COLUMBIA, S.C. (WSPA) – State officials have launched a new tool to help you better understand how your child’s school district is spending your tax dollars.
When state lawmakers changed the funding formula for education, they also approved a measure that established an online financial dashboard that shows how school districts are spending the money allocated to them.
The tool was unveiled at the Governor’s office Wednesday afternoon. Governor Henry McMaster (R-South Carolina) was joined by the State Superintendent Ellen Weaver for the launch.
Governor McMaster said, “I have repeatedly said that a lack of transparency will cause the public and our communities to lose confidence in our local school boards and schools. This dashboard will provide the public with increased confidence in how our state’s school districts operate.”
The South Carolina Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office (RFA) created the dashboard using data provided by the state Department of Education from local school districts.
In the dashboard you can look up things like average teacher salary per district, how much is spent on average per student, and academic performance. Officials said they are hopeful this tool will help taxpayers understand how the $12 billion allocated for education in South Carolina is spent.
Superintendent Weaver said, “This is about transparency, and I have said for a long time that the way that we build trust in public education is through transparency.”
For more information on the dashboard click or tap here.
