Shari Diamond

Tips to Prevent Wire and ACH Frauds

ACH payment fraud is becoming more common, and it is believed that the fraudsters target certain types of individuals. Unfortunately, school districts are one of those targets. Financial institutions play a crucial role in safeguarding bank accounts from fraud;...

Utility Bill Auditing

For many school districts, especially larger districts, reviewing the utility invoices can be a cumbersome process as schools have multiple accounts. We have noted that recently late fees have been added and are cropping up across the Island. Many districts have asked...

NYSLRS Enhanced Reporting – Gold Certification

Reminder: The New York State & Local Retirement System is requiring that all employers must switch to enhanced reporting by the end of 2023. There are many benefits of enhanced reporting.For employers: Maximize efficiency and improve service to employees...

Zero-emission School Bus Mandate – Update

In early August, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) released proposed eligibility guidelines for the Public School Bus Electrification Program being designed under the $4.2 billion Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs...

National Efforts to Improve K-12 School Cybersecurity

In early August, the White House and the Department of Education announced a federal effort to bolster K-12 cybersecurity at a summit and not a moment too soon. Shortly after the announcement, the New Haven Connecticut public schools suffered a $6 million breach as the email of one of the school officials was compromised. Schools are known to have a lot of sensitive data that is marketable on the dark web. Hackers also know that many schools do not have sufficient resources, both in staff and dollars, to adequately mitigate the risks.

New Rule Amends Community Eligibility Provision

This final rule amends the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) regulations by lowering the minimum identified student percentage (ISP) from 40 percent to 25 percent. Lowering the minimum ISP will give states and schools greater flexibility to offer meals to all...

Guest Article: Creating a Robust Travel & Expense Reimbursement Policy

One of the top issues we encounter when auditing travel reimbursement claims is determining what is considered an appropriate expense and does it comply with the district policy. As we are back out and traveling again, now is a good time to assess your travel and...

New Form I-9

The new version of Form I‑9, Employment Eligibility Verification (PDF, 483.6 KB) along with new instructions are now available for use. This version contains changes to the form and instructions, including shortening the Form I‑9 to one page and reducing the instructions to eight pages.

30 Years of Connecting with Cerini & Associates, LLP

Celebrate Cerini & Associates, LLP's 30th Anniversary with Ken Cerini, Founder & Managing Partner! Today, we celebrate a milestone: the 30th Anniversary of Cerini & Associates, LLP. From a humble garage start-up to a leading firm with seven partners and...

A Diamond in the Rough: How Transparency & Documentation Produces Incomparable Audits

It’s audit season…wait…isn’t it always audit season? Tune in with Shari Diamond, Partner at Cerini and Associates, LLP, who dives into the claims audit process, how Artificial Intelligence can affect our processes and what to look out for down the road.Shari has been...
GASB 96 – The What, When, Why and How

GASB 96 – The What, When, Why and How

The Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) issued on June 25, 2020, Statement No. 96, “Subscription-Based Information Technology Arrangements (SBITA).” On June 15, 2022, the guidance became effective which means current accounting has to be in line with GASB...

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How To Protect Your Nonprofit With New Cyber Threats

How To Protect Your Nonprofit With New Cyber Threats

As more and more companies and people use and rely on technology, cybercriminals have become more sophisticated, and cyberattacks have been on the rise. According to Cybercrime Magazine, the cost of cybercrime is projected to rise from $6T in 2021 to $10.5T in 2025....

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K12 Data Protection Q&A Panel – Powerhouse Team

K12 Data Protection Q&A Panel – Powerhouse Team

Join our Powerhouse Team for a Time-Critical Panel Discussion followed by a Question-and-Answer Session New York State Education Law §2-d took effect in 2020 and applies to school districts, charter schools, universal pre-K providers and BOCES. It also applies to...

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