Thorndale ISD

Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas

Public Hearing

December 13, 2021

What is FIRST?

• Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas
• Created by the Texas Education Agency to ensure that Texas public schools are held accountable for the quality of their financial management practices and that they improve those practices.
• School FIRST designed to encourage Texas public schools to better manage their financial resources to provide the maximum allocation possible for direct instructional purposes.
• School FIRST is a tool that creates transparency and discloses the quality of local management and decision-making processes that the school district uses concerning the financial resources the school district receives.
• Based on the submitted information, one of four financial management ratings – Superior, Above Standard, Meets Standard, or Substandard Achievement – is then assigned.
• The 2020-2021 rating calculations are based on data from the 2019-2020 fiscal year.

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Determination of Rating

• Maximum Score
• 100 points
• A = Superior
• 90-100 points
• B = Above Standard
• 80-89 points
• C = Meets Standard
• 70-79 points
• F = Substandard Achievement
• <70 points

Reporting

• School district must prepare and distribute an annual financial management report which must include:
• The district’s financial performance rating.
• Reimbursements received by the Superintendent and Board Members for the fiscal year 2020.
• Report the current Superintendent’s contract in the annual report or post to the internet. The current Superintendent’s contract is posted on the Thorndale ISD website.

Public hearing to provide an opportunity to comment.

Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas�2020-2021 Rating Based on School Year 2019-2020

Reimbursements Received by the Superintendent �and Board Members �For the 12 month period ended August 31, 2020

Note: The spirit of the rule is to capture all “reimbursements” for fiscal year 2019, regardless of the manner of payment, including direct pay, credit card, cash, and purchase order. Reimbursements to be reported per category include:

Meals: Meals consumed off the school district’s premises, and in-district meals at area restaurants (excludes catered meals for board meetings).

Lodging: Hotel charges.

Transportation: Airfare, car rental (can include fuel on rental), taxis, mileage reimbursements, leased cars, parking, and tolls.

Motor Fuel: Gasoline.

Other: Registration fees, telephone/cell phone, internet service, fax machine, and other reimbursements (or on-behalf of) to the superintendent and board member not defined above.

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Outside Compensation and/or Fees Received by�the Superintendent for Professional Consulting�and/or Other Personal Services

• None to report.

Note: Compensation does not include business revenues from the superintendent’s livestock or agricultural-based activities on a ranch or farm. Report gross amount received (do no deduct business expenses from gross revenues). Revenues generated from a family business that have no relationship to school district business are not to be disclosed.

Gifts Received by the Executive Officer (s) and Board Members (and First Degree Relatives, if any)

• None to report.

Note: An executive officer is defined as the superintendent, unless the board of trustees or the district administration names additional staff under this classification. Gifts received by first degree relatives, if any, will be reported under the applicable school official.

Business Transactions Between School District �and Board Members

Note: The summary amounts reported under this disclosure are not to duplicate the items reported in the summary schedule of reimbursements received by board members.

Superintendent’s Contract

• Thorndale ISD publishes the Superintendent’s contract on the school website at www.thorndale.txed.net

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