The Texas Honors Circle

Texas Comptroller Susan Combs is pleased to announce the 2013 Texas Honors Circle. This award recognizes school districts and campuses that have achieved significant student academic growth while keeping spending relatively low.

What does it mean to be a Texas Honors Circle District?

Each Texas public and charter school district receives a FAST rating from one to five stars. Each district’s FAST rating is determined by taking the average of its composite academic progress percentile and its spending index. To be a Texas Honors Circle district, the district must have a five-star FAST rating. A five-star rating indicates the district is in the top 20 percent of the state in student academic growth and has a spending index of “very low.” This means the district is in the lowest 20 percent of its fiscal peers in terms of core operating expenditures per student.
View the Honors Circle Districts for 2013.

What does it mean to be a Texas Honors Circle Campus?

Each Texas public and charter school campus receives a FAST rating from one to five stars. Each campus’s FAST rating is determined by taking the average of the district’s composite academic progress percentile and its spending index. The Texas Honors Circle recognizes campuses that have achieved superior student academic growth while keeping spending low. To achieve Texas Honors Circle designation, an elementary school must have a five-star FAST rating, while middle and high schools must attain a rating of at least 4.5 stars. Middle and high schools have a slightly lower threshold because they are less likely than elementary schools to achieve high academic progress scores.
View the Honors Circle Campuses for 2013.