Public records of the school district may be viewed by the public during the regular business hours of the administration offices. Persons wishing to view the school district's public records will contact the board secretary and make arrangements for the viewing. The board secretary will make arrangements for viewing the records as soon as practicable, depending on the nature of the request. Office hours will not be extended for the purpose of public viewing of records.
Persons requesting copies of public records by must do so in writing. The school district may require prepayment of the costs prior to copy and mailing.
Persons wanting copies may be assessed a reasonable fee for the copy. Persons wanting compilation of information may be assessed a reasonable fee for the time of the employee to review and compile the requested information. The district will make every effort to provide the public record requested at no cost other than copying costs for a record which takes less than thirty minutes to produce.
Costs for legal services utilized for the redaction or review of legally protected confidential information may also be assessed to the individual requesting the records. Printing of materials for the public at the expense of the school district will only occur when the event is sponsored by the school district.
Pursuant to Iowa law, the board has determined certain records need to be confidential as their disclosure could jeopardize the safety of persons or property and include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Security procedures
- Emergency preparedness procedures
- Evacuation procedures
- Security codes and passwords
The school district’s legal counsel may be consulted to assist in determining whether certain records shall be disclosed.
It is the responsibility of the board secretary to maintain accurate and current records of the school district. It is the responsibility of the board secretary to respond in a timely manner to requests for viewing and receiving public information of the school district.
Legal Reference: Iowa Code §§ 21.4; 22; 291.6 (2013). 1980 Op. Att'y Gen. 88. 1972 Op. Att'y Gen. 158. 1968 Op. Att'y Gen. 656.
Cross Reference: 215 Board of Directors' Records
401.5 Employee Records
506 Student Records
708 Care, Maintenance, and Disposal of School District Records
902.1 News Media Relations
Approved by the North Tama Board of Education on 9-19-16
Approved by the North Tama Board of Education on 10-21-2021
Approved by the North Tama Board on 8/15/22
