3 VICTORIES IN 3 WEEKS: PASSING THE 'OPEN BOOK' TEST

Home

About Us

BLOG/Editorial

Events

Links

Donate

Media

News

JOIN THE MOVEMENT

Email Enrollment

3 VICTORIES IN 3 WEEKS: PASSING THE 'OPEN BOOK' TEST
For the Good of Illinois | Category: Education Editorial | Published: 7/10/2008
Views: 1475 | Comments: 15 |

3 VICTORIES IN 3 WEEKS: PASSING THE 'OPEN BOOK' TEST
Nearly $400 million of additional education spending now online!

By Adam Andrzejewski
Director, ForTheGoodOfIllinois.org

“I appreciate your advocacy on behalf of the citizens of Illinois as well as the citizens of Elmhurst School District 205. All of us working together for the benefit of students and our communities can only have a positive impact.”
Lynn Krizic, Ed.D, Superintendent, Elmhurst School District 205

By posting their check registry online, Elmhurst School District 205, West Chicago CHSD 94, and College of DuPage have become leaders in the Illinois “Open Book” Revolution. Demonstrating simple respect for their local taxpayers, residents can now see exactly how their tax dollars are being spent. The total budgets of these three districts amount to nearly $400 million!

The “friend to friend” model of networking. Who do you know in education?

“As Iron sharpens Iron, so does a friend sharpen a friend.” All three districts were approached on a friend to friend basis. In Elmhurst, the School Board President Marta Davy used to live in the same close-knit neighborhood as I currently live in. Shortly after being contacted, Elmhurst Superintendent Lynn Krizic proactively posted on the schools website. In the West Chicago example, Kate Campaigne of the Illinois Policy Institute has a friend that knew the Board President. Having an introduction to the Board President, Kate helped provide guidance so that the President successfully presented to his own Board of Education! In the College of DuPage example, a mutual friend introduced me to Trustee David Carlin and shortly thereafter, the College of DuPage posted their registry.

Transparency begets transparency. Creating a strong, bottom up mandate for good government.

In Illinois, the lower lows of public corruption convictions have become commonplace newspaper headlines. However, in DuPage County, the education establishment is leading an opposite trend. Once the College of DuPage posted their check registry, Elmhurst and West Chicago quickly followed suit. More DuPage county schools will soon demonstrate transparency. Once a majority of school districts in a given locale are transparent, the firm foundation of good governance will have strong roots that can be leveraged for even more good government. This is the essence of the “Open Book” Revolution in Illinois government.

The well-run Illinois school districts have an obligation to lead the way.

The fiscally disciplined school districts should have nothing to hide and can showcase their good fiscal stewardship. Equally as important, the good districts need to put peer pressure on the mismanaged districts to reform. Unfathomable but true, Illinois has a school district that cancelled out door recess; as a substitute, they tell their 567 grade school children to stand in straight lines in an all purpose room and be quiet! This district cancelled outdoor recess citing budget constraint, yet refuses to post their check registry.

ILLINOIS SCHOOL DISTRICT HONOR ROLL

Illinois now has eleven school districts that post their check registry representing nearly $850 million in education spending. This transparency is recognized on the Illinois School District Honor Roll at www.ForTheGoodOfIllinois.org.

How do you know if your school district is spending responsibly?

The only way to answer that question is to ‘Open The Books’. Each school district should post their check register on the school website. The proposal’s simplicity is its strength. There is virtually no cost. The check number, vendor name and amount are already a part of the monthly board packet. Information is already the ‘public’s right to know’ through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Check register posting harnesses current technology with existing law to create a convenient path of community access.

Help Us Bring Illinois Government into the 21st Century!
Open The Books. For The Good Of Illinois.

Comments

On 3/8/2010 linlin201000 said:

Louis vuitton handbagsugg boots louis vuitton bag our best choice louis vuitton bags our shop sellshandbags is good ghd is my love slendertoneis the superior product we sellgucci bags louis vuitton bags onsale bags gives me a nice giftLouis vuitton on sale discount ugg bootsbuy now ghd straighteners slendertone flexis discount louis vuitton louis vuitton sells online

On 3/5/2010 Mario said:

Great article with excellent idea! I appreciate your post. Thanks so much and let keep on sharing your stuffs. mikimoto pearl necklace|lace wedding dresses

On 2/26/2010 hu said:

Replica Handbags ALEXANDRE MCQUEEN Handbags Louis Vuitton Handbags Gucci Handbags Chanel Handbags Fendi Handbags Coach Handbags Manolo Blahnik Boots Cheap UGG Boots Shoes China Handbags UGG Nightfall Replica Tiffany Jewelry Cheap Chanel Flap Cheap Chanel Hobo Handbag Cheap Chanel Quilted Cheap Chanel Handbags Cheap Chanel Tote Handbags

On 2/10/2010 Botox New York City said:

Thanks, its a very good information of sharing and making people know about the activites that are being carried out.

On 2/7/2010 gucci purple sunglasses said:

Gucci Sunglasses has long reigned as one of the world's most prestigious brands. Chanel Sunglasses all of its rivals, it has never fallen out of style. Inevitably much of the credit goes to Designer Sunglasses, ground-breaking originality, but for more than 20 years it is Prada Sunglass who has carried the torch for the House of ray ban sunglasses.With the style and sass of its perfume line is the Sunglasses sale line. And yes, classic chanel sunglasses were also propelled to great stardom when the girls of Sex and the City started wearing them.

On 2/7/2010 cheap mbt shoes said:

This article is very good. And I like you very much!
The author was too kind.
Thank author sharing.At this is once!
Nike shox
Authentic Products nike shox shoes provides all kinds of shox nike .
nike shox NZ in high quality but lowest prices possible from USA.
kids nike shox and
nike shox monster run
nike shox turbo

nike shox r4 and nike shox r5
We frequently update the styles of kids nike shox flame so please check back to choose your favourite shoes.

chen li

On 2/3/2010 selingbags said:

Welcome to www.selingbags.com if you are looking for the top cheap designer handbags,high quality, Quick shipment,Lowest price and Good service. Our handbags sale are popular all over the world with High Quality, Competitive Price, Best Service and Safe Delivery.we can wholesale chanel handbags free on site orders.

On 1/29/2010 Flyer Printing said:

On 1/25/2010 Movers Manhattan said:

Well, this is my first visit to your blog! We are a group of volunteers and starting a new initiative in a community in the same niche. Your blog provided us valuable information to work on. You have done a marvellous job!

On 12/26/2009 Lisa Jack said:

These kind of articles are always attractive and I am happy to find so many good point here in the post, writing is simply great, thanks for sharing. Designer Eyewear

On 12/6/2009 Ross Jeffries said:

I'm with you that education establishments should be giving an example of what transparency is. Starting with books is a good start. I think the best from all of this is that it's all very simple, and simple is good. Great tips.

On 8/5/2009 Single doctor said:

I agree that schools can lead the way in transparency. Opening the books seems like a good idea. The best part of this proposal is that its very simple. Good advice

On 12/5/2008 Bob Lee said:

I do understand that they refused your efforts, but is it right for you to waste the time and money of the taxpayers to answer your FOIA requests? Do you follow up with other districts to see if they post their bills on a monthly basis? They may post them once after you request it.......What about now? I have looked at school district websites all over Illinois. There are only a handful that actually post!

On 12/5/2008 Adam Andrzejewski said:

Great question, Bob... The two schools on the Watch List refused our efforts to post their own check registry. Therefore, we post it after we FOIA it. They are the only 2 schools to refuse posting after we have asked! Since its public information anyway, we post it on our site.

On 12/5/2008 Bob Lee said:

Why is it that you only have two schools on your watch list when there are hundreds of other school districts out there that don't post? I have to admit, I don't want my taxpayer money being spent to pay someone to answer your FOIA request all the time!