The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has released the final 2024-2025 ratings for the School Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST), a program established by the state legislature in 2001 to evaluate financial management practices in public schools. The ratings are based on annual financial reports submitted by school districts and charter schools for the 2024 fiscal year.
Under FIRST, school systems receive one of four letter grades—A, B, C, or F—corresponding to designations of Superior Achievement, Above Standard Achievement, Meets Standard Achievement, or Substandard Achievement.
For the 2024-2025 school year, TEA assigned the following ratings:
– A – Superior Achievement: 969 districts and charter schools (81%)
– B – Above Standard Achievement: 121 (10%)
– C – Meets Standard Achievement: 74 (6%)
– F – Substandard Achievement: 26 (2%)
In total, TEA rated 1,190 school systems across Texas.
FIRST ratings are determined using 21 financial indicators that apply to both traditional districts and charter schools. These include administrative costs, accuracy of submitted financial information, and identification of vulnerabilities or weaknesses in internal controls as found by external auditors. If a school system fails any one of four critical indicators, it automatically receives an F rating regardless of its overall score.
Charter schools operated by public institutions of higher education are evaluated separately under seven specific indicators and can only receive a Pass or Fail rating. For this cycle, all five such charter schools received a Pass.
Texas law requires all public school systems to present their financial accountability ratings at a public meeting so parents and taxpayers can review and discuss the results.
“All Texas public school systems are required to share their financial accountability ratings with parents and taxpayers at a public meeting to discuss the financial report,” according to TEA.
More information about FIRST ratings and access to detailed results is available on the agency’s web pages for independent school districts and charter schools.
