Chapel Hill ISD Earns State’s Highest Fiscal Accountability Rating for the 20th Consecutive Year

Chapel Hill, Smith County -  Chapel Hill Independent School District (CHISD) received a rating of “A” for “Superior Achievement” for the 20th consecutive year, according to Texas’ School Financial Accountability Rating System of Texas (FIRST). The “Superior Achievement” rating is the state’s highest, demonstrating the quality of CHISD's financial management and reporting system. 

"This rating underscores how effectively we are utilizing taxpayer funds in our district," said Superintendent of Schools Lamond Dean. "It demonstrates the district's commitment to both enhancing student learning and achieving these results in a manner that is fiscally responsible and efficient." 

This is the 20th year of School FIRST, a financial accountability system for Texas school districts developed by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) in response to Senate Bill 875 of the 76th Texas Legislature in 1999 and amendments under House Bill 5, 83rd Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2013.

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 the TEA.  

TEA assigned one of four financial accountability ratings to Texas school districts, with the highest being “A” for “Superior Achievement,” followed by “B” for “Above-Standard Achievement,” “C” for “Standard Achievement” and “F” for “Substandard Achievement.”

For more information, contact Communications Director Belen Casillas at (903)566-2441 or via email at casillasb@chapelhillisd.org.