Maryland School Districts Score “C” on Transparency Test
July 22, 2010 by admin
Filed under Sunshine Review
Alexandria, VA— Maryland school districts earned an overall “C” for information available on their websites according to an analysis conducted by Sunshine Review, a pro-transparency group. The analysis found that Howard County Public Schools earned a perfect score; Frederick and Montgomery County Schools received the only other “A” grades. Five school districts received failing grades, including Talbot and St. Mary’s County Public Schools.
Sunshine Review employs a “10 Point Transparency Checklist” to assess state and local government websites on proactive disclosure of government information. The checklist measures content available on government websites against what should be provided. Checklist items include information about budgets, meetings, elected and administrative officials, background checks, audits, contracts, academic performance, public records, and taxes.
Marta Hummel Mossburg, a Senior Fellow at the Maryland Public Policy Institute, noted the importance of providing key information. “As Sunshine Review’s analysis of Maryland’s school districts shows, most fail to provide information online about fees funding schools and other key documents. In good times and especially during this recession, parents and residents should have easy access to whether their dollars are being spent wisely.”
President of Sunshine Review Michael Barnhart agreed, saying “It is crucial for parents and taxpayers to have access to complete information about how school districts operate.”
Sunshine Review is a non-profit organization dedicated to state and local government transparency. Sunshine Review collaborates with individuals and organizations throughout America in the cause of an informed citizenry and a transparent government. Since its inception in 2008, Sunshine Review has analyzed the websites of all 50 states, more than 3,140 counties, 805 cities, and 1,560 school districts.
For more information, visit www.sunshinereview.org.
Nevada school districts’ transparency
June 10, 2010 by Diana Lopez
Filed under Sunshine Review, sunshine review
Recently, I was speaking with Nevada school officials about our transparency checklist.
Our analysis of Nevada school districts shows that the state could use some work: districts received a “D” in general. While Washoe County School District got a high grade of “B,” it was the exception, and no school district managed to break into an “A.” Clark County School, which includes the city of Las Vegas, only managed a “C.”
Those school districts combined include almost 90% of all students in Nevada*, so it is of particular importance that school districts live up to their responsibility of proactively disclosing information to parents and taxpayers.
No school district in the state fully discloses the district’s background check policy. Because education staff work so closely with children, this may arguably be one of the more items on our 10 point transparency checklist for school districts to disclose, at least as far as parents are concerned. As far as taxpayers are concerned, perhaps the most important item on our list is tax information: how much do school districts get, and do they use a millage system? Nevada taxpayers are left to figure that out on their own, since no school district fully discloses that information, either.
Sunshine Review has also rated Nevada counties. One county spokesperson in the state commented that the items we request are “unusual” because citizens haven’t asked them to specifically post that information. We think, however, that it shouldn’t get to that point. Proactive disclosure means accepting the fact that your job as a public servant includes providing information that your citizens are due, before they have to ask you for it.
Note: While I was looking into Nevada school districts, I found our Nevada school system article very helpful in understanding the state’s education system.
*Used “School District Interactive Tables” tool from the Census.
SR in Orlando Sentinel: “Schools rated on record response”
October 26, 2009 by Diana Lopez
Filed under Sunshine Review
For Sunshine Review’s Back-to-School initiative, we sent information requests to Florida school districts, asking for lobbying information. You can now find our prescription for more open government on the Orlando Sentinel: School districts should enact policies to ensure all new records are stored electronically and are searchable. These policies would open formerly obscure school business documents, such as contracts with vendors and check registers, to public scrutiny. In this way, our government would partner with its citizens, rather than act as an obstacle. For the whole story, click here.