Source: http://parentresourceguide.texaschildrenscommission.gov/library_item/gov.tx.regs.admin_code_19/1819?print=1
Timestamp: 2020-07-07 22:28:35
Document Index: 279647408

Matched Legal Cases: ['§109', '§109', '§109', '§109', '§109', '§109', '§109', '§109', '§109', '§29', '§42', '§42', '§109', '§109', '§109', '§109', '§45', '§109', '§109', '§45', '§45', '§45', '§100', '§109', '§109', '§109', '§109', '§7', '§109', '§109', '§109', '§109', '§109', '§109', '§109', '§109', '§109', '§109', '§109', '§109', '§109', '§109', '§109']

§109.1: Financial Accounting
(a) A uniform system of public school budgeting, accounting, and financial reporting shall be provided and employed throughout the state as required by law. The uniform system for budgeting, accounting, and financial reporting is to reflect the full implementation of modified and full accrual accounting, as appropriate, in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) The commissioner of education shall develop and administer the requirements relating to budgeting, accounting, financial reporting, and auditing for Texas public schools. The commissioner of education shall ensure adequate stakeholder involvement in the design and modification of these requirements. The State Board of Education shall approve the budgeting, accounting, and reporting systems and the auditing procedures as determined by the commissioner of education. The school districts and charter schools shall install the budgeting, accounting, and financial reporting system as required by law and meet the audit requirements as developed by the commissioner of education and subject to review and comment by the state auditor when required by law.
Source Note: The provisions of this §109.1 adopted to be effective September 1, 1996, 21 TexReg 2076; amended to be effective October 13, 2002, 27 TexReg 9316
§109.21: Annual Audit Plan
The commissioner of education shall submit an annual audit plan for field and independent audits for review of the designated committee of the State Board of Education. The plan may be amended as needed by the commissioner of education. The designated committee of the State Board of Education shall be informed at least annually by the commissioner of education on the progress of and amendments to the plan.
Source Note: The provisions of this §109.21 adopted to be effective September 1, 1996, 21 TexReg 2076.
§109.23: School District Independent Audits and Agreed-Upon Procedures
(a) The performance and review of required school district, charter school, county education district, and regional education service center independent audits and agreed-upon procedures report, as applicable, including review of auditors' working papers, shall be accomplished in accordance with the Financial Accountability System Resource Guide, as adopted by reference in Â§109.41 of this title (relating to Financial Accountability System Resource Guide).
(b) The annual financial audit report and state compensatory agreed-upon procedures report are due 150 days after the end of the fiscal year.
(c) Auditors from the Texas Education Agency shall review independent audit reports. Audit findings shall be resolved by the commissioner's designee.
Source Note: The provisions of this §109.23 adopted to be effective September 1, 1996, 21 TexReg 2076; amended to be effective October 13, 2002, 27 TexReg 9316
§109.25: State Compensatory Education Program Reporting and Auditing System
(a) Each school district and charter school shall report financial information relating to expenditure of the state compensatory education allotment under the Foundation School Program to the Texas Education Agency (TEA). Each school district and charter school shall report the information according to standards for financial accounting provided in Â§109.41 of this title (relating to Financial Accountability System Resource Guide.) The financial data will be reported annually through the Public Education Information Management System. The commissioner of education shall ensure that districts follow guidelines contained in the "Financial Accountability System Resource Guide" in attributing supplemental direct costs to state compensatory education and accelerated instruction programs and services. Costs charged to state compensatory education shall be for programs and services that supplement the regular education program.
(b) Each school district and charter school shall ensure that supplemental direct costs and personnel attributed to compensatory education and accelerated instruction are identified in district and/or campus improvement plans at the summary level for financial units or campuses. Each school district and charter school shall maintain documentation that supports the attribution of supplemental costs and personnel to compensatory education. School districts and charter schools must also maintain sufficient documentation supporting the appropriate identification of students in at-risk situations, under criteria established in Texas Education Code (TEC), Â§29.081.
(c) The TEA shall conduct risk assessment and desk audit processes to identify the school districts, charter schools, or campuses most at risk of inappropriate allocation and/or underexpenditure of the compensatory education allotment. In the risk assessment and desk audit processes, the TEA shall consider the following factors:
(1) aggregate performance of students in at-risk situations on the state assessment instruments that is below the standards for the "acceptable" rating, as defined in the state accountability system;
(2) the financial management of compensatory education funds; and/or
(3) the quality of data related to compensatory education submitted by a school district or charter school.
(d) The TEA shall use the results of risk assessment and desk audit processes to prioritize school districts or charter schools for the purpose of on-site visits and may conduct on-site visits.
(e) The TEA shall issue a preliminary report resulting from a desk audit or an on-site visit before submitting a final report to the school district or charter school. After issuance of a preliminary report, a school district or charter school must file with the TEA the following:
(1) a response to the preliminary report within 20 calendar days from the date of the preliminary report outlining steps the school district or charter school will take to resolve the issues identified in the preliminary report; and
(2) a corrective action plan within 60 calendar days from the date of the preliminary report if the school district's or charter school's response to the preliminary report does not resolve issues identified in the preliminary report.
(f) The TEA shall issue a final report that indicates whether the school district or charter school has resolved the findings in the preliminary report and whether the corrective action plan filed under subsection (e)(2) of this section is adequate.
(1) If the final report contains a finding of noncompliance with TEC, Â§42.152(c), the report shall include a financial penalty authorized under TEC, Â§42.152(q).
(2) If the school district or charter school responds with an appropriate corrective action plan, the TEA shall rescind the financial penalty and release the amount of the penalty to the school district or charter school.
(g) The TEA may conduct an on-site visit to verify the implementation of a school district's or charter school's corrective action plan.
Source Note: The provisions of this §109.25 adopted to be effective September 1, 1998, 23 TexReg 7781; amended to be effective October 13, 2002, 27 TexReg 9316
§109.41: Financial Accountability System Resource Guide
(a) The rules for financial accounting are described in the official Texas Education Agency publication, Financial Accountability System Resource Guide, dated January 2010, which is adopted by this reference as the agency's official rule. A copy is available for examination during regular office hours, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., except holidays, Saturdays, and Sundays, at the Texas Education Agency, 1701 North Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas 78701.
(b) The commissioner of education shall amend the Financial Accountability System Resource Guide and this section adopting it by reference, as needed. The commissioner shall inform the State Board of Education of the intent to amend the Resource Guide and of the effect of proposed amendments before submitting them to the Office of the Secretary of State as proposed rule changes.
Source Note: The provisions of this §109.41 adopted to be effective September 1, 1996, 21 TexReg 2076; amended to be effective February 15, 1998, 23 TexReg 1020; amended to be effective September 1, 1998, 23 TexReg 7782; amended to be effective December 13, 1998, 23 TexReg 12301; amended to be effective September 12, 1999, 24 TexReg 6978; amended to be effective December 5, 1999, 24 TexReg 10537; amended to be effective July 31, 2001, 26 TexReg 5638; amended to be effective December 30, 2001, 26 TexReg 10539; amended to be effective September 1, 2002, 27 TexReg 7802; amended to be effective January 5, 2003, 27 TexReg 12213; amendedtobeeffectiveNovember 16, 2003, 28 TexReg 9833; amended to be effective December 30, 2004, 29 TexReg 11972; amended to be effective July 31, 2008, 33 TexReg 5929; amended to be effective April 26, 2010, 35 TexReg 3261
§109.51: Uniform Depository Bank Bid or Proposal Form
(a) Each school district shall choose whether to select a depository through a competitive bidding process or through a request for proposal process at least 60 days before the termination of the current depository contract.
(b) Each school district is to use a uniform bid or proposal blank form as specified in Texas Education Code, Â§45.206. A school district may add other terms to the uniform bid or proposal blank form based on additional requirements. The selected form must be mailed to each bank located in the school district at least 30 days before the termination of the current depository contract. The selected form must be filed with the Texas Education Agency in accordance with filing instructions specified in the form.
(c) The uniform bid blank form is provided in this subsection entitled "Bid Form for Depository Services."
(d) The uniform proposal blank form is provided in this subsection entitled "Proposal Form for Depository Services."
Source Note: The provisions of this §109.51 adopted to be effective September 1, 1997, 22 TexReg 3780; amended to be effective March 4, 2001, 26 TexReg 1708; amended to be effective October 13, 2002, 27 TexReg 9316; amended to be effective August 17, 2008, 33 TexReg 6592
§109.52: Uniform Depository Bank Contract and Surety Bond Forms
(a) Each school district is to use a depository contract form as specified in Texas Education Code (TEC), Â§45.208. The depository contract form must be completed and filed with the Texas Education Agency (TEA) as specified in TEC, Â§45.208, and in accordance with filing instructions specified in the form.
(b) The uniform depository contract form is provided in this subsection entitled "Depository Contract for Funds of Independent School Districts Under Texas Education Code, Chapter 45, Subchapter G, School District Depositories."
(c) In the event that a school district's depository elects a surety bond to secure school district deposit amounts less any applicable Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation insurance, a surety bond form must be completed and filed with the TEA as specified in TEC, Â§45.208.
(d) The uniform surety bond form is provided in this subsection entitled "Texas School Depository Bond Form."
(e) For depository contract filing requirements for charter schools, refer to Â§100.1043 of this title (relating to Status and Use of State Funds; Depository Contract).
Source Note: The provisions of this §109.52 adopted to be effective September 1, 1997, 22 TexReg 3780; amended to be effective March 4, 2001, 26 TexReg 1708; amended to be effective October 13, 2002, 27 TexReg 9316; amended to be effective August 17, 2008, 33 TexReg 6592
Subchapter AA
§109.1001: Purpose of Financial Accountability Rating System
The purpose of the financial accountability rating system is to ensure that school districts and open-enrollment charter schools will be held accountable for the quality of their financial management practices and achieve improved performance in the management of their financial resources. The system is designed to encourage Texas public schools to manage their financial resources better in order to provide the maximum allocation possible for direct instructional purposes. The system will also disclose the quality of local management and decision-making processes that impact the allocation of financial resources in Texas public schools. An evaluation of the long-term effectiveness of the system should disclose a measurable improvement in the quality of Texas public schools' financial decision-making processes.
Source Note: The provisions of this §109.1001 adopted to be effective October 20, 2002, 27 TexReg 9572; amended to be effective May 31, 2010, 35 TexReg 4398
§109.1002: Financial Accountability Ratings
(a) In accordance with Texas Education Code (TEC), Chapter 39, Subchapter D, each school district and open-enrollment charter school must be assigned a financial accountability rating by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). The specific procedures for determining financial accountability ratings will be established annually by the commissioner of education and communicated to all school districts and open-enrollment charter schools.
(b) For fiscal years 2002-2003, 2003-2004, 2004-2005, and 2005-2006, each financial accountability rating of a school district is based on its overall performance on certain financial measurements, ratios, and other indicators established by the commissioner of education in the financial accountability rating form provided in this subsection entitled "School FIRST - Rating Worksheet," effective May 2003.
(c) For fiscal years 2006-2007 and 2007-2008, the financial accountability rating of a school district is based on its overall performance on certain financial measurements, ratios, and other indicators established by the commissioner of education in the financial accountability rating form provided in this subsection entitled "School FIRST - Rating Worksheet Effective August 2006." On this form, Indicator 13 entitled, "Was The Percent Of Operating Expenditures Expended For Instruction More Than or Equal to 65%?" was phased in over a three-year period, as follows.
(1) For fiscal year 2006-2007, the indicator was "Was The Percent Of Operating Expenditures Expended For Instruction More Than or Equal to 55%?"
(2) For fiscal year 2007-2008, the indicator was "Was The Percent Of Operating Expenditures Expended For Instruction More Than or Equal to 60%?"
(3) For fiscal year 2008-2009 and beyond, the indicator was repealed.
(d) Beginning with fiscal year 2008-2009, the financial accountability rating of a school district is based on its overall performance on certain financial measurements, ratios, and other indicators established by the commissioner of education in the financial accountability rating form provided in this subsection entitled "School FIRST - Rating Worksheet Dated March 2010."
(e) Beginning with fiscal year 2008-2009, the financial accountability rating of an open-enrollment charter school is based on its overall performance on certain financial measurements, ratios, and other indicators established by the commissioner of education in the financial accountability rating form provided in this subsection entitled "Charter School - School FIRST - Rating Worksheet Dated March 2010."
(f) A financial accountability rating by a voluntary association is a local option of the district or open-enrollment charter school, but it does not substitute for a financial accountability rating by the TEA.
(g) The TEA will issue a preliminary financial accountability rating to a school district or open-enrollment charter school within 150 days of its complete financial data being made available to the TEA staff.
(1) The issuance of the preliminary rating will not be delayed if a district or open-enrollment charter school fails to meet the statutory deadline for submitting the annual financial and compliance report.
(2) A district or open-enrollment charter school may submit a written appeal requesting that the TEA review a preliminary rating if the preliminary rating was based on a data error solely attributable to the TEA's review of the data for any of the indicators.
(A) The TEA office responsible for financial audits must receive the appeal no later than 30 days after the TEA's release of the preliminary rating, and the appeal must include substantial evidence that supports the district's or open-enrollment charter school's position.
(i) Only appeals that would result in a change of the preliminary rating will be considered.
(ii) The TEA staff will review information submitted by the district or open-enrollment charter school to validate the statements made to the extent possible. The TEA will examine all relevant data.
(iii) The TEA staff will prepare a recommendation and forward it to an external panel for review. This review panel will provide independent oversight to the appeals process.
(iv) The external review panel will examine the appeal, supporting documentation, staff research, and the staff recommendation. The review panel will determine its recommendation.
(v) The external review panel's recommendation will be forwarded to the commissioner.
(vi) The commissioner will make a final decision in accordance with the timeline specified in subparagraph (E) of this paragraph.
(B) Appeals received 31 days or more after the TEA issues a preliminary rating will not be considered.
(C) Errors by a district or open-enrollment charter school in recording data or submitting data through the TEA data collection and reporting system do not constitute a valid basis for appealing a preliminary rating.
(D) A district that is the fiscal agent for a shared service arrangement (SSA) and has the staff of the SSA on their payroll may appeal Indicators 17 and 18 if they fail these indicators due to the number of staff that are SSA staff. The district must provide the TEA with the number of staff that are employees of the district and the number of staff that are part of the SSA. This adjustment should not be a factor for an open-enrollment charter school that is a fiscal agent since the SSA reporting requirements are different than a school district.
(E) If the TEA receives an appeal of a preliminary rating, a final rating will be issued to the school district or open-enrollment charter school no later than 45 days after the appeal has been received by the TEA.
(F) If the TEA does not receive an appeal of a preliminary rating, the preliminary rating automatically becomes a final rating on the 31st day after issuance of the preliminary rating.
(G) A final rating issued by the TEA pursuant to this section may not be appealed under the TEC, Â§7.057, or any other law or rule.
Source Note: The provisions of this §109.1002 adopted to be effective October 20, 2002, 27 TexReg 9572; amended to be effective May 7, 2003, 28 TexReg 3720; amended to be effective August 13, 2006, 31 TexReg 6215; amended to be effective July 2, 2007, 32 TexReg 3988; amended to be effective May 31, 2010, 35 TexReg 4398
§109.1003: Types of Financial Accountability Ratings
(a) The types of ratings districts may receive are as follows.
(1) Superior Achievement. In accordance with the procedures established in Â§109.1002 of this title (relating to Financial Accountability Ratings), a district shall be classified as Superior Achievement if it scores within the applicable range established by the commissioner of education for Superior Achievement.
(2) Above Standard Achievement. In accordance with the procedures established in Â§109.1002 of this title, a district shall be classified as Above Standard Achievement if it scores within the applicable range established by the commissioner of education for Above Standard Achievement.
(3) Standard Achievement. In accordance with the procedures established in Â§109.1002 of this title, a district shall be classified as Standard Achievement if it scores within the applicable range established by the commissioner of education for Standard Achievement.
(4) Substandard Achievement. In accordance with the procedures established in Â§109.1002 of this title, a district shall be classified as Substandard Achievement if the district responds negatively to specified indicators or if the district scores within the applicable range established by the commissioner of education for Substandard Achievement. The commissioner of education may apply sanctions to a district that is assigned a Substandard Achievement rating and may require other corrective actions.
(5) Suspended--Data Quality. If serious data quality issues are disclosed by the commissioner of education, a Suspended--Data Quality rating shall be assigned to the school district. The Suspended--Data Quality rating will be assigned until the district successfully resolves the data quality issues. The commissioner of education may apply sanctions to a district that is assigned a Suspended--Data Quality rating and may require other corrective actions.
(b) The types of ratings open-enrollment charter schools may receive are as follows.
(1) Standard Achievement. In accordance with the procedures established in Â§109.1002 of this title, an open-enrollment charter school shall be classified as Standard Achievement if it scores within the applicable range established by the commissioner of education for Standard Achievement.
(2) Substandard Achievement. In accordance with the procedures established in Â§109.1002 of this title, an open-enrollment charter school shall be classified as Substandard Achievement if the open-enrollment charter school responds negatively to specified indicators or if the open-enrollment charter school scores within the applicable range established by the commissioner of education for Substandard Achievement. The commissioner of education may apply sanctions to an open-enrollment charter school that is assigned a Substandard Achievement rating and may require other corrective actions.
(3) Suspended--Data Quality. If serious data quality issues are disclosed by the commissioner of education, a Suspended--Data Quality rating shall be assigned to the open-enrollment charter school. The Suspended--Data Quality rating will be assigned until the open-enrollment charter school successfully resolves the data quality issues. The commissioner of education may apply sanctions to an open-enrollment charter school that is assigned a Suspended--Data Quality rating and may require other corrective actions.
Source Note: The provisions of this §109.1003 adopted to be effective October 20, 2002, 27 TexReg 9572; amended to be effective August 13, 2006, 31 TexReg 6215; amended to be effective May 31, 2010, 35 TexReg 4398
§109.1004: Criteria for Financial Accountability Ratings
The criteria for financial accountability ratings will be based upon indicators established by the commissioner of education and reflected in Â§109.1002 of this title (relating to Financial Accountability Ratings), in accordance with requirements in state law and after consultation with the comptroller of public accounts. The commissioner of education shall evaluate the rating system annually and may modify the system in order to improve the effectiveness of the rating system. Changes to criteria for ratings and their effective dates will be communicated to school districts and open-enrollment charter schools.
Source Note: The provisions of this §109.1004 adopted to be effective October 20, 2002, 27 TexReg 9572; amended to be effective August 13, 2006, 31 TexReg 6215; amended to be effective May 31, 2010, 35 TexReg 4398
§109.1005: Reporting
(a) Each school district and open-enrollment charter school is required to report information and financial accountability ratings to parents and taxpayers by implementing the following reporting procedures.
(1) Each school district and open-enrollment charter school is required to prepare and distribute an annual financial management report in accordance with subsection (b) of this section.
(2) The public must be provided an opportunity to comment on the report at a public hearing in accordance with subsection (c) of this section.
(b) The annual financial management report prepared by the school district and open-enrollment charter school must include:
(1) a description of its financial management performance based on a comparison, provided by the Texas Education Agency (TEA), of its performance on the indicators established by the commissioner of education and reflected in Â§109.1002 of this title (relating to Financial Accountability Ratings). The report will contain information that discloses:
(A) state-established standards; and
(B) the district's or open-enrollment charter school's financial management performance under each indicator for the current and previous years' financial accountability ratings;
(2) any descriptive information required by the commissioner of education, including:
(A) a copy of the superintendent's current employment contract. The school district or open-enrollment charter school may publish the superintendent's employment contract on the school district's or open-enrollment charter school's Internet site in lieu of publication in the annual financial management report;
(B) a summary schedule for the fiscal year (12-month period) of total reimbursements received by the superintendent and each board member, including transactions resulting from use of the school district's or open-enrollment charter school's credit card(s) to cover expenses incurred by the superintendent and each board member. The summary schedule shall separately report reimbursements for meals, lodging, transportation, motor fuel, and other items (the summary schedule of total reimbursements is not to include reimbursements for supplies and materials that were purchased for the operation of the school district or open-enrollment charter school);
(C) a summary schedule for the fiscal year of the dollar amount of compensation and/or fees received by the superintendent from another school district or open-enrollment charter school or any other outside entity in exchange for professional consulting and/or other personal services. The schedule shall separately report the amount received from each entity;
(D) a summary schedule for the fiscal year of the total dollar amount by the executive officers and board members of gifts that had an economic value of $250 or more in the aggregate in the fiscal year. This reporting requirement only applies to gifts received by the school district's or open-enrollment charter school's (or charter holder's) executive officers and board members (and their immediate family as described by Government Code, Chapter 573, Subchapter B, as a person related to another person within the first degree by consanguinity or affinity) from an outside entity that received payments from the school district or open-enrollment charter school (or charter holder) in the prior fiscal year, and gifts from competing vendors that were not awarded contracts in the prior fiscal year. This reporting requirement does not apply to reimbursement of travel-related expenses by an outside entity when the purpose of the travel is to investigate or explore matters directly related to the duties of an executive officer or board member, or matters related to attendance at education-related conferences and seminars whose primary purpose is to provide continuing education (this exclusion does not apply to trips for entertainment-related purposes or pleasure trips). This reporting requirement excludes an individual gift or a series of gifts from a single outside entity that had an aggregate economic value of less than $250 per executive officer or board member; and
(E) a summary schedule for the fiscal year of the dollar amount by board member for the aggregate amount of business transactions with the school district or open-enrollment charter school (or charter holder). This reporting requirement is not to duplicate the items disclosed in the summary schedule of reimbursements received by board members; and
(3) any other information the board of trustees of the district or open-enrollment charter school determines to be useful.
(c) The board of trustees of each school district or open-enrollment charter school shall hold a public hearing on the annual financial management report within two months after receipt of a final financial accountability rating (including a final rating of Suspended--Data Quality). The public hearing is to be held at a location in the district's or open-enrollment charter school's facilities. The board shall give notice of the hearing to owners of real property in the geographic boundaries of the district or open-enrollment charter school and to parents of district or charter school students. In addition to other notice required by law, notice of the hearing must be provided:
(1) to a newspaper of general circulation in the geographic boundaries of the district or open-enrollment charter school once a week for two weeks prior to holding the public meeting, providing the time and place where the hearing is to be held. The first notice in the newspaper may not be more than 30 days prior to or less than 14 days prior to the public meeting. If there is not a newspaper published in the county in which the district's or open-enrollment charter school's central administration office is located, then the notice is to be published in the county nearest the county seat of the county in which the district's or open-enrollment charter school's central administration office is located; and
(2) through electronic mail to media serving the district or open-enrollment charter school.
(d) At the hearing, the annual financial management report shall be disseminated to the district's or open-enrollment charter school's parents and taxpayers that are in attendance.
(e) The annual financial management report is to be retained in the district or open-enrollment charter school for at least a three-year period after the public hearing and will be made available to parents and taxpayers upon request.
(f) A corrective action plan is to be filed with the TEA by each school district or open-enrollment charter school that received a rating of Substandard Achievement or Suspended--Data Quality. The corrective action plan, which is to be prepared in accordance with instructions from the commissioner of education, is to be filed within one month after the district's or open-enrollment charter school's public hearing. The commissioner of education may require certain information in the corrective action plan to address the factor(s) that may have contributed to a district's or open-enrollment charter school's rating of Substandard Achievement or Suspended--Data Quality.
Source Note: The provisions of this §109.1005 adopted to be effective October 20, 2002, 27 TexReg 9572; amended to be effective August 13, 2006, 31 TexReg 6215; amended to be effective May 31, 2010, 35 TexReg 4398