The Dripping Springs, Wimberley and Hays school districts received top grades in their FIRST rating from the Texas Education Agency, a system which has been used for the past 17 years to measure the quality of school districts’ financial management and reporting.
The report ensures that Texas public schools are held accountable for the quality of their financial management practices and that they improve those practices.
The rating is based on 15 indicators that include results of the annual external audit, debt management, fund balance and administrative cost ratio, among other financial indicators.
Dripping Springs ISD has received a “Superior Rating” every year since the FIRST system’s inception.
WISD Superintendent of Schools Dwain York said his administrative team approaches the budget cautiously and deliberately from the moment it is approved by the WISD Board of Trustees.
“WISD’s superior rating reflects ongoing accountability, sound fiscal management and transparency in the way that the district manages the board-approved budget,” he said. “It is gratifying to see that the WISD team’s efficient and careful commitment to wise oversight of every aspect of the funds entrusted upon the District by taxpayers is being recognized with a superior rating and even more importantly with a score of 100.
Hays CISD Superintendent Dr. Eric Wright is very pleased with Hays CISD’s School FIRST rating.
“This rating shows that our district is making the most of our taxpayers’ dollars. This rating shows that Hay’s schools are accountable not only for student learning, but also for achieving these results cost-effectively and efficiently,” Wright said.
