APRIL 2014
93.235
ABSTINENCE EDUCATION BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM
ABSTINENCE EDUCATION (PRC 101)
State Project/Program:
U. S. Department of Health and Human Services
Federal Authorization:
Social Security Act Title V, Section 510(b), 42 U.S.C. 710(b)
State Project/Program:
N. C. Department of Public Instruction
Agency Contact Person
Confirmation Address Letters To:
Program
Ellen Essick, Section Chief
NC Healthy Schools
Ellen.essick@dpi.nc.gov
(919) 807-3859
Gene Bruton, Accountant
N.C. Department of Public Instruction
Division of School Business
Monitoring and Compliance Section
Education Building
6334 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-6334
(919) 807-3726
Financial
Gene Bruton, Accountant
Monitoring and Compliance
Gene.Bruton@dpi.nc.gov
(919) 807-3726
The auditor should not consider the Supplement to be “safe harbor” for identifying audit
procedures to apply in a particular engagement, but the auditor should be prepared to justify
departures from the suggested procedures. The auditor can consider the supplement a “safe
harbor” for identification of compliance requirements to be tested if the auditor performs
reasonable procedures to ensure that the requirements in the Supplement are current. The grantor
agency may elect to review audit working papers to determine that audit tests are adequate.
I.
PROGRAM OBJECTIVES
The purpose of the Abstinence Education project is to enable the State to provide abstinence
education, and at the option of the State, where appropriate, mentoring, counseling, and adult
supervision to promote abstinence from sexual activity, with a focus on those groups which are most
likely to bear children out-of-wedlock, such as youth in or aging out of foster care.
II.
PROGRAM PROCEDURES
DPI allocates funds to up to 19 of the 115 local education agencies and eligible Charter Schools,
identified as “Priority LEAs”, to implement the legislative priorities of the funding. Priority is
determined based on high rates of 1) teen pregnancy, 2) teen birth, 3) children
aged 0-17 in foster care, 4) free and reduced lunch eligibility, and 5) other academic risk
factors.
III. COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS
NC Department of Public Instruction (DPI) mandates that all testing in the DPI CrossCutting Requirements be performed by the local auditor. Please refer to Cross-Cutting
Requirements DPI-0.
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ABSTINENCE EDUCATION (PRC 101)
A. Activities Allowed or Un-allowed
Compliance Requirement – Funds from this grant must be used to develop an
abstinence education program that does the following:
(a) has as its exclusive purpose, teaching the social, psychological, and health gains to
be realized by abstaining from sexual activity;
(b) teaches abstinence from sexual activity outside of marriage as the expected standard
for all school age children;
(c) teaches that abstinence from sexual activity is the only certain way to avoid out-ofwedlock pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and other associated health
problems;
(d) teaches that a mutually faithful monogamous relationship in the context of marriage
is the expected standard of human sexual activity;
(e) teaches that sexual activity outside of marriage is likely to have harmful
psychological and physical effects;
(f) teaches that bearing children out-of-wedlock is likely to have harmful consequences
for the child, the child’s parents, and society;
(g) teaches young children how to reject sexual advances and how alcohol and drug use
increases vulnerability to sexual advances; and
(h) teaches the importance of attaining self-sufficiency before engaging in sexual
activity.
Audit Objectives – Determine that funds were spent in accordance with an abstinence
education program that complies with the approved State Plan and supports the eight
specified spending criteria.
Suggested Audit Procedures:

Test expenditures and related records to determine if expenditures were made only
for allowable services.

Examine expenditures for appropriate approval and documentation.

Determine that personnel paid from these funds do not exceed budgeted personnel
in the approved program budget. See State Public School Fund guidelines for salary
audit requirements.
B. Allowable Costs/Cost Principles
Addressed in the NC Department of Public Instruction Cross-cutting Requirements.
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ABSTINENCE EDUCATION (PRC 101)
C. Cash Management
Addressed in the NC Department of Public Instruction Cross-cutting Requirements.
E.
Eligibility
Eligibility for Sub recipients – Priority is determined by ranking counties using
published State and local data on teen pregnancy, teen births, children aged 0-17 in
foster care, free and reduced lunch eligibility, and academic risk factors. No testing is
required.
Eligibility for Individuals – This compliance requirement does not apply at the local
level. No testing is required.
F. Equipment and Real Property Management
Addressed in the NC Department of Public Instruction Cross-cutting Requirements.
G. Matching, Level of Effort, Earmarking
1.
Matching
Compliance Requirement - The Abstinence Education Program’s funding is
comprised of Federal funds (Federal share) through a Block Grant. The State of
North Carolina is required to match these federal funds 3:4. This match is the
responsibility of the State as a whole, and not just programs participating in the
federal program. Only non-federal funds can be used to support this match
requirement.
Audit Objective - To verify LEAs keep matching records for the Abstinence
Education Program.
Suggested Audit Procedures:


Verify records that support any in-kind contributions counted toward satisfying
the local grantee contribution.
Verify that reports of matching expenditures were submitted to DPI and
supported by appropriate documentation.
H. Period of Availability of Federal Funds
Compliance Requirement – Expenditures may not be incurred before the beginning
date of the project.
Audit Objective – Determine that no expenditures were incurred prior to the beginning
date of the approved project.
Suggested Audit Procedures:
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ABSTINENCE EDUCATION (PRC 101)

I.
Review transactions to verify that no expenditures were incurred prior to the
approved application beginning date.
Procurement and Suspension and Debarment
Addressed in the NC Department of Public Instruction Cross-Cutting Requirements
N. Special Tests and Provisions
Addressed in the NC Department of Public Instruction Cross-cutting Requirements.
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