MELROSE — Melrose Public Schools administrators informed the School Committee that the district has received a clean draft audit report on the school district budget audit for the third year in a row.
The fiscal audit report reviews district finances for Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24), which ended on June 30, 2024.
The audit was conducted by CBIZ, an independent third-party auditor and Certified Public Accounting firm, in accordance with standards set by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).
The FY24 audit returned “no findings,” meaning that the district’s financial statements are deemed to be in order and meeting standards for clarity, accuracy, regulatory compliance and accounting best practices. Melrose Public Schools also received comparably “clean” audit reports for Fiscal Years 2022 and 2023, meaning that independent auditors have found for three consecutive years that the district is meeting relevant standards for its finances.
“Residents often ask how we can be confident in the stability and transparency of our finances, and this clean audit report clearly shows that our School Department continues to be an effective steward for the resources our community allocates for education,” said Mayor Jen Grigoraitis. “I’m grateful to our Central Office employees and budget staff for maintaining this high degree of excellence.”
Ken Kelley, Interim Deputy Superintendent for Finance and Operations, reported on the audit to the Melrose School Committee during the July 29, 2025 meeting. The audit report currently held by the district, which is considered a final draft version, is not expected to change before final issuance by CBIZ this year. This is the first fiscal audit of Melrose Public Schools conducted by CBIZ, a national accounting firm which acquired and absorbed the district’s previous auditor in the last year.