Life School Receives Superior Achievement
RED OAK—Recently the Life School District received a “A” rating for “Superior Achievement” under Texas’ financial accountability system. The superior rating is the state’s highest, demonstrating the quality of Life School’s financial management and reporting system.
Financial Accountability For All
This is the eighth year of School FIRST (Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas) for charter schools. The financial accountability system developed by the Texas Education Agency.
The system was was created in response to Senate Bill 3 of the 81st Texas Legislature in 2009. Amendments under House Bill 5, by 83rd Texas Legislature, followed in 2013.
Independent School Districts across the state have a similar rating system. In both instances, the primary goal of School FIRST is to achieve quality performance in the management of financial resources.
A goal made more significant due to the complexity of the Texas school finance system.
School finance reform has been an item of conjecture in past years since the state’s educational budget was cut by the Texas Legislature in 2011.
“We are very pleased with Life School’s “Superior Achievement” School FIRST rating,” said Life School Superintendent Brent Wilson. “This rating shows that our district is making the most of state dollars. It also displays we’re accountable not only for student learning, but also for achieving these results cost-effectively and efficiently.”
Life School opened as an open-enrollment public charter school in 1998 and has campuses in Oak Cliff, West Dallas, Cedar Hill, Lancaster, Red Oak and Waxahachie.
The Texas Education Agency awards one of four financial accountability ratings (A, B, C or F). The highest rating is for Superior Achievement, Above-Standard Achievement, Standard Achievement and Substandard Achievement respectively.
by establishing strong academics, character training and a parenting program.
Life School’s History of Financial Conscientiousness
This marks the eighth consecutive year Life School has earned the highest rating on School FIRST.
In 2013, 2014 and 2015, Life School earned the highest rating of five stars from the Texas Comptroller’s Financial Allocation Study for Texas (FAST), which recognizes school districts and campuses for excellence in resource allocations that contribute to high academic achievement and cost effective operations.
