Okla. Admin. Code § 210:25-5-4
Current through Vol. 41, No. 19, June 17, 2024
Section 210:25-5-4 - Accounting(a) The financial structure of an Oklahoma public school district consists of various classifications as referenced in Oklahoma Administrative Code (OAC) 210:25-7-1, Oklahoma Cost Accounting System (OCAS). School District accounting systems shall be organized and operated on a basis that assures legal compliance by the recording and summarizing of financial transactions within funds, each of which is completely independent of any other. Each fund shall account for and continually maintain the identity of its revenues and expenditures. Financial transactions for purposes of this regulation and as referenced in 70 O.S. § 5-135.2 shall be defined as a detailed reporting of revenue within the Source of Revenue dimension. Revenue shall be reported to the bold codes within each of the following broad categories: District Source of Revenue, Intermediate Source of Revenue, State Source of Revenue, and Federal Source of Revenue. Expenditures shall be reported by the bold codes within the Function dimension as follows: Instruction, Support Services-Students, Support Services-Instructional Staff, Support Services-General Administration, Support Services-School Administration, Support Services-Central, Operation and Maintenance of Plant Services, Student Transportation Services, Child Nutrition Programs Operations, Community Services Operations and Facilities Acquisition and Construction Services. Additional dimensions for Revenue and Expenditures are coded to provide classification by Fiscal Year, Fund, Project Reporting, Object, Program, Subject, Job Classification, and Operational Unit, where applicable. (b) Beginning July 1 but no later than September 1 of each year, every school district and charter school board of education shall prepare and submit to the State Department of Education, through the Oklahoma Cost Accounting System (OCAS), a statement of actual income and expenditures of the district or charter school for the fiscal year that ended the preceding June 30. The year-end financial report recording and summarizing all revenue and expenditure financial transactions will be completed and locked on or before September 1 of the applicable year.For purposes of the OCAS system, "locked" means that the data submitted has passed the system's initial edit checks and the district has finalized the submission. To assure the validity and accuracy of financial reporting and accounting, between September 1 and September 30 of each year, school districts and charter schools shall have the opportunity to review and make corrections to the data submitted. By September 30, the data submission shall be certified by the district superintendent or head of charter school. If the school district or charter school does not report any inaccuracies by September 30, the State Department of Education will rely on the data submitted and certified by the school district or charter school to be complete and closed. Upon good cause demonstrated, between October 1 and December 1, a school district or charter school may appeal, in writing, to the State Department of Education for additional changes to the data. For purposes of this Subsection, "good cause" means that a miscalculation was made or that relevant data was omitted from the previously certified submission. The State Department of Education will review the appeal and, if it is determined good cause has been demonstrated as defined in this Subsection, the identified changes to the previously certified data will be authorized. Nothing in this Section shall preclude the State Department of Education or the State Board of Education from conducting regular or periodic reviews of school district or charter school financial records as authorized by law and ensuring a public school operates pursuant to the OCAS system. (c) As referenced in 70 O.S. § 5-135.2, the State Department of Education shall reduce the monthly payment of a district's State Aid funds if the district is not operating pursuant to the OCAS system. Upon final determination, including but not limited to the process set forth in Subsection (b), the reduction of monthly payments shall begin with the first day that the school district or charter school was determined to not be operating in compliance with the OCAS system. The reduction may be waived by the State Board of Education if the school district or charter school can demonstrate that failure to operate pursuant to the OCAS system was due to circumstances beyond the control of the district or charter school, and that every effort is being made to operate in compliance with the OCAS system. Not operating pursuant to said system shall be defined as a district not: (1) accurately recording and reporting all revenue and expenditures by applicable OCAS bold code dimensions; (2) submitting OCAS financial records on time and as required, including as provided in Subsection (b), via the Web-based system of all recorded and reported revenue and expenditures by applicable OCAS bold code dimensions to the State Department of Education; (3) ascertaining that current and accurate applicable OCAS codes are being utilized as updated and maintained by the State Department of Education; (4) complying with regulations as outlined in OAC 210:25-3-7 (Financial information processing), OAC 210:25-5-10 (The encumbrance clerk), OAC 210:25-5-11 (The school district treasurer), or OAC 210:25-5-13 (School activity fund); (5) reconciling all recorded and reported revenue and expenditures by applicable OCAS bold code dimensions by balancing data with bank receipts and statements, purchase orders, warrant registers, investment ledgers, and all balance sheet accounts; and (d) For appropriated funds, all indebtedness should be encumbered (have a purchase order issued and be recorded) on the day the obligation is incurred, rather than when it becomes due, and supporting documentation should be provided for all indebtedness. (e) Upon the approval of the State Board of Education, school districts may make capital expenditures up to a maximum amount of $50,000 (fifty thousand dollars) during the current fiscal year within the General Fund pursuant to 70 O.S. 2001, § 1-117, if the school district meets the established criteria as outlined in the Statutes. School districts shall be voting the maximum five (5) building fund mills. General Fund monies authorized by the State Board of Education for expenditures must be expended within the current fiscal year. Any such funds encumbered as of June 30th of the current fiscal year, but not expended by November 15th of the subsequent fiscal year, shall lapse and return to the original purpose of such funds. (f) A school district shall be authorized to utilize general fund monies for capital expenditures, in addition to the amount specified in subsection (c), pursuant to the provisions of 70 O.S. 2001, § 1-117. (g) Inventory cards or data processing records shall be kept on all equipment and removable fixtures, showing purchase order number when known, date of purchase (when known, if not known an estimated date shall be used), amount of purchase (if known, if not known present value must be estimated) a description of the item, the serial number (when applicable) and the location of the item. New purchases shall be included in the records on the same day in which they are physically received by the district. Disposed equipment must be removed from the records on the disposal date and a detailed description of the circumstances which results in the disposal recorded. Disposed equipment should not be included in the records of future years. Okla. Admin. Code § 210:25-5-4
Amended at 9 Ok Reg 3101, eff 6-11-92 (emergency); Amended at 10 Ok Reg 1141, eff 3-9-93 (emergency); Amended at 11 Ok Reg 1997, eff 5-26-94; Amended at 12 Ok Reg 3620, eff 7-31-95 (emergency); Amended at 13 Ok Reg 1353, eff 5-13-96; Amended at 14 Ok Reg 3347, eff 5-5-97 (emergency); Amended at 15 Ok Reg 2293, eff 6-11-98; Amended at 17 Ok Reg 23, eff 9-10-99 (emergency); Amended at 17 Ok Reg 1092, eff 5-11-00; Amended at 17 Ok Reg 2909, eff 7-13-00; Amended at 20 Ok Reg 822, eff 5-15-03; Amended at 21 Ok Reg 234, eff 8-21-03 (emergency); Amended at 21 Ok Reg 1280, eff 5-27-04; Amended at 22 Ok Reg 1849, eff 6-25-05Amended by Oklahoma Register, Volume 32, Issue 23, August 17, 2015, eff. 8/27/2015Amended by Oklahoma Register, Volume 37, Issue 20, July 1, 2020, eff. 6/2/2020Amended by Oklahoma Register, Volume 38, Issue 23, August 16, 2021, eff. 8/26/2021