Public Records Requests
Request Form
What is a public record?
The Public Records Act (PRA) defines a public record as “any writing containing information relating to the conduct of government or the performance of any governmental proprietary function prepared, owed, used or retained by the agency.”
Making a Public Records Request
The Public Records Act (PRA) defines a public record as “any writing containing information relating to the conduct of government or the performance of any governmental proprietary function prepared, owed, used or retained by the agency.”
Making a Public Records Request
Central Valley School District (District) is committed to providing you with the fullest assistance in processing your records request.
- Any person wishing to inspect or obtain any other public records should make the request in writing on the CVSD Request for Public Records Form
- The request should include the requestor’s name, contact information and a detailed description of the record, and date of the request.
- Under Public Records laws, a requester in not required to identify the exact record he/she seeks, but is required to request an “identifiable record.” An “identifiable record” is one that the District can reasonably locate.
- Provide clear, specific details to help process and locate identifiable records pursuant to your request. Please keep in mind, a broad or unclear request will take longer to process and may require additional clarification.
- Avoid phrases such “regarding” or “related to” when describing records. Those inexact phrases can cause delays because records you think are “related” could be different from what the District thinks are “related.” A more precise request might be for records that “discuss” [insert your subject here]. If you have questions about how to identify records, please call the Public Records Office, 509-558-5400 and we will be happy to assist.
Emails and Electronic Records
If your request includes emails or other electronic records, it may be helpful to provide a specific the date range and suggest search terms.
Processing of Public Records Requests
The Public Records Act governs each agency to provide access to public records and protect records from damage. The District will provide the fullest assistance to requestors, and provide a timely response to public records requests. The public records officer or designee will process requests in the order allowing the most requests to be processed in the most efficient manner and without excessive interference with other essential functions of the District.
Within five (5) business days of receipt of the request, the public records officer will do one or more of the following:
a) Acknowledge receipt of request and provide a reasonable estimate of when records will be available; or
b) Make the records available for inspection or copying; or
c) Seek clarification of request if needed; or
d) Deny the request.
Installments
Depending on the nature/volume of anticipated records responsive to your request, the District may need to respond to your request in installments. Please provide any guidance as to whether you have a preference or priority set of documents (e.g. by date, hard copy records before emails, one subject before another, etc.). Such clarification will allow the District to prioritize the process in order to gather all responsive records and provide them to you in the most efficient manner possible.
Fee for Public Records
We charge 15 cents per page for copies. There is no fee for smaller requests which can be fulfilled by sending records via email. Fees can be paid at the District business office located at the CVSD Learning and Teaching Center. (2218 N. Molter Rd., Liberty Lake, WA 99019)
Protecting Privacy
The District often encounters student names and personally identifiable information in its review of records when responding to records requests. This information may not necessarily be exempt from your public records request; however, the District has a practice of asking requestors whether they want student names or other personally identifiable information of students. If you wish to give permission to exclude this information from the records the District provides, you would still receive each applicable record in its entirety, only the student name or other personally identifiable information of a student would be redacted.
CVSD Policy
The Central Valley School District Policy and Procedure regarding public records requests can be found at:
If your request includes emails or other electronic records, it may be helpful to provide a specific the date range and suggest search terms.
Processing of Public Records Requests
The Public Records Act governs each agency to provide access to public records and protect records from damage. The District will provide the fullest assistance to requestors, and provide a timely response to public records requests. The public records officer or designee will process requests in the order allowing the most requests to be processed in the most efficient manner and without excessive interference with other essential functions of the District.
Within five (5) business days of receipt of the request, the public records officer will do one or more of the following:
a) Acknowledge receipt of request and provide a reasonable estimate of when records will be available; or
b) Make the records available for inspection or copying; or
c) Seek clarification of request if needed; or
d) Deny the request.
Installments
Depending on the nature/volume of anticipated records responsive to your request, the District may need to respond to your request in installments. Please provide any guidance as to whether you have a preference or priority set of documents (e.g. by date, hard copy records before emails, one subject before another, etc.). Such clarification will allow the District to prioritize the process in order to gather all responsive records and provide them to you in the most efficient manner possible.
Fee for Public Records
We charge 15 cents per page for copies. There is no fee for smaller requests which can be fulfilled by sending records via email. Fees can be paid at the District business office located at the CVSD Learning and Teaching Center. (2218 N. Molter Rd., Liberty Lake, WA 99019)
Protecting Privacy
The District often encounters student names and personally identifiable information in its review of records when responding to records requests. This information may not necessarily be exempt from your public records request; however, the District has a practice of asking requestors whether they want student names or other personally identifiable information of students. If you wish to give permission to exclude this information from the records the District provides, you would still receive each applicable record in its entirety, only the student name or other personally identifiable information of a student would be redacted.
CVSD Policy
The Central Valley School District Policy and Procedure regarding public records requests can be found at:
4040 – Public Access to School District Records
4040AP – Public Access to School District Records
Public Records Act
RCW 42.56.070 requires each agency to make available for inspection and copying non-exempt “public records” in accordance with the Public Records Act (PRA).