The Roslyn School District did not always appropriately inventory and safeguard IT equipment, according to an audit by state Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli’s office released on Feb. 21.
Items like printers were not completely logged on inventory lists, and data was not fully deleted from some devices before disposal, according to the report.
The school district disagrees with some of the findings and said its inventory practices ensure it properly tracks IT equipment.
The comptroller’s audit took place between July 2022 and May 2024 to determine if devices were properly documented primarily through the district’s inventory records, which account for all fixed assets costing $500 or more, and IT inventory list, which tracks all IT devices on the district’s internet network.
While the comptroller’s office concluded that the Roslyn School District generally tracked equipment appropriately, the audit report said the district’s IT inventory list contained at least 400 devices without serial or tag numbers.
Roslyn School District Superintendent Allison Brown wrote to the comptroller’s office and said that board policy #6645 requires IT equipment to have either a serial number or a unique identifier and that each of the 400 devices the comptroller’s office identified as having missing information contained one identifier.
The comptroller’s office said the district should have recorded both serial numbers and tag numbers to ensure proper tracking and upkeep.
“As a result of the multi-layered approach we have implemented to safeguard our assets and inventory, we were easily able to locate and account for all of the physical inventory and assets selected by the auditors,” the Roslyn School District said in a statement.
Using the district’s IT inventory list and fixed asset report, the comptroller’s office selected 50 devices to determine whether they were physically located in the district.
The devices were chosen by looking at both the highest-paid invoices to the district’s IT equipment vendors and from a device management report. They also chose an additional 10 devices while conducting walk-throughs at district buildings.
Of the 60 devices the comptroller’s office inspected, 7 were laser and inkjet printers that cost over $2,100 and were not included in the district’s IT inventory list.
The comptroller’s audit also included 10 disposed devices, including Chromebooks, MacBooks, and an iPad. Seven contained data that should have been removed before disposal, and none had disposal dates or methods listed on the IT inventory list.
The district told the comptroller’s office that the IT Department drill-pressed all seven devices’ hard drives before disposal, but the audit report says the district never provided documentation to prove that claim.
The school district said in a statement to Schneps Media LI that certificates of disposal, which described disposal methods, were provided during the audit review process. The comptroller’s office said in a statement to Schneps Media LI that they affirmed the report’s findings and did not receive documentation during their fieldwork or at their exit conference with the district.
“The District strives for the highest level of excellence and care in our operations and remains committed to sound fiscal management and safeguarding of our assets,” the district said. “Although the District respectfully disagrees with some of the conclusions drawn, as identified in our response attached to the report, we are undertaking a review of the few recommendations offered and will implement any further protections necessary.”
