How much does your local school district spend each year? How much debt does it have, and how do those two numbers compare with other districts in the state?

In most cases, the information is out there, if you look. But it can take quite a while to find. Sunshine on Schools, a project of the North Dakota Policy Council, serves as a model for what other states can aspire to.

Naturally, the site, which uses data from the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction, is directly useful only for one state. But even if you've never set foot in North Dakota, check out the site for some ideas of what a public disclosure service can look like.