Wichita - January 10, 2011 - In a continuing effort to make data accessible to Kansas taxpayers,
KansasOpenGov.org now hosts district
checkbooks,
payroll listings, and
employment agreements for five districts from across the state. Fully searchable data is available for school districts in Olathe, Shawnee Mission, Garden City, Hutchinson, and Emporia. As many districts discuss potentially dramatic cuts that would impact the classroom, it is important to have a clear understanding of how schools spend taxpayer money.
"Citizens have a right to know how their tax dollars are being spent at all levels of government - this is no different with local school districts," offered KPI President Dave Trabert. "School spending is 53% of state general fund spending and people should be able to know how that money is being spent, right down to the last dollar."
Some of the noteworthy findings from the 2009-10 school year for the five districts posted today include;
- USD 308 in Hutchinson spent well over $100,000 for staff to attend conferences and workshops;
- USD 512 Shawnee Mission paid $62,711 to the Head Custodian at one high school;
- A $46,398 raise was given to the superintendent of USD 233 in Olathe over the past two years, bringing last year's total pay to $272,229;
- USD 253 Emporia's two highest paid teachers each were paid more than $72,000 and both are Physical Education teachers;
- USD 457 Garden City spent over $188,000 on consultants;
- 72 people were paid more $100,000 by Shawnee Mission; Olathe, with similar enrollment, had 52 people above the $100,000 level.
This school district information was obtained directly from the individual school district using Kansas Open Records requests. Five more districts around the state will be added later in January.
Trabert continued, "This isn't about saying who is spending too much or too little. It is about empowering taxpayers, school employees and elected officials with data to help them make informed decisions. We all want every Kansas kid to have a solid, cost-effective education. This kind of information helps make that a reality."
"Kansas faces a budget projected budget deficit of over $500 million next year and we have to start asking tough questions and making tough decisions. We need to position our state for economic growth now and not kick the can down the road. This includes challenging every student with the right educational opportunities, but it also means financing it with sound policy that allows for entrepreneurial job creation," concluded Trabert.
