FILE:  DIC

Cf:  DFN

 

INVENTORIES

 

 

FIXED ASSETS

 

The Richland Parish School Board directs the Superintendent to maintain a current itemized list of all land, buildings, improvements other than buildings, equipment, and any other general fixed assets which were purchased or otherwise acquired, for which the Board is accountable.

 

The property control system shall include a list for reporting purposes of all fixed assets with a value of $5,000 or more in the district including all items purchased or donated to the school district.  Items purchased with funds identified by the state as 8(g) funds, valued at $250 or more, shall also be classified as fixed assets and included in the fixed asset records.  The list shall include information as to the date of purchase, the initial cost, and the disposition, if any, and the purpose of such disposition and the recipient of the property or equipment disposed of.  Where ascertaining the cost, exact selling price or any other relevant information on property or equipment is not available, estimates may be provided.  Inventory records shall be managed and maintained in accordance with Board procedures.

 

For accountability and internal control purposes, an inventory of equipment and other items costing less than $5,000 may also be inventoried, tagged, and tracked by the School Board.

 

Intangible Assets

 

An intangible asset shall be considered an asset with an initial life that extends beyond a single reporting period, lacks physical substance, and in nonfinancial in nature.  Intangible assets shall include easements, water rights, timber rights, patents, trademarks, and computer software which can be purchased or licensed or internally generated.

 

An intangible asset should only be recognized if it is identifiable.  An asset is identifiable if it is separable; i.e., the asset is capable of being separated and sold, transferred, licensed, etc., or if the asset arises from contractual or other legal rights, regardless of whether rights are separable.

 

Intangible assets shall be authorized over their useful lives.  The useful life of an intangible asset that arises from contractual or legal rights should not exceed the legal term of the rights.  Renewal periods should be considered in determining the useful life if there is evidence that renewal will be sought and achieved and the cost of the renewal is nominal in relation to the level of service capacity expected to be obtained through the renewal.  An intangible asset is not amortized if the asset has an indefinite useful life.  An intangible asset should be considered to have an indefinite useful life if there are no legal, contractual, regulatory, technological, or other factors that limit the useful life of the asset.  For example, a permanent right-of-way easement would have an indefinite useful life.

 

Rules for accounting, calculating the initial value and depreciation of the asset shall be in accordance with generally accepted accounting standards.

 

For accountability and internal control purposes, an inventory of intangible assets shall be kept for any asset with a value of $100,000 or more.

 

Physical Inventory

 

In order to maintain an accurate account of Richland Parish School Board possessions, a physical inventory of all possessions is to be taken at the building level at least annually, but may be more frequent as needed.  Principals are the designated custodians of all possessions at the school level and shall be ultimately responsible for the safeguarding and record maintenance of all possessions in their schools.  However, any employee who has physical custody of School Board assets shall be personally responsible for safeguarding the assets, i.e., each teacher shall be responsible for his/her classroom, the librarian for the assets in the library, the band director for the assets in the band department, etc. 

 

Building level administrators shall be responsible for ensuring that annual inventories are taken and that the property control officer is notified of any changes that need to be made to their respective inventory records or reported as required.  The Superintendent and/or his/her designee shall maintain pertinent procedures for maintaining inventory and tracking records, including, identifying, appraising, tagging, and removing fixed assets from any inventory records.

 

TEXTBOOK INVENTORIES

 

The School Board and each school shall keep an inventory record of all textbooks on hand at the beginning of the session, as well as records of those textbooks added, worn out, and in need of replacement.  Textbook records should be kept on file for a minimum of three (3) years.

 

All lost or damaged books must be paid for by the student to which the books have been assigned.  Money received by a principal for lost or damaged books must be recorded and deposited into the school account.

 

Revised:  September 11, 2008

Revised:  March 8, 2011

 

 

Ref:    La. Rev. Stat. Ann. ยงยง17:81, 24:515

Louisiana Accounting and Uniform Governmental Handbook, Bulletin 1929, Louisiana Department of Education

Board minutes, 9-11-08, 3-8-11

 

Richland Parish School Board