Grading scale

Item Grade percentage
1. Budget (historical budgets and current budget) 15
1a. Graph showing increases or decreases over time, extra 5 points  
2. Meeting minutes and meeting agendas 15
3. Names of elected officials and contact information 10
4. Names of administrative officials and contact information 10
5. Name of FOIA compliance officer for district and contact information 10
6. Lobbying/political advocacy organization(s) 15
       the district supports with its funds and at what level  
7. A description of the district's approach to vendor contracts 5
8. Copies of audits and compliance reports 10
9. District ethics codes 5
10. The district's checkbook register 20
11. Employee collective bargaining agreements 10
11a. Health insurance policy information, extra 5 points  
TOTAL
 125

 

Grading Scale Percentage
A+ > 100
A 100-85
A- 84-80
B 79-70
B- 69-65
C 64-55
C- 54-50
D 49-40
D- 39-35
F 35-15
F- 14-0
 


The above charts show the various items we've identified as essential for a transparent government.  Each item has been assigned a value, based upon 1. the difficulty or easiness of the item and 2. the level of transparency the item gives to the district.

For example, it is easy to put contact information for elected leaders on a district's website. Posting an operating budget or a check book register, on the other hand, is very difficult and time consuming, but it is a good step in allowing taxpayers to pull back the curtain and see how a school board spends its money.

The grading scale, we feel, is generous. While we didn't want to have a rigid scale that would end up failing the vast majority of districts, we also didn't want to reward districts providing the bare minimum to its taxpayers, simply because many others are worse.

We hope to have struck the appropriate balance. What do you think? Let us know by e-mailing us.