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The purpose of the financial accountability rating system for charter schools, known as Charter Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST), is to ensure that open-enrollment charter schools and charter schools operated by a public institution of higher education (IHE) are held accountable for the quality of their financial management practices and that they improve those practices. The system is designed to encourage Texas public schools to better manage their financial resources in order to provide the maximum allocation possible for direct instructional purposes.   

*New* Appeal Process and Recent Changes

New Appeal Process

If your charter school wishes to appeal an adverse issue in your FIRST rating, you will need to submit your appeal through a NEW Process directly in the Charter FIRST application in Â鶹ԭ´´L. The appeal must be submitted electronically by September 8, 2025, for Â鶹ԭ´´ to consider the appeal. You will also be able to view and track the appeal submission status directly in the Charter FIRST application.

Charter FIRST Appeal Submission Process Slides 

Recent Appeal Changes 

The Texas Administrative Code (TAC) §109.1001(n)(9)(A) and (B) was amended to allow for adjustments to scores and ratings upon appeal for FIRST Indicator 1—Timely Submissions of the Annual Financial Report.

• Charter FIRST Change—Appeal for Timely Submission of Annual Financial Report Slides
• Video:  

Correspondence

• Official Notification of 2022-2023 Preliminary FIRST Ratings Based on 2022 Data

   

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• 2016-2017 IHE Charter FIRST Ratings based on 2016 data (PDF, 83 KB)

Financial Management Report Template for Use by Open-Enrollment Charter Schools and Charter Schools Operated by a Public Institution of Higher Education (IHE)

• Charter FIRST Annual Financial Management Report (PDF, 150 KB)
• Charter FIRST Annual Financial Management Report (Excel, 26 KB)

Law and Rules

Law:

Commissioner's Rules: