By Alabama Public Radio
Montgomery, AL – The Senate gave final passage to the bill yesterday, which Governor Riley and the state Department of Education have been trying to pass since 2004. The bill requires all city and county boards of education to implement standardized accounting systems, which will allow the state Department of Education to keep a watch on finances. It requires all local school boards to have a chief school financial officer and to keep at least one month's operating expenses in reserve. Assistant State Superintendent of Education Craig Pouncey says passage of the bill adds another layer of assurance that state tax dollars will be spent in an accountable manner.