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SFA Charter School receives Texas Honors Circle Award from comptroller

The Stephen F. Austin State University Charter School is a recipient of the Texas Comptroller’s 2014 Texas Honors Circle Award, which recognizes districts and campuses that achieve academic success through cost-effective operations. Award recipients achieve strong academic performance while spending relatively less compared to their fiscal peers.

“We are so honored to have received this award,” said Lysa Hagan, CEO and principal of the school. “This recognition was possible because of the huge support provided by the university and the James I. Perkins College of Education, the expertise of our classroom instructional leaders, the proficiency with financial responsibility of our administrative managers, the strong cooperation of our school families, and the dedication of our students who are the focus of everything we do.”

Texas Comptroller Susan Combs has announced that 46 Texas school districts and 347 school campuses received the Texas Honors Circle Award as a result of their outstanding performance in the 2014 Financial Allocation Study for Texas.

FAST, mandated by the 81st Texas Legislature, is an annual study that examines both academic performance and financial efficiency to identify school districts, charter operators and campuses that deliver high-quality education at relatively low costs. Combs created the Texas Honors Circle Award program to recognize districts and schools that receive high marks in the FAST analysis.

“Given that schools are funded by taxpayers, it is important to shine a spotlight on districts and campuses that are producing high academic achievement while maintaining cost-effective operations,” Combs said. “Your efforts to help our state and local governments wisely manage educational spending while preparing students for success in college or the work force is crucial to the future of Texas.”

The Texas Honors Circle program awards certificates based on FAST results. Districts and charters receiving the Texas Honors Circle Award have achieved a Five-Star FAST rating. Elementary campuses receiving the award achieved a five-star FAST rating, while middle and high-school campuses tapped for the honor achieved at least a 4.5-Star FAST rating. (Middle and high schools have a slightly lower threshold because they are less likely than elementary schools to achieve high academic progress scores.)

To view FAST’s results and to see the list of all Texas Honors Circle award recipients, go to www.FASTexas.org.