On Monday the Richland Springs School Board learned that the district received a rating of “Superior Achievement” from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) regarding financial operations. The School FIRST accountability rating system assigns one of four financial accountability ratings schools districts, with the highest being superior achievement, followed by above-standard achievement, standard achievement and substandard achievement.The superior achievement rating is the state’s highest, dem-onstrating the quality of the district’s financial management and reporting system. This is the ninth consecutive year the Richland Springs ISD has received a superior rating from TEA under the state’s FIRST (Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas), financial accountability system, which evaluates the performance in the management of school districts’ financial resources using 22 different criteria.“We are very pleased with Richland Springs ISD’s Schools FIRST rating,” said Superintendent Don Fowler, “as it shows that our district is making the most of our taxpayers’ dollars. This rating shows that Richland Springs schools are accountable not only for student learning, but also for achieving these results cost-effectively and efficiently.”In each of the 22 criteria, Richland Springs results were one point higher as in the previous reporting year. The district scored a 77, with the highest score being 80, on the report that evaluates total fund balance, district academic rating, timeliness of financial reports, debt-related expenditures and others. The passing score is 55.On Monday the Richland Springs School Board learned that the district received a rating of “Superior Achievement” from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) regarding financial operations. The School FIRST accountability rating system assigns one of four financial accountability ratings schools districts, with the highest being superior achievement, followed by above-standard achievement, standard achievement and substandard achievement.The superior achievement rating is the state’s highest, dem-onstrating the quality of the district’s financial management and reporting system. This is the ninth consecutive year the Richland Springs ISD has received a superior rating from TEA under the state’s FIRST (Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas), financial accountability system, which evaluates the performance in the management of school districts’ financial resources using 22 different criteria.“We are very pleased with Richland Springs ISD’s Schools FIRST rating,” said Superintendent Don Fowler, “as it shows that our district is making the most of our taxpayers’ dollars. This rating shows that Richland Springs schools are accountable not only for student learning, but also for achieving these results cost-effectively and efficiently.”In each of the 22 criteria, Richland Springs results were one point higher as in the previous reporting year. The district scored a 77, with the highest score being 80, on the report that evaluates total fund balance, district academic rating, timeliness of financial reports, debt-related expenditures and others. The passing score is 55.