The Arkansas Public School Computer Network (APSCN) will officially release Cycle 1 for state reporting on or before Wednesday, August 1, 2007. Larry Cunningham will email the Financial Management System (FMS) and Student Management System (SMS) listservs when the cycle is released by APSCN. The documentation and required forms for completing state reporting for Cycle 1 will be placed on the APSCN website at http://www.k12.ar.us (click on the SIS menu and select Statewide Information System). This year September 15th falls on a Saturday; therefore, the submission deadline will be midnight, September 17th. The 2007-2008 budget reported in Cycle 1 must be approved by the School District Board of Directors at a legally held meeting prior to the submission of Cycle 1.
Districts must print the Cycle 1 Annual Financial Report and Budget (AFRB) Signature Page from the APSCN website, have the School Board President and the Ex Officio Financial Secretary sign the form and mail the AFRB Signature Page to the address shown on the form. Districts must also print the Cycle 1 Certification of Accuracy Form from the APSCN website, have the form signed by the superintendent, and mail the form to the address indicated on the form.
It is imperative that the submission deadline be met. According to Arkansas Code Annotated § 6-20-2202, the Ex Officio Financial Secretary and the individual’s surety shall be liable for any warrants or checks countersigned after the deadline if a budget has not been filed. In addition, state grants and aids shall be suspended until the required reports are filed. Accurately completing and submitting Cycle 1 and mailing the required forms by September 17, 2007, will ensure compliance with § 6-20-2202.
Act 858 of 2007 requires each school district, open-enrollment charter school and education service cooperative to perform a final close of the 2006-2007 general ledger no later than September 30, 2007. If a change is made to 2006-2007 financial data after having submitted Cycle 1, it will be necessary to re-submit Cycle 1 so that the change is reflected in the state database. No changes to 2006-2007 financial data will be allowed after September 30, 2007. Also, it will not be possible to re-submit Cycle 1 after September 30, 2007.
Any district experiencing problems entering or submitting data for any cycle should contact the Department of Information Systems (DIS) Help Desk at 800-435-7989. Please request that the trouble ticket be assigned to the Statewide Information System (SIS) Group.