Classroom Funding Transparency

Since the 1990s, local school spending has far outpaced inflation, but little of that spending has gone to increase teacher pay. The hiring of non-teaching staff has exploded while students’ academic achievement stagnates. 

Taxpayers deserve to know how their hard-earned money is being spent and have a greater ability to hold leaders accountable when their schools are failing. School boards and administrators should be trained in budgeting and outcomes measurement so they can make decisions that empower teachers and set kids up for success. 

This policy would: 

1. Create an open checkbook: Increase transparency in school spending by setting up an easily accessible checkbook portal where the public can see exactly how schools spend every dollar they receive.  
2. Provide training to school leaders: Encourage innovation by empowering superintendents, principals, and school board members with budgetary training that will help them choose programs and curricula that improve student outcomes.  

Creating a window into each purchase that a school makes, states empower parents to advocate for wasting less and putting more money into increasing teacher pay and supporting other research-backed solutions that are proven to improve student learning outcomes.