurricular account.  The treasurer may direct the issuing officer to deposit all fees collected each day and submit an acknow- ledged, duplicate deposit slip with the duplicate copies of Form TBR-2. The treasurer may also require the issuing officer to submit a summary or recap sheet of all fees collected by grade or other designated categories. If this is done, the total of the summary or recap sheet must agree with the amount on the duplicate deposit slip as well as the total of all TBR-2 forms submitted for the day. All duplicates of Form TBR-2 shall be filed alphabetically, by student last names, in the office of the treasurer for audit purposes. A separate TBR-2 should be issued for each payment.

The triplicate copy of Form TBR-2 with book list attached, if any, must be kept in the files of the issuing officer until the close of the semester. When the students return rented curricular materials, the issuing officer must check the returned books to the list of those issued as shown on the copy in the files. The student should then remit for all curricular materials not returned, or damaged, in accordance with the policy adopted by the school officials. All money received for lost or damaged books together with the triplicate books of Form TBR-2 containing proper notations must then be remitted to the treasurer. The treasurer will file the triplicate copy (complete books).

Duplicates and triplicates will remain intact in the book if the issuing officer is the treasurer.

The original copy of Form TBR-2 shall be given to the student if the student pays the fee, which copy serves as a receipt for the rental fees collected from the student. When book lists are used in lieu of itemization on the form, a copy of the appropriate list shall be attached to the student's copy and one copy shall be retained for audit. A TBR-2 should be issued each time a payment is received. TBR-2 forms should not be issued prior to payments being made by parents or students.

When issuing officers other than the treasurer are designated to issue books and collect rental fees, the treasurer shall issue an official receipt to the issuing officer each time the issuing officer transmits the money or submits a certified deposit slip, to cover such fees, to said treasurer. All disbursements for curricular materials rental purposes shall be made by check drawn by the treasurer of the extracurricular account.

Extracurricular Investments

Investment Losses

Interest on Investments

Accounting for Investments

EXTRACURRICULAR INVESTMENTS

IC 20-41-1-9 concerning the school extracurricular account provides the money in the school extracurricular account may be invested under the conditions specified in IC 5-13-10 and IC 5-13-10.5 for investment of state money. However, investments under this section are at the discretion of the principal. The interest earned from any investment may be credited to the school extracurricular account and need not be credited proportionately to each separate extracurricular fund. The interest earned from the investment may be used for any of the following:

(1) Any school purpose approved by the principal

(2) An extracurricular purpose approved by the principal.

After a decision has been made to purchase an investment from the bank account balance (and not credit the interest to individual funds), a necessity exists for accounting purposes, to establish an In- vestment Income fund in the extracurricular account records to which any earnings (the aforementioned procedure) are receipted and from which expenditures are made. A check will be issued for the purchase of the investment, but the check will not be posted to any fund. A dual control will also be necessary to be kept instead of the usual single control for the extracurricular account. One control, the normal control fund which is a memorandum type of entry will be used to record the transactions of the checking account, and another will be used to account for the investment from the total monies on deposit which would be referred to as an investment control, which is a memorandum type of entry. The balances of these two controls when added together must always equal the total of the balances of all the individual extracurricular funds .

Purchases of equipment which become part of the school facilities is the direct responsibility of the school board; therefore, the specific equipment must be approved by the board before being purchased from the Investment Income fund.

Since the School Board is the employing authority in a school corporation and IC 20-41-1-4 does provide in part concerning extracurricular expenditures, ". . . shall be subject to review by the local school board", the school board should have a policy for all buildings concerning whether investments should be by fund or with an investment income fund as provided herein.

INVESTMENT LOSSES

Losses related to investments and investment procedures which are not authorized in IC 5-13 may be the personal responsibility of the investing officer.

INTEREST ON INVESTMENTS

Interest on investments should not be automatically added into the investment. Instead, interest on investments should be paid to the governmental unit at each maturity date and posted to the appropriate fund.

ACCOUNTING FOR INVESTMENTS

General Form Number 350, Register of Investments is the prescribed form for recording investments and all investments should be recorded on Form 350.

The following is an example of recording an investment transaction made from a specific fund (for example - athletic). Disburse the cost (purchase price) of the investment from the athletic fund and from the Control of All Funds. On the Register of Investments, General Form No. 350, identified with the athletic fund, record the purchase price (cost).

If interest is received while the security is held by the school, record the amount received on General Form Number 350 on the same line as that on which the investment is recorded; also receipt the interest received to the athletic fund and to the Control of All Funds.

When the investment is sold or matures, receipt the sale price to the athletic fund and to the Control of All Funds. Earnings from Investments would be receipted either to the athletic fund or to the investment income fund as might be provided by school board policy. Record the sale (purchase price) on the Register of Investments - Athletic Fund (General Form 350) on the same line as the purchase was recorded. Investments from other "Fund" accounts will be accounted for in the same manner as illustrated for the athletic fund.

Where investment is made from "total monies on deposit", the warrant issued will not be posted in the ledger, but a memorandum account should be set up in a separate section of the ledger to which investment transactions will be posted.

The Investment Register, General Form 350, should be used for keeping a record of all investments purchased by the political subdivision.

Renewal or Rollovers of Investments

A certificate of deposit may or other investments be renewed for an additional term if authorized, without the original certificate of deposit being paid by the depository and a warrant being issued for the purchase of a new certificate of deposit if all applicable statutory provisions have been complied with by the political subdivision or other investments if all applicable statutory provisions have been complied with by the political subdivision. However, if renewed, the interest due the political subdivision shall be paid to the fiscal officer at each maturity date, or the records should show transactions which will reflect the t rue financial condition and the amount invested at all times. The interest shall not be added to the original deposit and reinvested by the depository without being recorded in the records.

Grant Funds and Educational Fees

Receipting of Educational Fees

Membership Dues

General Fund (Student Activity Funds)

Cafeteria Vending Machines

Cash Change Fund

GRANT FUNDS AND EDUCATIONAL FEES

IC 20-26-4-1 concerning duties of the School Corporation Treasurer, states in part: "The treasurer is the official custodian of all funds of the school corporation and is responsible for the proper safeguarding and accounting for the funds . . ." Therefore, all grant monies and properly authorized fees at an individual building should be transferred to the School Corporation Central Office on a timely and regular basis for receipting into the appropriate school corporation fund. The School Corporation Attorney should provide written guidance concerning whether fees are appropriate in regards to Constitutional provisions.

We have developed an audit opinion that we will not take exception to the school board approving rental rates and education fees for the following items:

1.  Items meeting the definition of “Curricular Materials” stated in IC 20-18-2-2.7.

2.  Items meeting the definition of “Consumable Curricular Materials” as set by the Indiana Department of Education.

3.  Items that the school corporation attorney has provided a written opinion that the educational fee does not violate the Indiana Constitutional provisions.

RECEIPTING OF EDUCATIONAL FEES

The following types of items should not be assessed, collected or receipted to a school extracurricular account:

• Air Conditioning Fees
• Parking Fees
• Instructional Fees
• Bus Rider Fees
• Fees for Payroll Positions (Nurses, Principals, Counselors, etc.)

The Attorney General of the State of Indiana on June 15, 2001 issued Official Opinion 2001-4 concerning "Health Service Fees." The conclusion of Official Opinion 2001-4 states: "Indiana Constitution Article 8 § 1 and the Indiana General Assembly provide for 'Common school systems wherein tuition shall be without charge.' Also, the General Assembly has provided for funding of schools and a method for calculating tuition. Health services, because they include instruction and education are tuition. Therefore, a school corporation may not charge a separate fee for health services."

Additionally, the following items are outside of corporation or extracurricular records and should only be maintained by private groups or individuals and not in the extracurricular account:

• PTO Band Boosters
• PTA Athletic Boosters

Extracurricular activities are defined in IC 20-41-1-4 as athletic, social or other school functions, the cost of which is not paid from public funds. These activities do not include functions conducted solely by any organization of parents and/or teachers. Note that this statutory definition does not include any curricular or educational functions. IC 20-26-5-4 provides that all educational functions are the specific responsibility of the governing body (board of school trustees, etc.) of the school corporation acting on its behalf, including providing the facilities and equipment therefore. All monies received for educational purposes, including those related to educational programs or facilities must be receipted to school corporation funds. The following items erroneously appear in funds of the extracurricular account. Accounting for them should be in the general fund of the school corporation. Examples are:

• Adult Education Fees
• Rent of School Facilities
• Apples in Education
• Science Fees
• Art Fees
• Special Education
• Distributive Education
• Driver Education Fees
• Equipment Sale or Rental
• Summer School Fees
• Facilities Rental
• Supplies
• Grants (State, Federal and Other)
• Towel Fees (when towels are purchased from corporation funds)
• Kindergarten Fees
• Library Fines and Fees
• Typing Fees
• Visual Education Fees
• Visual Education Fees
• Locker Fees
• Vocational Education Fees
• Night School Fees
• Vocational Evening School Fees

All authorized educational fees (the School Board should be able to justify any educational fees and ensure Constitutional problems do not exist) must be receipted to the Education Fund of the school corporation and included as miscellaneous revenues when preparing the school corporation budget. IC 20-33-10-4(c) provides that an official recruiting representative may be required to pay a fee for copying and mailing the high school student directory information described in an amount that is not more than the actual cost incurred by the high school. The anticipated expenditure of these fees for educational materials and supplies shall be included in the appropriation for that purpose. If done in this manner, provisions will be made for the furnishing of the materials and supplies by the board of school trustees in the prescribed manner and will not affect the tax rate if the collections are sufficient to offset the expenditures as estimated. Curricular Materials Rental funds maintained at a school building may be used to temporarily record proper fees collected (as a convenience during the collection process of curricular materials rental). However, proper educational fees belong in the school corporation Education fund and should be transferred timely.

Any dues collected for the support of classes or social organizations shall be receipted to the extracurricular fund for that organization to support the activities. If a student in a vocational (shop, home economics, etc.) class, voluntarily begins a project for which special materials are necessary and which will result in a product which the student will take home for personal use, an amount equal to the actual cost of the special materials may be collected from the student and receipted to a fund in the extracurricular account for the specific purpose of providing the special materials. Any extracurricular fund established for this purpose should contain no balance at the end of the school year since the collections from students equals the expenditures for the materials.

Accordingly, with the above references to receipts, all disbursements for educational purposes must be made from school corporation funds and not from extracurricular funds. (See General Fund, Student Activity Fund and Investments and Investment Income Fund) These include disbursements for building equipment, repairs and maintenance; educational and library materials, supplies and equipment; meeting and conference expense of employees; copiers; and, the repair and maintenance of same. Cur- ricular and extracurricular, though associated, are totally separate functions and each has a purpose and authorizing statute and must be treated separately.

MEMBERSHIP DUES

IC 20-26-5-8 states in part: "The governing body of a school corporation may appropriate necessary funds to provide membership of the school corporation in state and national associations of an educational nature that have as the associations' purpose the improvement of school governmental operations." Accordingly, the State Board of Accounts is of the audit position that dues, memberships and subscriptions should be institutional memberships; i.e., in the name of the school corporation or school building, not an individual's name.

GENERAL FUND (STUDENT ACTIVITY FUNDS)

The State Board of Accounts consistently has been of the audit position to not take an audit exception to a school extracurricular account having a general fund if the fund consists of revenues received from functions (vending machines or sales of a similar nature, etc.) not generated by students for a specific class or organization (for which a fund should be established). Our audit position has been with the provision that the functions for which the expenditures are made benefit the student body as a whole (as opposed to a select group of students, school employees or administrators). Examples of appropriate expenditures in the past would be convocations, field trips which the entire student body has the opportunity to take during the course of the school year, etc. Our audit position has been based in part upon the substance of the transaction (the revenues are primarily from students or parents paying into vending machines, picture money, etc.). Naturally, we would not take audit exception to a public policy of a school corporation which would provide that a general fund does not exist and that money from these type of functions be used to offset the cost of the function (reduced prices of vending machine items, reduce the costs of pictures, etc.).

IC 20-41-1-9 concerning investment income funds (interest income funds) specifically provides authorization for either corporation or extracurricular type of expenditures. The General School Powers Act (IC 20-26-5-4) provides general, as well as specific, powers and duties of the governing board in carrying out the school purposes of the school corporation which they govern. Included in the specific powers with which the board is charged is the responsibility to ". . . take charge of, manage, and conduct the educational affairs of the school corporation and to establish, locate, and provide the necessary schools, school libraries, and other libraries where permitted by law, other buildings, facilities, property, and equipment." IC 20-41-1-4 provides in part, concerning extracurricular funds: "Funds may not be transferred from the accounts of any organization, class or activity except by a majority vote of its members . . ." IC 20-41-1-4 also provides, concerning extracurricular expenditures: "All expenditures shall be subject to review by the local school board."

Inquiries have questioned the use of a general fund or student activity fund for educational expenditures (copy machines, computers, educational materials, supplies, etc.) which would normally be from school corporation funds. The State Board of Accounts' audit position is as stated above. However, we will not take audit exception to a school having disbursements from an extracurricular "general fund" or "student activity fund" for authorized school corporation type expenditures, such as equipment, supplies, etc., with the following conditions:

1.  A policy has been adopted by a school board in a public meeting authorizing these types of expenditures.

2.  Providing there are no objections from a majority of an applicable student body to these types of expenditures.

3.  Equipment purchases would still require separate approval from the local school board.

Since alternatives exist for funding educational expenditures (i.e., taxes, authorized investment income expenditures, etc.) and other alternatives for the use of a general fund are available (i.e., reducing the cost of items to students and/or parents), we must emphasize the adoption of the aforementioned would be a public policy decision for which the local board of school trustees must accept any and all responsibility.

CAFETERIA VENDING MACHINES

The Division of School and Community Nutrition of the Department of Education policy regarding vending machines states that vending machines containing foods of minimal nutritional value cannot be sold in the food service area during the breakfast and/or lunch periods. These foods (carbonated beverages, candy, etc.) may, however, be sold outside the food service area during meal periods. The policy goes on to state that the sale of competitive foods (which meet certain nutritional requirements) may, at the discretion of the state agency and school food authority, be allowed in the food service area during the breakfast or lunch periods only if the income from the sale of such foods accrues to the benefit of the nonprofit food service or the school or student organizations approved by the school.

The Division of School and Community Nutrition allows the school food authority to determine where the income from the sale of competitive foods shall go as long as it conforms to the above policy.

The State Board of Accounts is of the audit position that as long as the Division of School and Community Nutrition policy allows for a choice, the decision of which fund will account for the vending revenue is as follows:

1.  If a particular student group or organization manages the vending function, the proceeds should accrue to that group's extracurricular fund.

2.  If the vending in question is located at athletic events and managed by athletes or athletic department individuals, the proceeds may go to the athletic fund.

3.  If no particular student group manages the vending function, the proceeds should go to the School Lunch Fund or the Extracurricular General Fund, Student Activity Fund or Concession Fund for the benefit of all students.

The Board of School Trustees should document their preference in the board minutes.

The possibility exists that an Audit Result and Comment may appear in the audit report if the School Lunch Fund fiscal status is adversely affected by the policy.

CASH CHANGE FUND

A Cash Change Fund may be established in any school corporation with the approval of the governing body (board of school trustees), where any officer or employee of the corporation is charged with the duty of collecting fees or other cash revenues. When authorized by the governing body, such Cash Change Fund shall be established by a check drawn on the General Fund (or other appropriate fund) of the extracurricular in an amount to be determined by the governing body. The check is drawn in favor of the officer or employee who has been designated as custodian of the Cash Change Fund. The custodian shall convert same to cash and be held responsible for the safekeeping of such cash and the proper accounting thereof in the same manner as required for other funds of the school corporation. The governing board shall have authority to increase or decrease such fund and shall require the entire Cash Change Fund to be returned to the General Fund if and when it is no longer needed for the purpose established or when a change is made in the custodian of the fund.

IC 36-1-8-2 is particularly applicable in school corporations where either a Curricular Materials Rental Fund or School Lunch Fund, or both, are maintained as extracurricular funds. If a Cash Change Fund is authorized and a check is drawn on the appropriate fund, the check will be recorded as a disbursement in the fund.