As a taxpayer, resident of Bolingbrook, and public education consumer I am supporting an initiative to bring more transparency to Illinois government. Good government begins with informed citizens, citizens who have timely access to relevant information, information used to make important decisions affecting their community. As part of this initiative I presented Transparency Pledges to the elected Valley View School Board Members. I will be writing an evaluation of Valley View 365U's website transparency at Sunshine Review. If you would like to assist me with this project, please email me.
Valley View currently includes budgets and a comprehensive financial statement on its website. However, a simple graphic showing the trend of budget and actual expenditures year over year would make this financial information more accessible to education stakeholders. Likewise, a brief executive summary describing change in the budget/comprehensive financial statement year over year would help education stakeholders track spending trends.
Valley View currently includes its bill listing in board packets. However, if this PDF file was search able, it would greatly increase the file's usefulness by making searching quicker. With the ability to search bill listings using key words, education stakeholders could track spending trends.
Valley View includes vendor contracts on-line detailing payments over $25,000 in accordance with state mandated reporting on minority, female, disabled or local contractors. However, vendor and supplier bids and contracts in the range of $10,000 up to $25,000 are not included. Other contracts such as collective bargaining agreements with teachers and support staff unions are not included. Personal service contracts with individual district employees are not included. The superintendent’s contract is not included. Contracts with assistant superintendents, curriculum directors, and school principals are not included. Lobbying contracts, educational consultant contracts, and any grants to non-profit organizations are also not included. Also, if the district belongs to any taxpayer-funded lobbying associations, these contracts should be included on-line as well. These additional contracts have a substantial financial impact on the district and should also be included on-line for review.
Valley View annually issues a parent handbook which is an abbreviated version of board policies. However, education stakeholders should have access to the updated comprehensive board policies on-line. These policies should be in a searchable PDF format, allowing education stakeholders the ability to quickly search for relevant policies.
Valley View’s website should detail its policies about conducting staff criminal background checks. In light of the conviction of sex offender Laura J. Obzera, Valley View should also include information about how often criminal background checks are done and procedures the district follows when it learns of staff past or present criminal conduct.
Valley View lists elected school board members and their contact information. However, a short biographical statement about each elected member, as well as financial disclosures, conflict-of interest statements, and any vendor campaign contributions should also be posted. This would give education stakeholders additional useful information about their elected officials.
Valley View lists board member committee assignments. However, there is no notice, agendas, or minutes of committee meetings. This information as well as names and contact information of all committee participants should be included on-line. The website should note if these are open meetings and if public comment is allowed along with any rules about public input. This would allow education stakeholders to be involved in committee decision making before issues come before the full board for a vote.
Valley View should include full disclosure of teacher workshops and in-service programs. This would include dates and times, any materials distributed, budget information, and any related video or audio tape. This information would allow education stakeholders to gain insight into how teachers are being trained to educate students.
This basic public information should be easily accessible without filing a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. However, in the event a FOIA request is needed, Valley View should include information on its website about how education stakeholders can obtain access to the district's public records. The district should clearly note on its website which employee handles open records requests and how to contact that employee.
This increased transparency would allow education stakeholders to be more involved in public education, accessing timely information, tracking spending trends, keeping up with current education issues, being more informed about elected officials, and having more of a voice in a process that affects the lives of everyone in the community.
