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San Marcos CISD has received an A — superior achievement — rating by the Texas Education Agency for its annual financial management report.
The rating looks at the 2017-18 school year’s data. SMCISD received 100 out of 100 possible points and has received consecutive ratings of “superior achievement," except for the 2008-09 fiscal year when the district received a rating of “above standard achievement.”
The school district announced its financial rating through the Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST) during a public hearing on the topic at its board of trustees regular meeting on Monday.
The FIRST system was created in 1999 and examines each school district’s financial performance. Use of this system is intended to achieve quality performance in the financial management of school districts, according to information provided by SMCISD.
The FIRST system assess school financial management by granting credit on 15 different indicators. The first five are measured on a pass/fail basis, while the other 10 indicators grant credit by utilizing a 1-10 scale.
“San Marcos CISD met the indicators to pass for each one of these (first five indicators),” said James Barton, interim assistant superintendent of business and support services from SMCISD. “San Marcos CISD received full credit for each (of the final) 10 indicators … Finally, TEA rated San Marcos CISD a 100.”
In other business at Monday’s meeting, the board of trustees approved all consent agenda items: approval of minutes for regular board meeting on Sept. 16 and special called meetings on Sept. 28, Sept. 30 and Oct. 7; consider resolution amending authorized representatives for Texpool and First Public/Lone Star; approval of targeted improvement plans; hiring additional teacher and instructional assistant teacher at Bonham Pre-Kindergarten; approval of budget amendments.
The trustees also approved the lone item up for action: consider order authorizing the issuance of SMCISD unlimited tax refunding bonds in one or more series; entering into escrow agreements, bond purchase agreements and paying agent/registrar agreements; delegating to certain district administrative staff and officers the authority to approve all final terms of the bond; and other related matters.
The SMCISD Board of Trustees next regular meeting is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 18 at 6 p.m. at San Marcos High School — 2601 Rattler Rd. — inside the Criminal Justice Classroom.
