Houston Independent School District posts its check registries online
Houston Independent School District (HISD) has become the latest Houston area school system to allow the world to see how much it pays architects, law firms, supply stores, and other vendors by posting its check registries online. School officials say they are being more transparent, but the districts also benefit: Those that put their check registries online get a free pass from complying with Governor Rick Perry's executive order that school districts spend at least 65% of their money on classroom expenses. DeEtta Culbertson, a spokeswoman for the Texas Education Agency (TEA), doubts school districts are posting their registries just to skirt the governor’s order. “They seem to be willing to do the check register posting in addition to meeting the 65 percent,” she says. However, she cautions that some districts who are not going to meet the 65% mandate won’t “openly flout the law” by posting their registries. School districts have to reach the 65% mark by 2008-09. About 640 of the state's 1,000-plus districts met the mark as of 2004-05, according to the most recent TEA data. HISD barely missed it, with 64.552 percent going toward classroom expenses. Melinda Garrett, HISD's chief financial officer, denies the district is putting its checkbook online to avoid meeting the standard and insists HISD plans to achieve the full 65% percent “as quickly as possible.” But she notes district officials face an ongoing challenge to maintain the number, especially as unavoidable expenses rise. “There are things that are very difficult to avoid that are noninstructional things like electricity increases, property insurance, gasoline for vehicles,” she adds. Most districts, including HISD, post the amount of each check and the name of the business or person receiving it. The listings, however, do not include a description or explanation of the expense, whether it's books, toilet paper or consulting work.
Houston Chronicle
By Ericka Mellon
[Full story]
[Editor’s Note: HISD and Katy Independent School District’s (KISD) online checkbook registries are below, as is information on “65% Solution” mandates.]
[HISD online checkbook registry]
[KISD online checkbook registry]
[NSBA School Law pages on 65% Solution]