Grading Rubric

Illinois Policy Institute’s Local Transparency Project Grading Rubric

A – 90% and Above
B – between 80% and 89.99%
C – between 70% and 79.99%
D – between 60% and 69.99%
F – 59.99% and lower

Out of a possible 100 points.

1. Elected & Administrative Officials (10 points)

Sub Category: Elected Officials (4 points)

• 1 point for name of elected officials
• 1.5 points for email or web form to contact elected officials
• 1.5 points for phone number to contact elected officials
  

Sub Category: Senior Elected Official (1 point)

• .25 point for name of elected official
• .375 point for email or web form of elected official
• .375 point for phone number of elected official
  

Sub Category: Administrators (4 points)

• 1 point for names of administrators in each department
• 1.5 points for email or web form to contact administrators
• 1.5 points for phone number to administrators
  

Sub Category Senior Administrator: (1 point)

• .25 point for name of senior administrator
• .375 point for email or web form of senior administrator
• .375 point for phone number of senior administrator
  

2. Meeting Information (10 points)

Sub Category: Future Meeting Calendar (2.5 points)

• At least 1 year on regular dates

Sub Category: Meeting Agendas (2.5 points)

• Is the next meeting’s agenda online or do they regularly post agenda’s online prior to meetings?
  

Sub Category: Meeting Board Packets (2.5 points)

• .5 point per each of last 5 years online.
• Only 70% credit if documents are not searchable
  

Sub Category: Meeting Minutes (2.5 points)

• .5 point per each of last 5 years online.
• Only 70% credit if documents are not searchable
  

3. Freedom of Information Act (10 Points)

Sub Category: Freedom of Information Act Page (7 points)

• 1 point for address to submit FOIA
• 1.5 points for phone number
• 1.5 points for email or web form
• 1.5 point for FOIA process response time
• 1.5 points for fee disclosure
  

Sub Category: FOIA Officer (3 points)

• 1 point for name
• 1 point for phone number
• 1 point for email or web form
  

4. Budgets (10 Points)

• 2 points for each year of last 5 years budget (detailed budget-no summary)
• Only 70% credit if document isn’t searchable
  

5. Financial Audits (10 Points)

• 2 points for each of the last 5 years of comprehensive financial audit
• Only 70% credit if document isn’t searchable
  

6. Expenditures (10 Points)

Sub Category: Individual Expenditures/Check Register (5 points)

• 1 point for each of the last 5 years
• Only 70% credit if document isn’t searchable

Sub Category: Annual Expenditures (5 points)

• 1 point for each of the last 5 years
• Only 70% credit if document isn’t searchable
  

7. Salary & Benefits (10 Points)

Sub Category: Employee Salary Compensation (5 points)

• 1 point for each of the last 5 years
• Only 50% credit if it only includes ranges or salary bands
• Only 70% credit if document isn’t searchable

Sub Category: Employee Benefit Compensation (5 points)

• 1 point for each of the last 5 years
• Only 50% credit if it only includes ranges or salary bands
• Only 70% credit if document isn’t searchable
  

8. Contracts (10 Points)

Sub Category: Current Requests of Bids & Proposals (2.5 points)

• 1.5 points for listing of open bids & proposals
• 1 point for instructions on where & how to submit a bid or proposal
  

Sub Category: Approved Vendor Contracts (2.5 points)

• .5 points for each of the last 5 years in contracts
• Only 70% credit if document isn’t searchable
  

Sub Category: Union Contracts (5 points)

• 1 point per each of the last 5 years for all union contracts.
• Only 70% credit if document isn’t searchable
  

9. Lobbying (10 Points)

• Must disclose value and purpose of each contract
• Must disclose any membership organizations they belong to that also engages in lobbying
• 2 points for each of the last 5 years
  

10. Taxes (10 Points)

• Must disclose all revenue sources
• Must disclose the tax rate for all revenue sources (property, income, sales, etc.)
• Must disclose all fees