There must be increased transparency in education spending. With a annual budget expect to exceed $300 million for the 2009-2010, taxpayers have a right to know how the school district is spending their tax dollars. Costs have nearly doubled over the last decade, with per student spending exceeding more than $10,000 per student per year.
According to State Comptroller Susan Combs:
"In our determination, a government entity is meeting a high standard for transparency if it:
Opens its books to the public, providing clear, consistent pictures of spending
Provides information in an easily accessible, user-friendly format
Lets taxpayers easily drill down for more detailed information
On the Texas Transparency Check-up, the Comptroller’s office checked to see to what extent local government entities provided online access to their budgets, financial reports and check registers, as defined below:
Budget: Proposed spending and revenue, typically for a one-year period, shown in broad categories by office/department and by account type, such as salary, transportation or supplies. A more detailed budget may show data by month. A budget serves as the financial plan for the city, county or governing body.
Financial Report: A comparison of budgeted to actual expenses and revenues, typically for a one-year period, shown in the same broad categories and account types as Budget. Monthly financial or treasurer's reports are typical shown in summary only. A financial report demonstrates how well the city, county or governing body managed within the proposed budget and plan.
Check Register: Listing of line item expenses typically showing date, amount, to whom payment was made, account type, and purchase order number where applicable. Some check registers are searchable by vendor name and/or account type."
The Carrolllton Farmer’s Branch Independent School District must join the scores of other school districts in Texas and publish its monthly check register on the district’s web site. Transparency by Texas School Districts: http://www.window.state.tx.us/comptrol/checkup/school-districts.php
The Board of Trustees, at a minimum, should adopt policies that require that:
The school district shall maintain the transaction register for the district's checking account in a searchable electronic spreadsheet format, such as a portable document format (PDF) or similar file type. The school district shall prominently post the electronic checking account transaction register at all times on the district's Internet website for viewing and downloading by interested persons. The school district shall share data from the electronic checking account transaction register with any interested person who requests the data.
The school district shall update the electronic checking account transaction register at least once each month, not later than the 30th day after the closing date of the most recent monthly statement for the checking account; and maintain each transaction or listing in the electronic checking account transaction register on the district's Internet website until the second anniversary of the date of the transaction or listing.
The electronic checking account transaction register must include for each check written from a district checking account: the transaction amount; the name of the payee; and a statement of the purpose of the expenditure for which the check was written.
The school district may not include in the district's electronic checking account transaction register a check issued to a district employee in payment of: salary, wages, or an employment stipend; or a workers' compensation income benefit, medical benefit, death benefit, or burial benefit that is issued if the school district operating as a self-insurer under Chapter 504, Labor Code.
The school district shall post on the district's Internet website a monthly listing of each transaction made using a credit card issued to: the district; or a district officer or employee for use in connection with district business. The listing of credit card transactions must include, for each transaction: the month and year of the transaction; the amount of the transaction; and the name of the payee.
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