The Texas Education Agency, or TEA, awarded a financial accountability rating of "superior" to Denton ISD for the 2024-25 school year.
In a nutshell
The rating was given by the TEA’s School Financial Accountability Rating System of Texas, or School FIRST, which scores school districts on several financial factors, including debt payment, financial reporting and solvency, according to the TEA report.
Denton ISD scored 98 out of 100 points, earning an "A" or a "superior achievement," per the TEA report.
Vicki Garcia, DISD's executive director of financial operates, said at the Oct. 27 regular meeting that the rating is important because it builds confidence among stakeholders, community members, staff and teachers.
"[They] know that we [DISD] are being financially responsible with our resources that are provided to us by our community and state," she said.
The majority of districts in the Dallas-Fort Worth area received a superior rating, according to the TEA's report.
More details
DISD lost two points because its long-term debt was slightly high relative to the district's property tax base, per state benchmarks. The district's score for this criterion is two points higher than it was in the 2023-24 school year, in which DISD was awarded 94 out of 100 points.
The district did not lose points in any other part of the rating, earning full marks in financial reporting, financial management and every other financial stability criterion—including cash reserves, where DISD's score rose two points from the prior year.
DISD earned a superior rating every year since the School FIRST rating system was created, Garcia said.
TEA financial accountability ratings fall into the following categories:
A, superior: 90-100
B, above standard: 80-89
C, meets standard: 70-79
F, substandard: 0-69
