Once your Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting (COE) submission is received and approved by ASBO International, the review process takes approximately 4–6 months to complete.

Who Reviews My Submission?

A team of school finance professionals reviews the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report and supporting documents.

Award Categories

Award – The review team agrees that the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report meets the COE award criteria.

Conditional Award – The review team agrees that the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report contained notable errors and/or omissions of key program criteria. Conditional award status is noted internally only—the district’s name is included in the final COE award list posted on our website.

Denied Award – The review team agrees that the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report contained significant errors and/or failed to comply with key program criteria.

If a submission is denied the award, ASBO International will waive the COE application fee for the following year.

Award Packets

COE award documents are emailed to the submitting official.

Awarded and Conditionally awarded districts receive:

  • Comprehensive review team comments.
  • An award certificate, letter, and press release.
  • An engraved COE plaque.

Appeal Process

A school district that has been denied the COE award may appeal the decision.

Within 30 days of receiving the denial packet the district submitting official must appeal the decision in writing to [email protected].

When ASBO International receives a school district’s letter of appeal:

  • ASBO International replies to the district explaining the appeals process and timeline.
  • The COE Appeal Team is selected. The Appeal Team comprises three members of the Review Team and excludes any members of the original review team.
  • The COE Appeal Team reviews the district’s entire original submission and supporting documentation, the current year original review team's final comments, and the district's appeal letter. 
  • The COE Appeal Team has 60 days to review the documentation and write its final decision.
  • The Team’s decision is returned to the school district within the 60-day time limit.