The Board of Education recognizes its responsibility to maintain the public records of this District and to make such records available to residents of Michigan for inspection and reproduction.

The public records of this District include any writing prepared, owned, used, in the possession of, or retained by the District, its Board, officers, or employees.

Any person may make an oral or written request for any public records of the District. The person may inspect, copy, or receive copies of the public record requested. The District shall respond to such requests within five (5) working days after receipt unless otherwise agreed to in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act.

An individual may purchase copies of the District's public records upon payment of a fee. No original public record may be removed from the office in which it is maintained except by a Board officer or employee in the course of the performance of his/her duties. Neither the Board nor its employees shall permit the release of the social security number of an employee, student, or other individual except as authorized by law (see Policy 8350 and AG 8350).

The Board chooses not to provide for enhanced access to any of its public records.

The Board has determined that personal and confidential information provided to and retained by the District on parents, students, staff and others will be considered exempt from disclosure pursuant to a Freedom of Information Act request, unless advised specifically by the District's legal counsel that the particular information must be released. Such personal and confidential information shall include home addresses, telephone numbers, e-mail addresses or website pages (e.g. My Space, Facebook), except as they are specifically related to the operation of the schools, or specifically authorized for release by the individual, or the parent/guardian if the individual is a minor.

Nothing in this policy shall be construed as preventing a Board member from inspecting in the performance of his/her official duties any record of this District, except student records and certain portions of personnel records.

The Superintendent is authorized to dispose of correspondence on a daily basis including those transmitted by means of voice mail or E-mail, providing the message does not alter existing District records.

The Superintendent is responsible for transmission of data contained in the single record student data base established by the Michigan Department of Education. Such transmission shall be in accordance with procedures established by the Ottawa Intermediate School District and the Center for Educational Performance and Information (CEPI).

The Superintendent shall establish administrative guidelines to ensure proper compliance with the intent of this policy and the Freedom of Information Act.

M.C.L.A. 15.231 et seq.
M.C.L.A. 445.81 et seq.
Michigan Federation of Teachers v. University of Michigan, 481 Mich. 657 (2008)

Revised 6/15/98
Revised 9/16/02
Revised 11/20/06
Revised 8/16/10