Preliminary FIRST Ratings Show Superior Financial Practices at Region One School Systems
Preliminary Schools FIRST Ratings show superior financial practices at Region One school systems
EDINBURG – The Region One Education Service Center (ESC) recently presented the 2021-2022 Preliminary School FIRST (Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas) ratings during a Public Hearing held on Aug. 18 at its Edinburg main office. The preliminary data shows most of the school systems in the Region receiving an “A” or Superior Achievement after earning between 90-100 points during the assessment.
The FIRST ratings help ensure that Texas public schools are held accountable for the quality of their financial management practices. It is a system designed by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to encourage better management of financial resources allotted to school systems to maximize allocations for direct instructional purposes. Final ratings will be released on Sept. 7 after any appeal requests are submitted to the state.
Current data shows the percentage of school districts within the state with a Superior Rating increasing by 2.55% between the last two years. At Region One ESC, the increase is slightly larger with a 5.26% difference from 2020-2021 to the 2021-2022 school years. Within the Charter school category, the percentage of Superior Ratings in the state increased by 9.29% and within Region One ESC by 16.67%.
“We continue to show progress in financial responsibility and management throughout our Region,” said Region One ESC Executive Director Dr. Daniel P. King. “Our goal is to continue to be a Region of Excellence and it is imperative that we also focus on Financial Leadership to support continued academic success.
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