September 2021- BoardBits

This e-newsletter highlights important news from the Sept. 28 meeting of the STISD Board of Directors, and other happenings from throughout the district.

Public Hearing on 2020-2021 Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST) Report

STISD receives perfect score and 14th “Superior” rating under school finance accountability system

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 Sept. 28 board meeting.

Based upon data from the 2019-20 fiscal year, STISD received its fourteenth “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 another ‘Superior Achievement’ rating that our district has earned. This makes it the 14th year in a row. What an outstanding accomplishment and reflection of the focus of our Business Office on keeping our district fiscally strong. Accomplishments like this do not happen by accident. It takes team effort on the part of the Business Office, our campuses, and departments to receive a perfect score,” says Superintendent of Schools Marco Antonio Lara, Jr., Ed.D.

STISD Board recognizes Preparatory Academy + Rising Scholars Academy for being named 2021 National Blue Ribbon Schools by U.S. Department of Education

In late September, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona recognized 325 schools as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2021, including both STISD middle schools – STISD Preparatory Academy (Preparatory Academy) in Edinburg and STISD Rising Scholars Academy (Rising Scholars Academy) in San Benito – based on their overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups.

Schools are eligible for nomination after five years. This is the second time that Preparatory Academy has received this distinction, as the campus is also a 2015 National Blue Ribbon School. It is the first time that Rising Scholars Academy has received the distinction in the six years since its founding.

The STISD Board recognized both campuses for their achievements during the Sept. 28 board meeting, and Preparatory Academy and Rising Scholars Academy held celebrations for their campus communities later that week.

Click to read full article.

Click to watch video of campus celebrations.

Preparatory Academy and Rising Scholars principals accept awards from STISD superintendent for 2021 Blue Ribbon

Pictured, from left to right: Ana Castro, Preparatory Academy principal; San Juanita Ortiz, Rising Scholars Academy principal; and Marco Antonio Lara, Jr., Ed.D., STISD superintendent of schools

STISD Board recognizes STISD and campuses for ranking among the best in the state and nation in Niche Best Schools Rankings for eighth consecutive year

Principals and superintendent accept awards for 2022 Niche Best Schools Rankings

Pictured, from left to right: Eric Gutierrez, Science Academy principal; Ana Castro, Preparatory Academy principal; Janis De Luna, Ed.D., World Scholars principal; San Juanita Ortiz, Rising Scholars Academy principal; Marcos Flores, Health Professions principal; and Marco Antonio Lara, Jr., Ed.D., STISD superintendent of schools

Niche released its 2022 Best Schools K-12 School & District Rankings late last month, and for the eighth year in a row, STISD and its campuses ranked among the best in the state and nation.

With an A+ overall grade, STISD ranked 2nd in Texas (out of 1,018 school districts ranked) and 20th in the nation (out of 10,772 districts ranked) in the Best School Districts rankings. The district also earned the top spots in the state in the Best Places to Teach in Texas and the Districts with the Best Teachers in Texas.

All six STISD campuses eligible for the ranking were ranked among the best in the state and nation in the 2022 Niche K-12 Schools lists, which grade and rank schools and districts based upon criteria ranging from academics to culture and teachers.

STISD’s two middle schools earned spots in the top three in the Best Public Middle Schools in Texas and Best Public Middle School Teachers in Texas categories. All four STISD high schools also ranked among the top in the state and nation in the 2022 Best Public High Schools lists again this year.

Click to read full article.

STISD unveils new logo for STISD Virtual Academy

The district officially unveiled its STISD Virtual Academy logo during the board meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 28. Watch the video to see the logo and learn more about its origins.