Reminder: Annual Audit Submission Deadline Approaching

Memo to Charter School Principals

December 19, 2025

From: Vicki Pineda, Charter Schools Director
Florida Department of Education,  Office of Independent Education & Parental Choice

Section 218.39(1)(e) and (f), Florida Statutes, requires every charter school and charter technical center to complete an annual financial audit. State law also requires charter schools and charter technical career centers to submit the financial audit reports to the Auditor General. It is the responsibility of each charter school to ensure the completeness and accuracy of the electronic audit reports submitted to the Auditor General, as outlined here.

Additionally, charter schools are obligated to upload their complete annual audit reports to the Florida Department of Education’s Charter School Portal. The Department conducts thorough reviews of charter school annual audits to verify ongoing eligibility for Fixed Capital Outlay. The accessibility of audit reports is crucial for evaluating whether a charter school has met all eligibility criteria, including financial conditions. Capital Outlay distributions may be delayed or put on hold should the Office of Independent Education & Parental Choice not be able to review your school’s annual audit.

If your school’s 2025 annual audit report has already been uploaded to the Charter School Portal, no further action is required at this time. Please avoid reloading the 2025 annual audit, as duplicate uploads have the potential to overwrite Department approvals and may lead to delays in Capital Outlay distributions.

However, if your charter school has not yet uploaded the 2025 annual audit to the Charter School Portal, we urge you to upload a copy no later than January 31, 2026. Failure to upload your school’s audit to the Charter School Portal by January 31, 2026, will result in Capital Outlay distributions being withheld.

Please be assured that our staff is actively monitoring the annual audit uploads to the Charter School Portal to ensure compliance and facilitate the timely processing of Capital Outlay distributions.