Houston Gateway Academy is a recipient of the Texas Comptroller’s 2013 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.
“HGA is consistently striving to discover new ways to reduce expenditures while continuing to expand upon innovative methods being utilized in the classroom,” explained Superintendent Richard Garza. “We understand that resources may be limited at times but that will never prevent us from providing the best possible education for our youth. Our entire HGA family of staff, students, and parents are incredibly excited to be awarded this special honor.”
Texas Comptroller Susan Combs has announced that 55 Texas school districts and 317 school campuses received the Texas Honors Circle Award as a result of their outstanding performance in the 2013 Financial Allocation Study for Texas (FAST).
FAST, mandated by the 2009 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.
“In these challenging times where schools are under pressure to do more with less, it is more important than ever to shine a spotlight on those that are achieving strong student performance with cost-effective spending,” 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.)
“HGA is consistently striving to discover new ways to reduce expenditures while continuing to expand upon innovative methods being utilized in the classroom,” explained Superintendent Richard Garza. “We understand that resources may be limited at times but that will never prevent us from providing the best possible education for our youth. Our entire HGA family of staff, students, and parents are incredibly excited to be awarded this special honor.”
Texas Comptroller Susan Combs has announced that 55 Texas school districts and 317 school campuses received the Texas Honors Circle Award as a result of their outstanding performance in the 2013 Financial Allocation Study for Texas (FAST).
FAST, mandated by the 2009 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.
“In these challenging times where schools are under pressure to do more with less, it is more important than ever to shine a spotlight on those that are achieving strong student performance with cost-effective spending,” 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.)