CN: Public Records

The board shall designate a Freedom of Information Officer, (the superintendent), with the authority to establish and maintain a system of records in accordance with the Kansas Open Records Act and other applicable laws and may assign other district employees, (the clerk and all building principals), to handle requests for records and to serve as the custodian of the records. The custodian shall prominently display and distribute or otherwise make available to the public a brochure in the form prescribed by the local Freedom of Information Officer.

Types of Records

A public record means any recorded information, regardless of form or characteristics, which is made, maintained, or kept by or is in the possession of the district, including those exhibited at public board meetings.

Central Office Records

Records maintained by the superintendent shall include, but not be limited to, the following: financial, personnel, and property (both real and personal) owned by the district.

Building Records

Records maintained by the building principals shall include, but may not be limited to, the following: activity funds, student records, and personnel records. (See JR et seq.)

Public Access

All records, except those subject to exception by the Kansas Open Records Act, shall be open to inspection by the general public during regular office hours of any school or the district office.

The superintendent will establish procedures for making records available on normal business days when district offices are closed. Copies of open records shall be available on written request.

Requests for access to open records shall be made in writing to an official custodian of district records. The official custodian shall examine each request to determine whether the record requested is an open record or is subject to an exception by the Kansas Open Records Act. The custodian shall either grant or deny the request.

If the custodian does not grant the request, the person requesting the record shall receive a written explanation of the reason for the denial within three days of the request, if an explanation is requested. If the requester disagrees with the explanation, the freedom of information officer shall settle the dispute.

Each request for access to a public record shall be acted upon as soon as possible, but not later than the end of the third business day following the date that the request is received. If the request is not acted on immediately, the custodian shall inform the requester, within the three day window, when and where the open record will be made available. Each custodian shall file all requests and their dispositions in the appropriate office and make reports as requested by the superintendent or the board.

The board shall annually set a fee for copies of records. Advance payment of the expense of copying open records shall be borne by the individual requesting the copies. Under no circumstances shall the documents be allowed out of their usual building location without approval of the official custodian.

Revenue from copying open records will be deposited in the district's general fund.

Disposition

All district office records shall be kept for at least the minimum length of time required by law.

The clerk is designated as the official custodian of all board records maintained by the district. The clerk is designated as official custodian of all district office records maintained by the district. Each building principal is designated as official custodian of all records maintained at the building level. In addition to those records required by law, the clerk shall be responsible for preparing and keeping other records necessary for the district's efficient operation.

District employees shall follow the guidelines found in the student records policies. (See IDAE and JR through JRD)

Retention of Documents in Certain Circumstances (See CNA)