Transparent Idaho website adds additional details on education spending

Have you ever wondered how your tax dollars are being spent in Idaho? State Controller Brandon Woolf has just the tool for you: Transparent Idaho. This fantastic government transparency website provides searchable details on state, county, city, and local district spending. As of April 7, additional education spending details are also now available.

According to a press release by the Controller’s Office, here are the new education data points that can be searched:  

• “Education Enrollment Data: Access annual school enrollment data across Idaho’s public education system, including detailed data for individual districts and schools.
  

• Salary Data: View workforce salary information across various education providers.
  

• Transaction-Level Data: Track individual financial transactions made by education providers throughout the state, providing a more detailed view of how public funds are allocated and spent within the education sector.”
  

Controller Woolf said:

“Transparency isn’t just about opening up government records – it’s about giving Idahoans the tools they need to understand how their tax dollars are being spent. The addition of education enrollment, salary, and transaction-level data on Transparent Idaho is a step forward in our mission to build trust in government and empower citizens to be more informed and engaged. It is often noted that sunshine is the best disinfectant, and with more data at their fingertips, Idahoans can better participate in government decisions that directly impact their lives.”

With his ongoing commitment to government transparency, you can see why Controller Woolf was one of Mountain States Policy Center’s first Elevation Award winners in 2023.

Even more improvements are planned for Transparent Idaho. As noted in the Controller’s April 7 press release:

“The expansion of Transparent Idaho to include education data and visualizations marks just the beginning. We continuously seek opportunities to enhance the platform's offerings, providing deeper insights into Idaho’s education system and intergovernmental systems. Future updates will look to expand the platform, delivering even greater transparency into the financial and operational aspects of Idaho’s education system.”

Perhaps the next information added to Transparent Idaho will pull from MSPC’s recommendation for a Public School Transparency Act. Among the education details that we believe should be easily accessible:

1. Amount of total dollars (all funds – local, state and federal) spent by the district that year.
   

2. Amount of total dollars spent per student, per year.
   

3. Amount and percentage of total dollars allocated to average classroom.
   

4. Average administrator salary and benefits.
   

5. Average teacher salary and benefits.
   

6. Ratio of administrators to teachers to students.
   

MSPC researchers earlier this year spent hundreds of hours going through every Idaho school district’s budget to create an example of what the Public School Transparency Act could look like. We’ll be publishing this report in the coming days. Hopefully, one day soon, these details will also be available on Transparent Idaho.