LaredoBuzz.Com

Courtesy Roberto Treviño,

(Laredo, Tx)- Laredo Independent School District officials announced that the district recently received a rating of “Superior Achievement” under Texas’ Schools FIRST (Financial Accountability Rating System of Texas). For the tenth year in a row, the LISD Division of Finance attained the Superior Achievement rating which is the state’s highest, demonstrating the quality of Laredo ISD’s financial management and reporting system.

 This is the tenth year of Schools FIRST a financial accountability system for Texas school districts developed by the Texas Education Agency in response to Senate Bill 875 of the 76th Texas Legislature in 1999. The primary goal of Schools FIRST is to achieve quality performance in the management of school districts’ financial resources, a goal made more significant due to the complexity of accounting associated with Texas’ school finance system.

 “We are very pleased with Laredo ISD’s Schools FIRST rating,” said Laredo ISD Superintendent Dr. Marcus Nelson. “It shows that our district is making the most of our taxpayers’ dollars. This rating shows that LISD’s schools are accountable not only for student learning, but also for achieving these results cost-effectively and efficiently. I especially want to congratulate the Division of Finance, under the direction of Flor Ayala, CPA, for all their hard work and for their continued effort to utilize each taxpayer dollar wisely.”

 The Schools FIRST accountability rating system assigns one of four financial accountability ratings to Texas school districts, with the highest being “Superior Achievement,” followed by “Above-Standard Achievement,” “Standard Achievement” and “Substandard Achievement.” Districts with serious data quality problems may receive the additional rating of “Suspended –Data Quality.” Districts that receive the “Substandard Achievement” or “Suspended – Data Quality” ratings under School FIRST must file a corrective action plan with the Texas Education Agency.