Finding for recovery of $46,695.90 issued against closed Cincinnati Community School

COLUMBUS — A finding for recovery of $46,695.90 was issued Thursday against the operators of a closed Cincinnati charter school that received more state funds than its final student data supported.

The finding was one of multiple issues identified in an audit of the Elevated Excellence Academy’s finances from July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024.

The full report is available online at ohioauditor.gov/auditsearch/search.aspx

A full-time equivalency review conducted by the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (ODEW) shortly after the community school closed and ceased operations on June 30, 2024, noted a lack of internal controls over student records.

ODEW’s final reconciliation in November 2024 identified $46,695.90 in funding that the school should not have received, based on its final student data.

A separate finding in the audit report noted, “Due to deficiencies in the Academy’s internal controls over student attendance records, the Academy was unable to provide supporting documentation for new student enrollments, student absences, and student (withdrawals)… A lack of internal controls over reporting attendance records increases the risk that the Academy’s funding could be calculated based on inaccurate information.”

The Auditor of State’s Office, one of five independently elected statewide offices in Ohio, is responsible for auditing more than 5,900 state and local government agencies. Under the direction of Auditor Keith Faber, the office also provides financial services to local governments, investigates and prevents fraud in public agencies, and promotes transparency in government.