Conclusion

The FAST report accomplishes the House Bill 3 charge to “identify school districts and campuses that use resource allocation practices that contribute to high academic achievement and cost-effective operations.” It identifies school districts that spend less than their peers while producing exceptional academic progress. The FAST project, however, goes beyond these requirements to offer educators, policymakers and the public a significant research tool. The report recommends ways to improve efficiency at the school district level, while the FAST website will allow districts to see just how they compare to similar districts across a range of spending and academic indicators.

The Comptroller hopes that all Texas school districts can learn from the examples in this report, and use the FAST website to help them achieve the highest academic performance efficiently, slowing the ever-increasing burden on taxpayers without sacrificing student success.