Keller ISD earned Five Stars on the new Financial Allocation Study of Texas (FAST), released Wednesday, Dec. 8 by the office of Susan Combs, Texas Comptroller for Public Accounts.
FAST is a five-star rating system based on the Comptroller's report Connecting the Dots: School Spending and Student Progress, which identifies Texas school districts that achieve strong student performance while keeping spending growth to a minimum.
The report was a directive by the 2009 Texas State Legislature as "a method to compare school districts on a level playing field and determine which districts and campuses allocate their financial resources in a matter that contributes to high academic achievement and cost-effective operations," according to a statement from the Comptroller's office. The rating system is based on student progress in reading and math, and district spending from the 1998-99 school year to 2008-09.
Of the 1,235 school districts and charter schools analyzed, only 43 received the maximum five-star FAST rating. Keller ISD was not only one of those 43, but also the only school district in Tarrant County to receive five stars.
Superintendent Dr. James Veintenheimer had this to day about the honor: “We are very excited to see we have earned a five-star rating from the Financial Allocation Study for Texas. It simply serves to confirm what we have known for some time about our district – we are efficient and responsible with our resources and are providing the highest standards of education for our students regardless of financial limitations. To be one of just 43 districts in the state to receive this honor once again proves that Keller ISD is an intentionally exceptional district. We attribute that to our outstanding students, parents, teachers, staff, Board of Trustees, administration, and community members.”
For more information, visit the FAST Web site at http://www.fastexas.org/.