Auditing school district transparency
If you’re interested in how much information is out there online about your local school district, take a look at this report released today by Oklahomans For Responsible Government. Overall, it’s not a flattering portrait of online transparency among the state’s school districts. From the report:
There are districts that have good websites, but lack information
taxpayers need. If the football schedule can be posted, surely the
board meeting schedule can, too. We found districts that have
Twitter accounts, but nothing about a budget or how to contact
board members.
OFRG earlier took a look at county Web sites, an area that also was part of the state and local government focus of this year’s Sunshine Week in Oklahoma. (Read the national report here; Check out the Oklahoma survey data here.)
Here’s what Oklahoma State University journalism professor Joey Senat said back in March on local transparency and technology:
“I don’t know of anyone still using a typewriter,” said Senat, who organized the Oklahoma Sunshine Week surveys. “All of this information is being created electronically, which is the first big step to getting it online.
“We need to expect our public officials to learn how to provide us access online. Taxpayers already pay for the records; putting it online certainly seems to be a minimal cost. There are enough counties and cities and school districts who are already doing it to show that it is doable.”
Of course, sunshine and open records are year-round issues, so it’s nice to see groups like OFRG taking a look at online transparency.
–Paul
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