Just Look to See Transparency at the Roby CISD
Taxpayers who support the Roby Consolidated Independent School District (CISD) don't only learn how much of their money is going where, they get to know the answer to the million-dollar question.
Why? Go to the Roby CISD website and you'll find the budget, which has been posted annually since 2006, and the check register, which was first put online in 2007. The check register, updated monthly after school board approval of the expenses, includes the usual information — amount, date and payee — and also a brief description of the purpose of the payment.
“We hope that by making as much information available as possible on our website, we let our community see how we are using their money to educate their children,” explains Superintendent David Hale.
It did not cost the small K-12 school district, which has an elementary/junior high and high school on its campus, anything to achieve this level of financial transparency. The Region 14 Education Service Center hosts the district's website at no charge and in-house Roby CISD personnel handle the rest.
Hale's office provides the documents as PDF files, and sends them to Michelle Terry, the computer science teacher, who posts the documents online.
Getting the word out that the information is available online is also important. Roby CISD advertises the website in the local newspaper.
The website includes other useful information, including grading policy, a nurse's blog, information on free immunizations and other upcoming events. Visitors are able to provide comments. This feedback is reviewed and changes are implemented to ensure that the site is as user friendly as possible.
Take a look at how the Roby CISD uses its website to allow taxpayers to keep up with how their money is spent.