FIRST Rating

Lancaster ISD earned a "Superior Achievement" rating in the "Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST)" scores for fiscal year ending 2005.

We only failed one, of twenty-one, "indicators" or tests.

Now, one test failed can be enough to fail the entire district and earn a "Substandard" rating. It depends on the indicator.

For instance, the Progresso ISD failed with only one "no". So did Port Arthur ISD.

The single indicator failed asked the question:

Was The Annual Financial Report Filed Within One Month After November 27th or January 28th Deadline Depending Upon The District's Fiscal Year End Date?


A district that files its Annual reports more than thirty days after the deadline is in what Region Ten analysts carefully refer to as "serious trouble".

The deadline for fiscal year ending 2006 is coming up fast. Might be a good question for citizens to ask at the next school board meeting. Did we file on time?