Ricardo Independent School District Ricardo Independent School District proudly serves 577 students in kindergarten through eighth grade, making it one of the smallest school districts my Texas School Performance Review (TSPR) has studied. This very small district with its very small budget taught us some very valuable lessons about cooperation and efficiency.
Boundaries mean nothing to all of the school districts located in Kleberg County. As Education Watchdog for the state of Texas, I was excited to see how well these districts worked together to ensure that their students get the best education possible.
Teachers and staff at Ricardo ISD are actively involved in the students' well being, both at school and at home and are committed to help students succeed. The district has taken a number of innovative and cost-efficient steps to reach out to the community and parents. I commend them for their involvement in their students' lives.
It is this commitment that has helped the dramatic rise in student scores on the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS). In 1998-99, 75.1 percent of all Ricardo ISD students passed the TAAS compared to 45.0 percent in 1994-95.
Like any good district, Ricardo ISD still has room for improvement. For example, my review found that not all department managers were actively involved in reviewing critical district data before submission to the Texas Education Agency (TEA). This information covers general district information, plus information in special areas that determines funding for the next fiscal year, including; special education, bilingual education, Career and Technology Education, and Gifted and Talented education. District officials should immediately establish a systematic approach for key staff to review this data submitted to TEA.
In addition, opportunities for free grant money have gone untapped. The district needs to work with Regional Education Service Center 2 to identify grant opportunities. Ricardo has had considerable success with identifying and successfully competing for grant funding in the area of technology. However, staff limitations have held the district back from applying for grants in other areas. The service center can step in and fill that role.
Inside the report, you will find 32 recommendations that could result in net savings of more than $118,290 over the next five years. One of my 10 Principles for Texas in the 21st Century is to redirect more of every education dollar in the classroom--and these recommendations will help the district do just that.
Ricardo ISD can be proud of the district it has built, and should be commended for wanting to improve even further. I am confident that school board members, school administrators, teachers and parents are all committed to making the district the best it can be for their students.
Carole Keeton Rylander
Comptroller of Public Accounts
