The state Senate has approved Tyler Republican Kevin Eltife's bill that would clear up one of the least transparent aspects of local government: The search for a new school superintendent.

In many cities and counties, the selection process is about as shrouded in mystery as papal selection. No one really knows who else was considered and why they were rejected. As a result, it's next to impossible for the public to figure out if their school board picked the best person for the job or an old golfing buddy of the board president.

The lack of transparency in superintendent searches has been an issue in school districts throughout Texas. The Houston Chronicle has urged the Houston Independent School District to release the names of the candidates vying to replace Abe Saavedra.

"The position is one of the most influential in the public arena. The HISD superintendent has an important say in the futures for 200,000 children and oversees a budget of $1.7 billion. The process of deciding who gets this job shouldn’t be a secretive one, as it has too frequently been."

The Greater Houston Partnership has also asked HISD to conduct a more transparent search, prompting one board member to quip that if any of the group's members want to know who the candidates are, they should run for school board.

Nice. It's as if we elected them king.

Under current law, school districts only have to release the lone finalist for the position, which would be like American Idol skipping its entire season leading up to the finale. But if Eltife's bill is passed by the House, school districts will be required to release the names of all the candidates who made the last round of interviews.