Lamar Consolidated Independent School District has received the highest rating under Texas’ School FIRST financial accountability rating system since its implementation for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2002. Fiscal 2002 was the transitional year of implementation for the new accountability project, with full implementation for years thereafter. School FIRST (Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas) is a financial accountability system for Texas school districts developed by the Texas Education Agency in cooperation with the State Comptroller's Office and in response to Senate Bill 218 of the 77th Texas Legislature (in 2001). The primary goal of School FIRST is to achieve quality performance in the management of school districts’ financial resources, a goal made more significant due to the complexity of accounting associated with Texas’ school finance system.