Crosby, TX (December 18, 2023) - Crosby ISD achieved its highest School FIRST (Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas) rating in more than five years, scoring a 96 or Superior Achievement for the 2021-2022 fiscal year.
The state's accountability rating system ensures Texas public schools are held accountable for the quality of their financial management. It is important to note that School FIRST ratings are given for the prior fiscal year, meaning 2021-2022 ratings are issued during the 2023-2024 school year.
Crosby ISD Chief Financial Officer, Ms. Yvonne Johnson, shared the 2023 report during a public hearing at the Board of Trustees meeting on Monday, December 18, 2023.
CFO Johnson shared the ratings and historical data for the past 5 fiscal years. Board members pointed to the growth, in particular from the financial hardship year of 2017-2018 and the 6-point increase from 2020-2021 to 2021-2022.
Superintendent Patterson thanked CFO Johnson and the financial team at the Board of Trustees meeting, saying: "This is the first time Ms. Johnson has given the report and that they truly are our reports. Before that, each year you remember I've said it was the last administration. We thanked them for the work they put in. The 2021-2022 school year was our first year, so I want to say kudos to Ms. Johnson and her team. Our first year here and you were able to increase our rating by 6 points."
The School FIRST rating system was developed by the Texas Education Agency in response to Senate Bill 875 passed by the 76th Texas Legislature in 1999. Major changes were made in 2015 to the system to combine financial indicators with financial solvency indicators. The primary goal of School FIRST is to achieve quality performance in the management of school district resources, a goal made more significant due to the complexity of accounting associated with Texas' school finance system. The TEA assigns letter grades based on the points achieved through 20 indicators.
View Crosby ISD's 2023 School FIRST Ratings report as presented to the Board of Trustees here.
Read more about School FIRST here: https://tea.texas.gov/finance-and-grants/financial-compliance/financial-integrity-rating-system-of-texas-first
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