TEMPLE, Texas — The Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO) has recognized Temple Independent School District with the organization’s Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting (COE). ASBO International’s COE recognizes districts that have met the program’s high standards for financial reporting and transparency. The school district earned the Certificate of Excellence for its Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) for the fiscal year ended 2024, marking the sixth consecutive year TISD has been recognized with the COE. This makes Temple ISD the only school district in this region to win this financial recognition six years straight.
Temple ISD’s ACFR features financial information, schedules, the annual audit report, and notes. In addition to those financial reports, districts must also submit an introductory informational statement describing a wide range of topics and a detailed statistical package that provides background for the financial report. The introductory narrative highlights everything from the district’s successes and major initiatives to community economic conditions, to access to health care and post-graduate educational opportunities. The statistical section includes information ranging from number of staff to student population, to tax rates and property values covering ten years of financial information for the district. The submission is a collaborative effort by the entire district finance staff. The TISD finance staff will be presented with the Certificate of Excellence at the TISD school board meeting on Monday (September 8).
“We take the responsibility of being good stewards of taxpayer dollars seriously and we are proud that this work has been noticed at the national and international levels,” said Dr. Bobby Ott, superintendent of Temple schools. “Our district manages taxpayer dollars efficiently and in a transparent manner, only asking for additional revenue when needed – to provide basic education. This is an expectation shared between Temple ISD and our community.”
Participation in the COE program highlights a school district’s dedication to financial accountability and transparency. Applicants submit their ACFR for review by a team of financial professionals who provide constructive feedback to improve future documents. If the report meets the requirements of the program, it may receive the Certificate of Excellence. A district’s participation in the COE program can facilitate bond rating and continuing bond disclosure processes.
“Our goal each day is to fund classrooms and extracurricular activities while maintaining transparency, compliance, and honesty,” said Brandy Stanford, assistant superintendent of finance for Temple ISD. “Our annual comprehensive financial report is representation of the truth about how we fund the quality education that our community deserves. I am proud of Temple ISD and the work that goes on behind the scenes to achieve these goals.”
To learn more about the Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting program, visit asbointl.org/COE.