Platinum Leadership Circle Award granted to school district for financial transparency

According+to+Texas+Transparency%2C+The+Comptroller+of+Public+Accounts+awards+local+governments+that+are+opening+their+books+to+the+public%2C+providing+clear%2C+consistent+pictures+of+spending%0A+and+sharing+information+in+a+user-friendly+format+that+lets+taxpayers+easily+drill+down+for+more+detail.

Leighton Schwille / Legacy Media

According to Texas Transparency, The Comptroller of Public Accounts awards local governments that are opening their books to the public, providing clear, consistent pictures of spending and sharing information in a user-friendly format that lets taxpayers easily drill down for more detail.

Along with educating their students, school districts must also provide accountability through transparency. By openly sharing finances for parents and community members to see, Klein ISD exhibits the kind of honesty that earned them the Platinum Leadership Circle Award granted by the Texas Comptroller’s Office.

Eighty-four out of 1,241 Texan school districts won the Platinum Award, and only 14 earned a perfect score of 22 out of 22. Klein ISD was one of the 14, scoring points for posting budgets, annual financial report, tax information, debt information and searchable check registers online. Staff members feel that this honestly helps the school district better function and grow stronger overall.

Information from www.texastransparency.org

“The school district winning this award makes me feel good about the job I have,” chemistry teacher Clay Huggins said. “It also makes me glad as a taxpayer to see money being used the right way.”

Klein ISD Superintendent Dr. Jim Cain said in a press release that the district plans on continuing the hard work needed to win this award.

“It is an honor to receive this award,” Cain said. “This award is a tangible example of the Klein ISD’s ongoing commitment to transparency and the hard work of our Financial Services department.”
The district also received the Texas Comptroller’s 2013 Texas Honors Circle Award for cost-efficiency and spending less than their peers.