Harmony Public Schools has been awarded a “A” from the Texas Education Agency in its annual FIRST Financial Accountability Ratings, released on August 11, the charter school system said in an August 12 press release. The rating reflects Harmony’s commitment to effective, efficient and ethical use of the public dollars entrusted to the statewide public charter school system, CEO Fatih Ay said. “This ‘A’ rating from the Texas Education Agency reaffirms our unwavering commitment to responsible stewardship of public funds,” said Fatih Ay, CEO of Harmony Public Schools. “At Harmony, we believe that financial integrity is not just about balancing budgets — it’s about ensuring every dollar is maximized to support the educational growth and success of our students.” Created by the 77th Texas Legislature in 2001, the School Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST) is designed to encourage public schools to better manage their financial resources to provide the maximum allocation possible for direct instructional purposes. The FIRST ratings are calculated using 15 financial indicators, such as administrative cost expenditures; the accuracy of a district or charter’s financial information submitted to TEA; and any financial vulnerabilities or material weaknesses in internal controls as determined by an external auditor. All seven Harmony Public Schools districts received “Superior” A+ scores from the Texas Education Agency on the agency’s annual FIRST financial accountability ratings. To ensure effective, efficient and ethical use of all public funds entrusted to it, Harmony practices a number of financial safeguards as part of its regular operations, the press release said. Among these are regular independent financial audits from third-party accounting firms and regular participation in its purchasing process from the Texas Association of School Business Officials (TASBO), who previously awarded Harmony its Award of Merit for Purchasing Operations. In January 2024, Harmony became the first Texas charter school to earn TASBO’s prestigious Award of Excellence in Financial Management. Harmony also won the award again in 2025. Harmony was also the first public charter to win TASBO’s Award of Merit for Purchasing Operations. “We’re proud that all seven of our districts received ‘Superior’ FIRST ratings, and even prouder to be setting the standard in public charter financial management,” said Ay. “Our consistent recognition by TEA reflects the dedication of our team to uphold the highest standards of accountability, transparency and excellence in everything we do.” Harmony Public Schools is a Texas-born, Texas-wide public charter school system with more than 60 campuses serving PreK-Grade 12 students in 23 cities across the state, including Greater Houston, DFW,

San Antonio, Austin, El Paso, Waco, Lubbock, Midland-Odessa, Bryan, Beaumont, and the Rio Grande Valley. Harmony’s curriculum places a heavy focus on STEM skills, Character Education, project-based learning, and college readiness. Harmony Public Schools is currently accepting applications for the 2024-2025 school year for both students and team members. To learn more about Harmony Public Schools, visit www.HarmonyTX.org.