The Audit Connection Blog
Repeated misappropriations in Springdale add another case to recent catalog of small-town losses
Today our Office issued its third fraud investigation report in less than a decade for the town of Springdale, population 300. Two previous reports included misappropriations by the town clerk treasurer and mayor, and today's report concludes the same clerk treasurer previously investigated misappropriated an additional $51,173. ... CONTINUE READING
State’s school funding IT system outdated and at risk of failure, audit finds
The Office of the Washington State Auditor has completed the first comprehensive review of the IT system used to distribute funding to Washington’s 300 schools and districts, serving 1 million students. Our Office that this 17-year-old system, operated by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), is outdated and at risk of failure. ... CONTINUE READING
WASBO 2026: your go-to guide for school district resources
The Washington Association of School Business Officials (WASBO) is holding its annual conference this week in Tacoma, and team SAO will be there sharing the latest on financial reporting and auditing topics specifically for school districts. Throughout the conference and beyond, this webpage serves as a hub for helpful articles, tools, resources and guidance created to support school business officials across Washington – covering timely topics and offering references you can return to whenever you need them. ... CONTINUE READING
Did you know you need to report all personal purchases made on a government credit card to SAO?
Regardless of whether the employee responsible for the loss paid it back, or the government sought recovery from their bank or insurance company, it must be reported to SAO. ... CONTINUE READING
We want to hear from you: Take our public awareness survey today
The Office of the Washington State Auditor has launched a short, anonymous survey open to all Washington residents age 18 and older. We want to understand what matters most to you in your community, how you engage with government, and how we can communicate more clearly about our work and its impact on your daily life. ... CONTINUE READING
How to wrap up financial loose ends after an employee leaves
There is much to think about when employees leave your employment, including hiring and training new employees and divvying up duties in the meantime. This article outlines several financial areas you should review when an employee leaves. ... CONTINUE READING
Audit finds limited progress in police training required under the Law Enforcement Training and Community Safety Act
A new performance audit published by our Office finds that Washington’s police officers are far from completing additional training mandated by Initiative 940, with only 14% of new officers having completed the full 40 hours of training by their required deadline. ... CONTINUE READING
Updated procurement resources have arrived
The laws concerning bidding and purchasing are complex; as a result, we receive many questions and issue frequent audit recommendations to local governments over bidding and purchasing. To better support you, we maintain a suite of procurement resources. ... CONTINUE READING
Audit of $23.7 billion in federal funds shows overall improvement
Each year, the Office of the Washington State Auditor conducts a single audit – one major audit to examine whether state agencies spent billions of dollars in federal funds in accordance with the requirements set by the federal government. ... CONTINUE READING
Frequently Asked Questions about federal child care funds in Washington state
As the authority on auditing public funds in Washington state, we’ve prepared a webpage of FAQ to address some of the most common questions people may have about federal child care funds. Our goal with this FAQ is to be transparent and informative about the role of the Office of the Washington State Auditor on this issue of public concern. ... CONTINUE READING