Roma ISD is pleased to announce that the district earned a rating of “A” for “Superior Achievement” for 2022-2023, under the Texas’ School FIRST (Financial Accountability Rating System of Texas) financial accountability rating system. The Superior Achievement rating is the state’s highest recognition, demonstrating the high quality of Roma ISD’s financial management and reporting system. The district passed all critical indicators to earn a score of 100 out of a possible 100 points for the other indicators.
This is the 19th year of School FIRST, a financial accountability system for Texas school districts developed by the Texas Education Agency. 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 TEA, “the state's school financial accountability rating system, known as the School Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (F.I.R.S.T.), ensures that Texas public schools are held accountable for the quality of their financial management practices and that they improve those practices. The system is designed to encourage Texas public schools to better manage their financial resources to provide the maximum allocation possible for direct instructional purposes.”
Under these guidelines, a larger percentage of the district’s annual funding must be directed toward instructional budget items – teacher salaries and instruction materials.
“We are super proud to earn a superior rating again this year” said Pedro Alaniz, Roma ISD Executive Director of Business and Finance. “We are committed to maximizing the money entrusted to us to benefit the children of our community, ensuring we give students access to all the programs and opportunities they need to be successful. Thank you to all the members of my team that work long hours to keep our district financially healthy!”
The TEA F.I.R.S.T. ratings are based on 15 financial indicators, such as administrative cost expenditures; the accuracy of a district or charter’s financial information submitted to TEA; and any financial vulnerabilities or material weaknesses in internal controls as determined by an external auditor.
“I would like to congratulate Pedro Alaniz and his team on continuing to maintain the highest standards for their work, which is crucial to the district and the community we serve,” said Roma ISD Superintendent Carlos. M. Gonzalez Jr. “The fact that the district continues to earn this high rating year after year is a testament to their knowledge of the work that is required, and their commitment to excellence. The Gladiator Nation is fortunate to have such an awesome finance team!”
