Audit
An important goal for the Cincinnati Public Schools' Board of Education is to conduct the financial operations of the district in an efficient, effective and transparent manner. To accomplish this, the Board established an Audit Committee and an internal auditor position, with a commitment to report quarterly to the public on financial management. The Chief Audit Executive reports directly to the CPS Board of Education.
Audit Committee
The role of the Audit Committee is to assist the Board of Education in ensuring that both external and internal audit functions and other accountability issues receive adequate oversight.
The Audit Committee is comprised of the Board Finance Committee, plus 10 additional members who are not employees of the school district and are appointed by the Board of Education. The committee meets every other month, for a total of six meetings per year. The meeting schedule is available on the Committees and Appointments page.
Contact Information
Lauren Roberts, CPA, CFE
Chief Audit Executive
Cincinnati Public Schools
P.O. Box 5381
Cincinnati, OH 45201-5381
Phone: (513) 363-0433
Email
Internal Audit Department
The objective of the Internal Audit Department is to assist the Board of Education and district administration in the effective discharge of their responsibilities by furnishing them with recommendations on strengthening internal controls of activities reviewed. The Internal Audit Department is responsible for providing reasonable assurance that internal controls are operating the way they are designed to work to support daily operations. The Internal Audit Department works with objectivity, being independent from the daily operations, to deliver an unbiased viewpoint and fairly assess, with integrity, how processes are working. Auditors provide a valuable perspective by being able to analyze current processes to highlight what is working well and where there is room for improvement.
An internal audit engagement focuses on:
- Effectiveness and efficiency of operations
- Reliability and integrity of financial and operational information
- Safeguarding of assets
- Compliance with state and federal laws
Internal controls are important because they reduce the risk of fraud, prevent loss of funds and resources, and help to ensure that the district meets its goals and operates with integrity. The Internal Audit Charter provides more detailed descriptions of the work performed by the Internal Audit Department.
Reporting Structure
The Internal Auditor reports administratively to the Board of Education and functionally to the Audit Committee. This reporting relationship provides the highest level of organizational independence for the internal audit function.