MISD RECEIVES TOP
RECOGNITION FOR
FINANCIAL INTEGRITY
M
ansfield ISD has once again
upheld excellence in financial
accountability by earning the highest
grade in the School Financial Integrity
Rating System of Texas (FIRST). MISD has earned a Superior or ‘A’
grade since the inception of the state’s
financial accountability system,
making it the 17th consecutive year
the district has earned the top rating.
School FIRST was developed by
the Texas Education Agency (TEA)
in response to state legislature in
2001. It is designed to encourage
public schools to better manage
their financial resources to provide
the maximum allocation possible
for direct instructional purposes. The FIRST ratings are calculated
using 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.
Mansfield ISD passed all 15
indicators measured.
Texas school districts and open-
enrollment charters are required
to prepare an annual financial
accountability report for School
FIRST. Ratings released in 2019 were
based on budgetary and financial data
reported for the 2017-18 fiscal year.
Mansfield ISD was also awarded with
the Certificate of Achievement for
Excellence in Financial Reporting.
According to the Government Finance
Officers Association of the United
States and Canada (GFOA), it is the
highest form of recognition in the
area of governmental accounting
and financial reporting.
The award was given for the district’s
2018 comprehensive annual financial
report (CAFR). The report was judged
by an impartial panel to meet the
high standards of the program, which
includes demonstrating financial
transparency and clear communication.
The goal of the MISD Business and
Financial Services Department is to
ensure that all financial operations
support the district’s instructional goals
and objectives, providing students
with the best education possible.
MANSFIELDTODAY 5