§ 3-7 — Failure to prepare and forward information

If the trustees of schools of any township in Class II county school units, or any school district which forms a part of a Class II county school unit but which is not subject to the jurisdiction of the trustees of schools of any township in which such district is located, or any school district in any Class I county school units fail to prepare and forward or cause to be prepared and forwarded to the regional superintendent of schools, reports required by this Act, the regional superintendent of schools shall furnish such information or he shall employ a person or persons to furnish such information, as far as practicable. Such person shall have access to the books, records and papers of the school district to enable him or them to prepare such reports, and the school district shall permit such person or persons to examine such books, records and papers at such time and such place as such person or persons may desire for the purpose aforesaid. For such services the regional superintendent of schools shall bill the district an amount to cover the cost of preparation of such reports if he employs a person to prepare such reports. Each school district shall, as of June 30 of each year, cause an audit of its accounts to be made by a person lawfully qualified to practice public accounting as regulated by the Illinois Public Accounting Act. Such audit shall include financial statements of the district applicable to the type of records required by other sections of this Act and in addition shall set forth the scope of audit and shall include the professional opinion signed by the auditor, or if such an opinion is denied by the auditor, shall set forth the reasons for such denial. The auditing firm for each school district shall file with the State Board of Education the Annual Financial Report and audit, as required by the rules of the State Board of Education. Such reports shall be filed no later than October 15 following the end of each fiscal year. Each school district shall, on or before October 15 of each year, submit one copy of the Annual Financial Report and its audit to the regional superintendent of schools in the educational service region having jurisdiction. Each regional superintendent of schools shall determine and communicate to school districts the preferred format, paper or electronic, for the submission. Each school district that is the administrative district for several school districts operating under a joint agreement as authorized by this Act shall, as of June 30 each year, cause an audit of the accounts of the joint agreement to be made by a person lawfully qualified to practice public accounting as regulated by the Illinois Public Accounting Act. Such audit shall include financial statements of the operation of the joint agreement applicable to the type of records required by this Act and, in addition, shall set forth the scope of the audit and shall include the professional opinion signed by the auditor, or if such an opinion is denied, the auditor shall set forth the reason for such denial. The auditing firm for each joint agreement shall file with the State Board of Education the Annual Financial Report and audit, as required by the rules of the State Board of Education. Such reports shall be filed no later than October 15 following the end of each fiscal year. Each joint agreement shall, on or before October 15 of each year, submit one copy of the Annual Financial Report and its audit to the regional superintendent of schools in the educational service region having jurisdiction. Each regional superintendent of schools shall determine and communicate to joint agreements the preferred format, paper or electronic, for the submission. The State Board of Education shall determine the adequacy of the audits. All audits shall be kept on file in the office of the State Board of Education.

Legislative History

(Source: P.A. 104-261, eff. 1-1-26 .)