Harmony Public Schools holds FIRTS first public hearing; board approves clean single audit

Harmony Public Schools' board convened Dec. 13 to hold the Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas first public hearing and to consider the district's 2024'025 single audit.

At the hearing, Area Superintendent Camil said the district's seven charter districts received A/A+ first-reading financial management scores and that the results will be posted on the Texas Education Agency website and retained by the district for five years. "All of our districts receive a A+ in first reading," the presenter stated while summarizing the published packet and public-notice steps.

The board then considered the single-audit portion of the annual financial and compliance report. Presenters said federal guidance had been delayed by a government shutdown earlier in the season but that auditors found no issues. "The report is still the same. There's no finding, no issues. It's a clean audit," an auditor reported to the board. After discussion the board moved, seconded and approved the single audit; the meeting recorded six votes in favor.

Why it matters: The FIRTS first public hearing is a statutory step to announce preliminary financial integrity scores to stakeholders; the single audit documents federal compliance and is required for the district's annual financial reporting. The board's approval sends the single-audit portion of the AFR toward final submission.

Details and next steps: Board members asked whether the single-audit report had any amendments; presenters answered the report remained unchanged after federal guidance was released. The district will submit the single-audit portion of the AFR to TEA after Jan. 15; the single-audit filing deadline cited in the presentation was Feb. 27.

The board took no public comment at this hearing and moved on to other agenda items after approving the audit.