December 2022 BoardBits

During the Dec. 6 board meeting, the STISD Board of Directors received and declared the canvassed results from Hidalgo County for the Nov. 8 General Election. As included within the Election Returns and Canvass provided by the county, there were 119 whole precincts with 25 ballot styles counted. Out of a total of 221,027 registered voters, 77,925 ballots were cast, for a total voter turnout of 35.26%.

Click here to see the canvassed election results in the Board Elections 2022 section of the district website 

Thank you to our former board members (pictured below) for their dedication and service to STISD.

Luis C. Orozco, certified public accountant, presented the STISD Annual Financial Report for the year ended Aug. 31, 2022, to the STISD Board of Directors during the Dec. 13 board meeting held at STISD's Biblioteca Las Americas in Mercedes.

As required by state and federal laws, each fall an independent auditor reviews the district's financial statements from the previous fiscal year. STISD follows through with any audit recommendations made.

According to the report from the fall of 2022, STISD received an "unmodified opinion," and there were no findings for the 2021-2022 school year. STISD has continued to maintain a healthy fund balance and a strong system of internal control. The district has also remained in compliance with all federal and Texas Education Agency (TEA) guidelines.

Marla R. Knaub, Assistant Superintendent for Finance & Operations at STISD, walked the STISD Board of Directors through the results of the Annual Financial Accountability Management Report during a public hearing held at the Dec. 6 board meeting. 

Based upon data from the 2020-21 fiscal year, STISD received its 15th “Superior” rating, the state’s highest, under the School Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST) system, Texas’ school finance accountability rating system.

School FIRST was developed for Texas school districts by the Texas Education Agency in response to Senate Bill 875 of the 76th Texas Legislature in 1999.  Its primary goal is to achieve quality performance in the management of school district’s financial resources, a goal made more significant due to the complexity of accounting associated with the Texas school finance system. Over the years changes have been made to the specific indicators taken into account in the scoring, as well as the quantity of them analyzed. In 2020, the system is currently at 20 indicators. The indicators have changed from previous years, however, and the rating system is different as well.

“We are excited for having earned another ‘Superior Achievement’ rating for the work of our Business Office. For the 15th year in a row the district has demonstrated a high standard in fiscal responsibility. What I know is that this achievement does not happen by accident and it takes a coordinated effort on everyone’s part to earn this,” says Superintendent of Schools Marco Antonio Lara, Jr., Ed.D.

The STISD Board of Directors approved the remaining proposed course offerings for the 2023-2024 School Year for STISD World Scholars and STISD Virtual Academy during the Dec. 6 board meeting.

Prior to the board meeting, the course offerings were reviewed and recommended by both the campus and district site-based councils. The course offerings, which make up the backbone of STISD curricular offerings, provide the student, parent, teachers, and administrators with clear curriculum expectations that are specific for each campus theme.

Considering many students are advancing in their high school coursework beginning in middle school, STISD removed the grade levels on the high school course sequences a couple of years ago.

The campus course sequences for 2023-2024 for all campuses will be posted on the district website.

• The Board approved updates to district policy BBB(LOCAL) Board Members Elections.
• The Board reviewed and re-adopted its Board of Trustees' Code of Ethics to include new board members.
• The Board approved a request for a new professional position for the 2022-2023 School Year - the College Career and Military Readiness Specialist.
• Superintendent Dr. Tony Lara discussed with the board the need to secure a firm for the 2023-2028 Strategic Design planning. The district will bring to the board in January several firms for the board to review.
• The Board approved the appointment of members to the Safe and Supportive School Program Team for the 2022-2023 school year.