KORA

KANSAS OPEN RECORDS ACT (KORA) REQUEST INFORMATION

KANSAS LAW

As a Kansan, you are a stakeholder in Pittsburg Community Schools. Being a stakeholder gives you special rights and responsibilities, not the least of which is access to many of the records we are required by law to keep.

This guide is designed to explain your rights and responsibilities to you under Kansas law. This information is provided only as a guide with the public invited to ask specific questions of the District’s official records custodian/freedom of information office.

If you have questions, please contact Vicki Horton, Board of Education Clerk & District Records Custodian/Freedom of Information Officer at 620-235-3100.

YOUR RIGHTS

• To know the procedures for obtaining access to records.

• To examine all records not closed by state or federal laws.

• To examine those records during regular business hours or at set times during the summer for records kept at schools.

• To see those records immediately or be able to see those records within three business days after you request the records if the records are not immediately available.

• To have copies made of non-copyrighted materials for a reasonable fee.

• To have a written explanation if denied access to a record.

• To file suit against us if you believe we are denying you the access to a record you believe you have the right to see.

• To have your attorney’s fees paid by us if the court determines we intentionally violated your rights and had no reasonable basis for denying your request.

OUR RESPONSIBILITIES

• To appoint a Freedom of Information Officer to answer questions about the Kansas Open Records Act.
• To make facilities available to you for inspecting records.
• To make copies of records for you for a reasonable fee.
• To adopt procedures for requesting access to records and obtaining copies of those records.
• To act on requests for records promptly or give you a reason for the delay. If there will be a delay, we must give you the earliest time and place the record will be made available.
• To have records custodians available during all regular business hours and have procedures in place to allow access on business days when regular office hours are not maintained by our schools.
• To eliminate non-public material and provide you with the remainder of the record if the record has both public and non-public information.
• To provide you with a written statement, providing you with the specific provision of the law under which we are denying you access if you request an explanation for a denied record. The statement must be provided within three business days.

OBTAINING RECORDS

State law allows Pittsburg Community Schools to require records requests be made in writing even though no formal form is required. At the same time, having as exact a request as possible will reduce the possibility you are charged for copying or researching a record you didn’t request.

State law (K.S.A. 45-220) does allow Pittsburg Community Schools to require proof of identity of the individual who is making the records request. USD 250 considers a state drivers license or state-issued identification card as valid identification.

And if the request is for the names of staff members, Pittsburg Community Schools will require you to certify the information will not be used to sell or offer to sell of property or a service to staff members.

Pittsburg Community Schools’ policy is to comply with open records requests promptly. State law requires us to provide you with the records within three business days or an answer within three business days as to why the record is not being released or why it will take longer to obtain the record.

Records may be viewed during normal business hours. Copies may be made during these hours as well as copying fees paid in advance by the person requesting the records.

FEES

There are no charges associated with the routine viewing of records at District facilities. When records are not readily accessible, such as records from past years, or when a request requires staff time to process, fees will be charged to the person making the request. Copying fees are also charged.

All fees must be paid in advance. Any fees not listed here, such as the cost of staff time to obtain the records or copies, will be estimated and charged accordingly.

SPECIAL FEES

If the request for records requires services not listed here, actual costs will be billed to the individual requesting the documents, For example, if an individual requests documents that are on file in long-term storage, the cost of retrieving those documents will be charged as well as the staff time needed to locate and produce the documents.

If overnight mail or other express handling is required, those fees will have to be paid directly by the individual requesting the documents.

A QUICK GUIDE TO OPEN RECORDS

Explanatory Notes:

(A) Open to staff only if they have a legitimate educational interest as defined by Board policy.

(B) Open to individual staff members only.

(C) If published generally open but may not be used to solicit business.

(D) Open only to Board members at an official meeting, usually in executive session.

(E) Information other than name, salary, position, and length of service can be removed.

(F) Names or other identities of individual students are open only to their parents and to the individual student if 18 years of age or older.

NOTE

You subsequently may be required to provide positive identification as allowed by state and federal law, particularly if you are requesting a student record.

While providing a daytime telephone number is optional, it will allow Pittsburg Community Schools USD 250 staff to contact you for any needed clarifications and speed processing of your request.

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION OFFICER

Amendments to the Kansas Open Records Act created the position of Freedom of Information Officer. The job of this officer is to provide assistance to the public in obtaining records, to help staff understand the Kansas Open Records Act and to help resolve any disputes over public records.

The Freedom of Information officer is the District’s Clerk of the Board and may be reached by calling 620-235-3100.

QUESTIONS?

Any questions should be directed to the District’s Freedom of Information Officer by calling 620-235-3100 or by mail to:

Freedom of Information Officer
510 Deill Street
PO Drawer 75
Pittsburg, Kansas 66762

Copies of the formal request form may be obtained by calling or writing the Freedom of Information Officer.