A plan to require public schools to post how they spend money on the Internet could be approved by lawmakers this year, but wouldn’t go into effect until next year.  School districts would need to post all their expenditure data on their website, beginning next winter.

That extra year would give districts time to prepare for the online posting.  “I think it’s important to put school districts on notice that, in a year and a half, they’re going to be required to do this,” said Sen. John Goedde, R-Coeur d’Alene, who proposed amendments to the plan approved by the House.  Goedde said he has the support of House sponsor Phil Hart, R-Athol, and that he’ll add extra changes to the requirement next year.  The plan as amended would exclude districts with less than 300 students and charter schools, but Goedde said they’ll be added into the mandate next year.  “It’ll be the first bill that I carry next year,” Goedde told IdahoReporter.com.  Any financial documents that aren't public records wouldn't need to be posted on district websites.

Goedde’s amendments on Hart’s legislation still need Senate and House approval.  Read IdahoReporter.com’s story on the House approval of Hart’s original plan that he said would increase school transparency.