The School FIRST Communications Kit for school districts has been updated for the 2014-2015 rating year. The school financial accountability rating system, known as the School Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST) is administered by the Texas Education Agency was designed to ensure that Texas public schools are held accountable for the quality of their financial management practices and that they improve those practices. The system is designed to encourage Texas public schools to better manage their financial resources to provide the maximum allocation possible for direct instructional purposes.
The overall positive financial accountability rating results are a public relations opportunity for Texas public schools. The Communications Kit can be accessed at http://www.tasbo.org/personifymainorgsite/resource/tools-templates/schools-first.
How well did Texas public schools perform according to the preliminary financial accountability ratings released last week by Texas Education Agency? The tables below show the results for school districts and open-enrollment charter schools. The preliminary results will be updated by TEA, if there are any successful appeals of the rating results.
Preliminary Overall Statistics for School Districts
for the 2014-2015 Rating Year
|
Status
|
Count
|
% Total
|
Enrollment
|
% Total Enrollment
|
|
Passed
|
1,011
|
98.73 %
|
4,904,755
|
99.43 %
|
|
Failed
|
13
|
1.27 %
|
28,102
|
0.57 %
|
|
Total
|
1,024
|
100.00 %
|
4,932,857
|
100.00 %
|
Preliminary Overall Statistics for Open-Enrollment Charter Schools
for the 2014-2015 Rating Year
|
Status
|
Count
|
% Total
|
Enrollment
|
% Total Enrollment
|
|
Pass
|
167
|
91.76
|
177,116
|
91.44
|
|
Fail
|
15
|
8.24
|
16,577
|
8.56
|
|
TOTAL
|
182
|
100.00
|
193,693
|
100.00
|
This is the 13th year of School FIRST (Financial Accountability Rating System of Texas) for the financial accountability system developed by the Texas Education Agency for school districts in response to Senate Bill 875 of the 76th Texas Legislature in 1999. In August 2015, TEA implemented major changes to School FIRST in accordance with HB 5, Section 49, 83rd Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2013. House Bill 5 amended Section 39.082, Texas Education Code to require TEA to combine the financial accountability rating system with the financial solvency system that had been administered separately to evaluate school districts and open-enrollment charter schools. The changes to the School FIRST system implemented by the Texas Education Agency in August 2015 are being phased-in over three years. During the phase-in period, the new School FIRST system has separate worksheets for rating years 2014-2015, 2015-2016, and 2016-2017 and subsequent years.
To access more information on the School FIRST, click on the link below.
http://tea.texas.gov/Finance_and_Grants/Financial_Accountability/Financial_Integrity_Rating_System_of_Texas_(FIRST)/Financial_Integrity_Rating_System_of_Texas/