This is a transparency report I created based on the San Diego Taxpayers Educational Foundation criteria. I conducted the research for this analyis on September 11, 2015. It's always possible that when the Board or the superintendent gets wind of this report, they will try to 'fix' things to the extent that they can. While I encourage that, I've made screen shots to support the state of things on the day that I performed the analysis.
On the WVUSD web site, amidst all the smiling faces of your children, sits a top menu, each with drop-downs. If you were looking for information about the Citizens' Oversight Committee, you'd be disappointed with the choices.
If you were to go down two levels, from 'About' to 'Measures S & Y', you'd find a brief paragraph about two of the four bond measures. (The two earlier bonds were passed without a requirement for an oversight committee, so of course, there is none.) Below this are three lower options. One option (Thank You Community!) is a self-promotional message from the Superintendent (which one, we don't know) with a promise to "Watch for updates in the Outlook community publication" (wherever that is).
The second option (Bond Oversight Committee) is another promotional paragraph with a few seven-year-old facts mixed in.
If you think the third option (Bond Updates) will be the gold mine of information, you'd be disappoitned again. It's a directory list of files with somewhat readable or descriptive names. It's an unorganized (except alphabetically by file name) jumble of documents. It looks like the closet that you throw things into when guests come over. It's not meant to be seen.
That's it. About as bare-bones as you can get. Of the 25 criteria in the School Bond Transparency Guide, it meets one criteria -- two, maybe, if I were feeling generous (I'm not).
As you can see by comparison, this is a lower transparency level (4%) than every one of the 21 districts rated by the San Diego taxpayer watchdog group. No one's been shining a light on the district, so of course, you have no transparency.
This Board doesn't give a fig about transparency and it shows. It just wants your money. Let's tell the Board to take that proverbial hike.
| Category | Criteria | WVUSD | MtSAC CCD |
| Website Information Provison | |||
| Committee Bylaws | + | ||
| Oversight Committee List and Contact Info | - | ||
| Meeting Minutes/Agendas | - | ||
| Additional Meeting Material | - | ||
| Archive of Annual Reports | - | ||
| Archive of Performance Audits | - | ||
| Archive of Financial Audits | - | ||
| Detailed Project List | - | ||
| Project Descriptions | - | ||
| Project Progress | - | ||
| Bond Background Information | - | ||
| Full Oversight Committee | - | ||
| Number of Vacancies | - | ||
| 2014 Annual Report Information Provision | |||
| 2014 Annual Report Available | - | ||
| Budget Overview | - | ||
| Program Status Updates | - | ||
| Detailed Discussion of Projects | - | ||
| Project Progress Report | - | ||
| 2014 Audit Information Provision | |||
| 2014 Financial Audits | - | ||
| 2014 Performance Audit | - | ||
| Basic Financial Information | - | ||
| Expenditures Itemized by Project/ Site | - | ||
| Prop 39 Required Audit Findings | - | ||
| Additional Recommendations Listed | - | ||
| Audits Performed by Third Party | - | ||
| Performance Audits meet Standards | - | ||
| Points out of 25 | 1 | ||
| Transparency Grade | 4% |
Copyright © 2015, Richard Michael. All Rights Reserved.