Full access to the District’s public records is available to any person as provided in the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), this policy, and implementing procedures.
Freedom of Information Officer
The Superintendent shall serve as the District’s Freedom of Information Officer and assumes all the duties and powers of that office as provided in FOIA and this policy. The Superintendent will delegate these duties and powers to designees but the delegation shall not relieve the Superintendent of the responsibility for the action that was delegated. The Superintendent or designee(s) shall report any FOIA requests and the status of the District’s response to the Board at each regular Board meeting.
Definition
The District’s public records are defined as records, reports, forms, writings, letters, memoranda, books, papers, maps, photographs, microfilms, cards, tapes, recordings, electronic data processing records, electronic communications, recorded information and all other documentary materials pertaining to the transaction of public business, regardless of physical form or characteristics, having been prepared by or for, or having been or being used by, received by, in the possession of, or under the control of the School District.
Requesting Records
A request for inspection and/or copies of public records must be made in writing and may be submitted by personal delivery, mail, telefax, or email directed to the District’s Freedom of Information Officer. Individuals making a request are not required to state a reason for the request other than to identify when the request is for a commercial purpose or when requesting a fee waiver. All requests for inspection and copying shall immediately be forwarded to the District’s Freedom of Information Officer or designee.
Responding to Requests
The Freedom of Information Officer shall approve all requests for public records unless:
The requested material does not exist;
The requested material is exempt from inspection and copying by the Freedom of Information Act; or
Complying with the request would be unduly burdensome.
Within 5 business days after receipt of a request for access to a public record, the Freedom of Information Officer shall comply with or deny the request, unless the time for response is extended as specified in Section 3 of FOIA. The Freedom of Information Officer may extend the time for a response for up to 5 business days from the original due date. If an extension is needed, the Freedom of Information Officer shall: (1) notify the person making the request of the reason for the extension, and (2) either inform the person of the date on which a response will be made or agree with the person in writing on a compliance period.
Notwithstanding the above, the Freedom of Information Officer shall respond to requests for commercial purposes and to recurrent requesters (as those terms are defined in Section 2 of FOIA) according to Sections 3.1 and 3.2 of FOIA.
When responding to a request for a record containing both exempt and non-exempt material, the Freedom of Information Officer shall redact exempt material from the record before complying with the request.
Copying Fees
Persons making a request for copies of public records must pay any applicable copying fee. The Freedom of Information Officer shall, as needed, recommend a copying fee schedule for the Board’s approval. Copying fees, except when fixed by statute, are reasonably calculated to reimburse the District’s actual cost for reproducing and certifying public records and for the use, by any person, of its equipment to copy records. No copying fee shall be charged for the first 50 pages of black and white, letter or legal sized copies. No copying fee shall be charged for electronic copies other than the actual cost of the recording medium.
Fees for Responding to a Request for a Commercial Purpose
In addition to copying fees, persons making a request for a commercial purpose, as defined in FOIA, must pay a fee of $10 for each hour spent by personnel in searching for and retrieving the record. However, no fees shall be charged for the first 8 hours spent by personnel in searching for or retrieving a requested record. The District also charges the actual cost of retrieving and transporting public records from an off-site storage facility when the public records are maintained by a third-party storage facility under contract with the District. Whenever the District charges any fees to a requester making a commercial request, the Freedom of Information Officer shall provide the requester with an accounting of all fees, costs, and personnel hours in connection with the request for public records.
Access
The inspection and copying of a public record that is the subject of an approved access request is permitted at the District’s administrative office during regular business hours, unless other arrangements are made by the Freedom of Information Officer.
Many public records are immediately available from the District’s website including, but not limited to, a description of the District and the methods for requesting a public record.
Preserving Public Records
Public records, including email messages, shall be preserved and cataloged if: (1) they are evidence of the District’s organization, function, policies, procedures, or activities, (2) they contain informational data appropriate for preservation, (3) their retention is required by State or federal law, or (4) they are subject to a retention request by the Board Attorney (e.g. a litigation hold), District auditor, or other individual authorized by the School Board or State or federal law to make such a request. Unless its retention is required as described in items numbered 3 or 4 above, a public record, as defined by the Illinois Local Records Act, may be destroyed when authorized by the Local Records Commission.
Full access to the District’s public records is available to any person as provided in the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), this policy, and implementing procedures. The Superintendent or designee
shall: (1) provide the Board with sufficient information and data to permit the Board to monitor the
District’s compliance with FOIA and this policy, and (2) report any FOIA requests during the Board’s
regular meetings along with the status of the District’s response.
Freedom of Information Officer
The Superintendent shall serve as the District’s Freedom of Information Officer and assume all the duties and powers of that office as provided in FOIA and this policy. The Superintendent may delegate these duties and powers to one or more designees, but the delegation shall not relieve the Superintendent of responsibility for the delegated action.
Definition
The District’s public records are defined as records, reports, forms, writings, letters, memoranda, books, papers, maps, photographs, microfilms, cards, tapes, recordings, electronic data processing records, electronic communications, recorded information and all other documentary material pertaining to the transaction of public business, regardless of physical form or characteristics, having been prepared by or for, or having been or being used by, received by, in the possession of, or under the control of the School District. The District’s public records do not include junk mail.
Requesting Records
A request for inspection and/or copies of public records must be made in writing and may be submitted by personal delivery, mail, telefax, or email directed to the District’s Freedom of Information Officer. Individuals making a request are not required to state a reason for the request other than to identify when the request is for a commercial purpose or when requesting a fee waiver. Email requests must
include the entirety of the request within the body of the email and not as an attachment or hyperlink. The Superintendent or designee shall instruct District employees to immediately forward any request
for inspection and copying of a public record to the District’s Freedom of Information Officer or
designee.
Responding to Requests
The Freedom of Information Officer shall approve all requests for public records unless:
The requested material does not exist;
The requested material is exempt from inspection and copying by the Freedom of Information Act;
Complying with the request would be unduly burdensome;
The request would require the District to open electronically attached files or hyperlinks to view or access details of a request. In that case, the requester shall be notified within five business days that the entirety of the electronic request must appear within the body of the electronic submission; or
The District has a reasonable belief that the request was not submitted by a person, and the requester fails to verify orally or in writing that they are a person within 30 days of the District’s request for such verification.
Within five business days after receipt of a request for access to a public record, the Freedom of Information Officer shall comply with or deny the request, unless the time for response is extended as specified in Section 3 of FOIA. The Freedom of Information Officer may extend the time for a response for up to five business days from the original due date. If an extension is needed, the Freedom of Information Officer shall: (1) notify the person making the request of the reason for the extension, and (2) either inform the person of the date on which a response will be made or agree with the person in writing on a compliance period.
The time periods are extended for responding to requests for records made for a commercial purpose,
requests by a recurrent requester, or voluminous requests, as those terms are defined in Section 2 of
FOIA. The time periods for responding to those requests are governed by Sections 3.1, 3.2, and 3.6 of
FOIA.
When responding to a request for a record containing both exempt and non-exempt material, the Freedom of Information Officer shall redact exempt material from the record before complying with the request.
Fees
Persons making a request for copies of public records must pay any and all applicable fees. The Freedom of Information Officer shall establish a fee schedule that complies with FOIA and this policy and is subject to the Board’s review. The fee schedule shall include copying fees and all other fees to the maximum extent they are permitted by FOIA, including without limitation, search and review fees for responding to a request for a commercial purpose and fees, costs, and personnel hours in connection with responding to a voluminous request.
Copying fees, except when fixed by statute, shall be reasonably calculated to reimburse the District’s actual cost for reproducing and certifying public records and for the use, by any person, of its equipment to copy records. In no case shall the copying fees exceed the maximum fees permitted by FOIA. If the District’s actual copying costs are equal to or greater than the maximum fees permitted by FOIA, the Freedom of Information Officer is authorized to use FOIA’s maximum fees as the District’s fees. No copying fees shall be charged for: (1) the first 50 pages of black and white, letter or legal sized copies, or (2) electronic copies other than the actual cost of the recording medium, except if the response is to a voluminous request, as defined in FOIA.
A fee reduction is available if the request qualifies under Section 6 of FOIA. The Freedom of
Information Officer shall set the amount of the reduction taking into consideration the amount of
material requested and the cost of copying it.
Provision of Copies and Access to Records
A public record that is the subject of an approved access request will be available for inspection or copying at the District’s administrative office during regular business hours, unless other arrangements are made by the Freedom of Information Officer.
Many public records are immediately available from the District’s website including, but not limited to, the process for requesting a public record. The Freedom of Information Officer shall direct a requester to the District’s website if a requested record is available there. If the requester is unable to reasonably access the record online, he or she may resubmit the request for the record, stating his or her inability to reasonably access the record online, and the District shall make the requested record available for inspection and copying as otherwise provided in this policy.
Preserving Public Records
Public records, including email messages, shall be preserved and cataloged if: (1) they are evidence of the District’s organization, function, policies, procedures, or activities, (2) they contain informational data appropriate for preservation, (3) their retention is required by State or federal law, or (4) they are subject to a retention request by the Board Attorney (e.g. a litigation hold), District auditor, or other individual authorized by the School Board or State or federal law to make such a request. Unless its retention is required as described in items numbered 3 or 4 above, a public record, as defined by the Illinois Local Records Act, may be destroyed when authorized by the Local Records Commission.
Full access to the District’s public records public records is available to any person as provided in the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), this policy, and implementing procedures. The Superintendent or designee shall: (1) provide the Board with sufficient information and data to permit the Board to monitor the District’s compliance with FOIA and this policy, and (2) report any FOIA requests during the Board’s regular meetings along with the status of the District’s response.
Freedom of Information Officer
The Superintendent shall serve as the District’s Freedom of Information Officer and assumesassume all the duties and powers of that office as provided in FOIA and this policy. The Superintendent willmay delegate these duties and powers to one or more designees, but the delegation shall not relieve the Superintendent of the responsibility for the delegated action that was delegated. The Superintendent or designee(s) shall report any FOIA requests and the status of the District’s response to the Board at each regular Board meeting.
Definition
The District’s public records are defined as records, reports, forms, writings, letters, memoranda, books, papers, maps, photographs, microfilms, cards, tapes, recordings, electronic data processing records, electronic communications, recorded information and all other documentary materialsmaterial pertaining to the transaction of public business, regardless of physical form or characteristics, having been prepared by or for, or having been or being used by, received by, in the possession of, or under the control of the School District. The District’s public records do not include junk mail.
Requesting Records
A request for inspection and/or copies of public records must be made in writing and may be submitted by personal delivery, mail, telefax, or email directed to the District’s Freedom of Information Officer. Individuals making a request are not required to state a reason for the request other than to identify when the request is for a commercial purpose or when requesting a fee waiver. AllEmail requests must include the entirety of the request within the body of the email and not as an attachment or hyperlink. The Superintendent or designee shall instruct District employees to immediately forward any request for inspection and copying shall immediately be forwardedof a public record to the District’s Freedom of Information Officer or designee.
Responding to Requests
The Freedom of Information Officer shall approve all requests for public records unless:
The requested material does not exist;
The requested material is exempt from inspection and copying by the Freedom of Information Act; or
Complying with the request would be unduly burdensome.;
The request would require the District to open electronically attached files or hyperlinks to view or access details of a request. In that case, the requester shall be notified within five business days that the entirety of the electronic request must appear within the body of the electronic submission; or
The District has a reasonable belief that the request was not submitted by a person, and the requester fails to verify orally or in writing that they are a person within 30 days of the District’s request for such verification.
Within 5five business days after receipt of a request for access to a public record, the Freedom of Information Officer shall comply with or deny the request, unless the time for response is extended as specified in Section 3 of FOIA. The Freedom of Information Officer may extend the time for a response for up to 5five business days from the original due date. If an extension is needed, the Freedom of Information Officer shall: (1) notify the person making the request of the reason for the extension, and (2) either inform the person of the date on which a response will be made or agree with the person in writing on a compliance period.
Notwithstanding the above, the Freedom of Information Officer shall respondThe time periods are extended for responding to requests for records made for a commercial purposes and topurpose, requests by a recurrent requesters (requester, or voluminous requests, as those terms are defined in Section 2 of FOIA) according. The time periods for responding to those requests are governed by Sections 3.1, 3.2, and 3.23.6 of FOIA.
When responding to a request for a record containing both exempt and non-exempt material, the Freedom of Information Officer shall redact exempt material from the record before complying with the request.
Copying Fees
Persons making a request for copies of public records must pay any and all applicable copying feefees. The Freedom of Information Officer shall, as needed, recommend establish a copying fee schedule forthat complies with FOIA and this policy and is subject to the Board’s approvalreview. The fee schedule shall include copying fees and all other fees to the maximum extent they are permitted by FOIA, including without limitation, search and review fees for responding to a request for a commercial purpose and fees, costs, and personnel hours in connection with responding to a voluminous request.
Copying fees, except when fixed by statute, areshall be reasonably calculated to reimburse the District’s actual cost for reproducing and certifying public records and for the use, by any person, of its equipment to copy records. In no case shall the copying fees exceed the maximum fees permitted by FOIA. If the District’s actual copying costs are equal to or greater than the maximum fees permitted by FOIA, the Freedom of Information Officer is authorized to use FOIA’s maximum fees as the District’s fees. No copying feefees shall be charged for: (1) the first 50 pages of black and white, letter or legal sized copies. No copying fee shall be charged for, or (2) electronic copies other than the actual cost of the recording medium.
Fees for Responding, except if the response is to a Request for a Commercial Purpose
In addition to copying fees, persons making avoluminous request for a commercial purpose, as defined in FOIA, must pay a.
A fee of $10 for each hour spent by personnel in searching for and retrievingreduction is available if the record. However, no fees shall be charged for the first 8 hours spent by personnel in searching for or retrieving a requested recordrequest qualifies under Section 6 of FOIA. The District also charges the actual cost of retrieving and transporting public records from an off-site storage facility when the public records are maintained by a third-party storage facility under contract with the District. Whenever the District charges any fees to a requester making a commercial request, the Freedom of Information Officer shall provideset the requester with an accountingamount of all fees, costs,the reduction taking into consideration the amount of material requested and personnel hours in connection with the request for public recordscost of copying it.
Provision of Copies and Access to Records
The inspection and copying of aA public record that is the subject of an approved access request is permittedwill be available for inspection or copying at the District’s administrative office during regular business hours, unless other arrangements are made by the Freedom of Information Officer.
Many public records are immediately available from the District’s website including, but not limited to, a description of the District and the methodsprocess for requesting a public record. The Freedom of Information Officer shall direct a requester to the District’s website if a requested record is available there. If the requester is unable to reasonably access the record online, he or she may resubmit the request for the record, stating his or her inability to reasonably access the record online, and the District shall make the requested record available for inspection and copying as otherwise provided in this policy.
Preserving Public Records
Public records, including email messages, shall be preserved and cataloged if: (1) they are evidence of the District’s organization, function, policies, procedures, or activities, (2) they contain informational data appropriate for preservation, (3) their retention is required by State or federal law, or (4) they are subject to a retention request by the Board Attorney (e.g. a litigation hold), District auditor, or other individual authorized by the School Board or State or federal law to make such a request. Unless its retention is required as described in items numbered 3 or 4 above, a public record, as defined by the Illinois Local Records Act, may be destroyed when authorized by the Local Records Commission.
