TEMPLE, Texas — The Temple Independent School District’s Finance Department is among the elite group of educational institutions recognized by the Texas Association of School Business Officials (TASBO) with the prestigious 2026 Award of Excellence in Financial Management.
The criteria to qualify for the TASBO Award of Excellence in Financial Management is stringent, based on financial accounting and reporting guidelines identified by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) Financial Accountability System Resource Guide (FASRG). Applicants must submit documents from across 11 key areas, which are reviewed by a TASBO accounting subcommittee. The Temple ISD submission was a team effort involving the entire Finance Department. This is the first time Temple ISD has received the TASBO Award of Excellence in Financial Management and TISD is one of just 34 recipients of this year’s award state-wide.
“Earning the TASBO Award of Excellence for the first time is a significant milestone for our department,” said Brandy Stanford, Assistant Superintendent of Finance for Temple ISD. “This recognition reflects years of intentional work by our accounting and finance team to strengthen systems, document best practices, and uphold the highest standards of financial stewardship.”
The Temple ISD Finance Department has also been recognized by the Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO), the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA), and received a Superior financial accountability rating from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) this year.
“Our community pays close attention to fiscal management, and this is a priority of the board and administration. We are not just responsible to students and staff, but also to those who resource us,” said Dr. Bobby Ott, Superintendent of School for Temple ISD. “The volume of financial accolades that have come in over the last several years send a clear message to our community that we understand these expectations and aim to meet them.”
The Award of Excellence in Financial Management was established in 2020 and is given to Texas school districts, open-enrollment charter schools, and education service centers that demonstrate professional standards, best practices, and innovations in the area of financial management and reporting.
The Temple ISD Finance Department will be honored at an awards reception on February 25th in Grapevine during the 2026 TASBO Annual Conference. The department will also be recognized at an upcoming TISD school board meeting.