1Providing for the establishment of a searchable budget database-
2driven Internet website detailing certain information
3concerning taxpayer expenditures and investments by school
4districts.

5The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
6hereby enacts as follows:

7Section 1. Short title.

8This act shall be known and may be cited as the School
9District Web Accountability and Transparency (SchoolWATCH) Act.

10Section 2. Definitions.

11The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
12have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
13context clearly indicates otherwise:

14"Department." The Department of Education of the
15Commonwealth.

16"Entity." Any of the following:

17(1) An individual, corporation, association, union,

1limited liability company or limited liability partnership.

2(2) Any other legal business entity, including a
3nonprofit, a grantee, a contractor and a sole proprietor.

4(3) Any political subdivision or other local government
5entity.

6"Funding action or expenditure." A payment by a school
7district to include:

8(1) A grant.

9(2) A loan.

10(3) Reimbursement.

11(4) Payment made pursuant to the purchase of goods and
12services, including employee salaries, or to a construction
13or other contract.

14(5) Payment of debt service.

15(6) Payments made pursuant to a formula.

16(7) Payments to political subdivisions or other local
17government entities.

18"Funding source." A school district's general fund or
19special funds.

20"Public School Code of 1949." The act of March 10, 1949
21(P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949.

22"School district." As defined in section 102 of the act of
23March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code
24of 1949.

25Section 3. Searchable database.

26(a) Development.--By December 31, 2014, the department shall
27develop, implement and maintain a single, searchable, public
28Internet website to be called SchoolWATCH.

29(b) Internet website contents.--The Internet website
30required pursuant to subsection (a) shall provide the following

1information for each school district:

2(1) The name and address of the school district.

3(2) The amount of funding received by the school
4district from Federal, State, local and private sources and
5deposited in the school district's general fund or special
6fund during the previous month.

7(3) The name and address of the entity receiving a
8payment from the school district pursuant to a funding action
9or expenditure.

10(4) A description and the amount of each funding action
11or expenditure.

12(5) The funding source for each funding action or
13expenditure.

14(6) The expected and achieved performance outcomes from
15the funding action or expenditure, if available.

16(7) A counter to show the number of times the Internet
17website is accessed.

18(8) A link to each school district's Internet website,
19where available.

20(9) The total number of individuals employed by each
21school district as of the 15th day of the previous month.

22(10) For each individual employed by a school district,
23the following:

24(i) Name.

25(ii) Position or title.

26(iii) Current annual salary, based on the employee's
27pay schedule and current salary.

28(iv) Any additional compensation received by the
29individual and the basis for such compensation,
30including, but not limited to, duties as a coach or

1activity advisor.

2(v) Compensation, as defined in section 303(a)(1)(i)
3of the act of March 4, 1971 (P.L.6, No.2), known as the
4Tax Reform Code of 1971, paid by the school district.

5(c) Exemption.--Notwithstanding any other provision of this
6act, records not subject to disclosure under the act of February
714, 2008 (P.L.6, No.3), known as the Right-to-Know Law, shall
8not be included on the Internet website.

9(d) Access.--The Internet website shall allow the public to
10search for and aggregate information at no cost.

11(e) Maintenance.--Information for a fiscal year shall remain
12on the Internet website for a period of no less than eight years
13from the date of posting.

14Section 4. Administration.

15(a) School district requirements.--Each school district
16shall cooperate with the department. The following shall apply:

17(1) Each school district shall provide the department
18with all information regarding Federal, State, local and
19private funding received and all funding actions or
20expenditures as required under this act at the time the
21funding is received or the funding action or expenditure is
22paid by the school district.

23(2) Each school district shall provide the department
24with complement and employment compensation information as
25required under this act prior to the end of each month.

26(b) Accuracy.--Each school district is responsible for
27verifying the accuracy and completeness of information submitted
28to the department.

29(c) Format.--Each school district shall establish and
30maintain the information required to be posted under section 3

1in a manner prescribed by the department. The department shall
2consult with school districts to develop the format to be
3utilized.

4(d) Penalty.--A school district that fails to comply with
5the provisions of this act shall be subject to withholding of
6State appropriations pursuant to section 2552 of the Public
7School Code of 1949.

8Section 5. Report to Governor and General Assembly.

9The department shall prepare an annual report containing
10statistical information on the usage and performance of the
11Internet website. The report shall contain frequency of user
12access of the Internet website, types of data being accessed and
13Internet website performance. The report shall be submitted to
14the Governor, the chairman and minority chairman of the
15Appropriations Committee of the Senate, the chairman and
16minority chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the House
17of Representatives, the chairman and minority chairman of the
18Education Committee of the Senate and the chairman and minority
19chairman of the Education Committee of the House of
20Representatives by March 30 of each year, beginning March 30,
212016.

22Section 6. Effective date.

23This act shall take effect immediately.