For the seventh year in a row, Pasadena ISD Director of Budget Don Lazenby was given the Meritorious Budget Award from the Association of School Business Officials International. Lazenby has served as the district since 1992. 

The award is given for excellence in the preparation and issuance of school system annual budgets and for districts exceeding standard budget development criteria. 

The Meritorious Budget Awards program was designed by ASBO International and school business management professionals to enable school business administration to achieve a standard of excellence in budget preparation. The program helps school systems in the skills of developing, analyzing and presenting a budget. 

According to ASBO International, the award is only given to school districts that have gone above and beyond normal standards in budget planning and preparation.