Harlingen CISD earned an impressive “A” for its financial accountability for the 17th consecutive year, according to information released in August by the Texas Education Agency.
The district earned a score of a 94 out of 100, resulting in a rating of superior or a letter rating of an “A” for its financial management.
“At HCISD, being fiscally responsible allows us to hire the best educators and provide our students with the best supplies and resources,” said HCISD Chief Financial Officer Julio Cavazos. “Our budgetary process ensures we are able to work within our means year after year.”
TEA’s Schools FIRST, known as the Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas, assesses the financial standing of school districts across the state. It then assigns a letter grade based on the management of taxpayer dollars.
“To achieve this award, it takes a thorough and efficient team, and I am thankful to all those who have ensured HCISD continues earning an “A” for its financial management,” Cavazos said, adding that meticulous teamwork led to the award. “Our community expects to safeguard our tax dollars, and because of that, we expect to receive this award every year.”
The “Superior Achievement” rating by the agency is the state’s highest, demonstrating the quality of Harlingen CISD’s financial management and reporting system. “The primary goal of School FIRST is to achieve quality performance in the management of school districts’ financial resources, a goal made more significant due to the complexity of accounting associated with Texas’ school finance system,” according to information provided by the Texas Association of School Business Officials.
