At a Nov. 3 regular meeting, the Plano ISD Board of Trustees approved its annual financial report and announced that it has passed the annual state financial accountability test with flying colors.

Trustees also recognized local educators for increasing student and families in science experiments by taking computers and test tubes to their backyards.

Science on the Go

Hickey Elementary Instructional Specialist Monica Maldonado explained the district's Science On The Go program, a project organized by the Plano ISD Mobile Lab in which teachers take a bus to local neighborhoods and help students conduct science experiments outside the bus while parents learn computer and English skills inside. Hickey Elementary teachers recently visited third and fifth graders in the Cottonwood Glen community. Maldonado said she hopes to encourage other schools to participate in this hands-on project. McCall Elementary School is also partnering with the program to conduct science experiments in its neighboring communities, Maldonado said.

Annual financial report

The board also approved its financial reports for the 2014-15 fiscal year, announcing it did not issue any bonds last year. However, the district did transfer $7.4 million to its capital projects fund, which will be used for school renovations, equipment purchases, technology improvements, new construction and upkeep of buses. By moving these funds over from the general fund the district hopes to invest in capital projects without issuing new bonds, said Lesley Range-Stanton, PISD executive director for communications, in a Nov. 5 email to Community Impact Newspaper.

Trustees also discussed the district's debt service fund, which is used to pay off remaining debt. The fund was reduced by $1.8 million this fiscal year when the district paid $18.9 million interest in August 2015, leaving $33.1 million in the debt service fund.

Financial integrity rating 

Plano ISD’s 2013-14 Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas [FIRST] were also announced during Tuesday’s regular meeting. The goals of such a report are to measure a school district’s financial management and to enhance its financial resource management. These ratings are based on staff and student data, as well as budgeted and actual financial data from fiscal year 2013-14. The report showed that PISD’s financial report showed no weakness in terms of its compliance with local, state and federal funds, and that the district is in compliance with its debt agreements.