For the 16th consecutive year, Aldine ISD received a rating of “Superior” under Texas’ School FIRST (Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas) accountability rating system. The “Superior” rating is the state’s highest, demonstrating the quality of Aldine ISD’s financial management and reporting system.
The primary goal of the School FIRST system is to ensure that Texas public schools are held accountable for the quality of their financial management practices. The School FIRST system is designed to encourage Texas public schools to better manage their financial resources to provide the maximum allocation possible for direct instructional purposes.
The School FIRST system has 15 indicators that are evaluated. The first five indicators are critical indicators and must be met to avoid failure. The other 10 indicators evaluate financial solvency and financial competency.
According to Dr. Tamika Alford-Stephens, Aldine ISD Chief Financial Officer, Aldine met the requirements of the five critical indicators. Those indicators are: filing of the district’s annual financial report within a month, the districts annual financial report was free of any instances of material weaknesses, the district was in compliance with the payment terms of all debt agreements at the end of the district’s fiscal year, the district made timely payments to the Teachers Retirement System (TRS), Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), the IRS and other governmental agencies, and the district’s total unrestricted net asset balance in the Statement of Net Position/Assets was greater than zero.
“Since the implementation of the School FIRST accountability system, Aldine ISD has received the highest rating a school district can receive,” Dr. AlfordStephens said. “This year’s “Superior” rating is a reflection of the district’s continued demonstration of high quality financial management and reporting.”