The Italy School Board of Trustees held a public hearing Wednesday evening to learn of the district’s Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST) for the 2010-2011 school year.

Barry Bassett, superintendent, said the district received a superior achievement rating from the Texas Education Agency (TEA).

Natasha Blackburn, business manager, said the district scored 65 points out of a possible 70. A passing score is 52.

Schools scoring between 64 and 70 receive a superior achievement rating, 58-63 receive an above standard achievement, 52-57 garners a standard achievement and scores below 52 rates a substandard achievement.

Blackburn said the district scored a passing grade in 19 of the 20 indicators determining the score.

The failing area related to the expenditures per student. Blackburn said this was due to the declining attendance that year. She said it meant that the district was actually spending more per student than was required.

A few of the indicators the district scored high on included a tax collection average greater than 98% for the past three years and the ratio of students to total staff according to district size.

Blackburn said the district disclosed various reports including the superintendent’s contract; reimbursements received by the superintendent and board members for Fiscal Year 2011; other compensation and/or fees received by the superintendent for professional consulting; and a summary schedule of the data submitted to the Texas Education Agency for the financial solvency provision of Texas Education Code.

She said copies of this report are available at the district’s administrative office.