Gift Cards

Click on the link (blue lettering) to the Texas Education Agency's "Federal Cost Principles - Side By Side" which  addresses allowable and unallowable expenditures for federal funds.  Please read the sections on Awards for Recognition/Incentives for Participation (Page 2) and  Gifts/Items That Appear To Be Gifts (Page 5). 

1. Awards for Recognition/Incentives for Participation should be limited to the following:

   • Certificates, plaques, ribbons, and small trophies of nominal cost or

   • Inexpensive instructionally related items such as pens/pencils to be used in the classroom

    

2. Gifts or Items That Appear To Be Gifts:

   • Unallowable

   • Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circulars A-87, A-122 and A-21 state that it is unallowable to make donations (gifts) of federal monies regardless of the recipient.

   The Texas Education Agency's Division of Financial Audits recommends that gift cards not be purchased  regardless of funding source.  When using public funds, it is necessary to have an audit trail which helps ensure that funds are not used for inappropriate items, i.e. alcoholic beverages, cigarettes, etc.  Gift cards do not provide an audit trail, accordingly, they are unallowable. 

   Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call the Administrator of Finance for further clarification on this topic.

"Superior Achievement" Again!!

The Brownsville Independent School District earned a School FIRST "Superior Achievement" rating for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2008.  The District has earned a "Superior Rating" every year since the inception of TEA's FIRST in 2001.

The School Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST) was authorized in 2001 with the primary goal of improving management of school districts' financial resources.  Each Texas school district is rated on 21 indicators and the possible ratings are "Superior Achievement", "Above Standard Achievement", "Standard Achievement" and "Substandard Achievement". 
 

Congratulations to the Brownsville ISD and all parties who contributed to this achievement.