Public Disclosure in Public Schools: An OSD Perspective Diana Crawford � Public Disclosure Officer � Olympia School District �
What is a Public Records Request? A public records request is a request for existing records (hard copy or electronic) that are related to a public agency and its business. 2 2
We Can Only Provide Existing Records • We don’t create records, we can only produce what we already have • We are obligated to comply with the Washington State retention schedule for public agency documents 3 3
Information Requests An information request differs from a public records request in that materials requested would need to be summarized or created. 4 4
OSD Public Records History The Olympia School District Communication’s Director was the Public Disclosure Officer until my hire in 2012. 5 5
OSD Public Disclosure Officer My role is to: • Properly fulfill public records requests and educate district staff about public records • Keep district administration informed about current requests and responsive records 6 6
OSD Public Disclosure Officer Holds weekly* meetings with: • Communications Director • Assistant Superintendent • Technology Staff • HR Director This team reviews progress of pending PRRs & strategizes searches for responsive records for new requests. Keeps administration apprised of records that are going to be produced. * Or as necessary 7 7
OSD Public Records Requests PRRs are on the rise • Past year: 160+ PRRs (60+ from one attorney) • Our district is under a microscope • People can ask for anything • Even if you’re doing everything correctly, you can still be the subject of a PRR 8 8
Who’s Included? Every employee in the district is subject to the Public Records Act. • Board of Directors • Transportation • Superintendent • Food Service • Support Staff • Administrators • Coaches • Teachers & Paras 9 9
Who’s Included? A district employee could be: • The subject of the public records request • A custodian of responsive records 10 10
Employees as Subjects of a PRR Can be very troubling for the employee. Staff education concerning PRRs helps ease fears and helps with guidelines for communication. 11 11
What Employee Info Could Be Provided? • Salary Info – PAFs • Non-routine evaluations • Letter of Direction or reprimand • Leave requests (medical info exempt) • Letters of Resignation • Certification Information 12 12
What’s Exempt?* • Employee personal contact info • Home address, home phone and personal cell# • Date of Birth • SSN • Banking Info • Medical Info • Application Materials • Routine employee evaluations & observations * This info could be redacted or withheld in full 13 13
Some Requests We’ve Received • Any and all email written or received by employee X during their entire employment • All websites employee Y has visited or “browsed” • Employee records from 20 years ago • Performance evaluations • Documents on hard drives • Handwritten notes from hard copy files 14 14
Some Things We’ve Found & Provided • Dating service correspondence on district email (with multiple prospective dates) • “You’re just too good for me…” • “Will you wire me money?” • Correspondence between spouses/partners about personal finances, including banking information • Personal conversations about family, friends & kids • Personal catch-ups with old friends • Inappropriate jokes, cartoons or racial slurs 15 15
Some Things We’ve Found & Provided Comments about that terrible: • Boss • Co-worker • Co-worker • Board Member • Employee • Community Member Comments about the district: • “We’re awful at doing ___________ .” 16 16
Things to Remember • Every document you create is accessible, including stuff in your electronic trash can, even if the trash has been “emptied” • Everything you write in email is public • Do you want to read it in local paper? • Do you want your family, friends, co-workers, boss or neighbors to read it? • A phone call is good thing • Good news can be shared in writing • Bad news should be shared face to face or with a phone call • Remember, sometimes you should document things on paper or in an email 17 17
Things to Remember with Technology District business on personal email accounts • Can open up your home email for inspection • Flash drives are your friends Use of personal devices for school district business • They are all subject to public records requests • Texting history is also available upon request 18 18
Technology: What’s Subject to Public Disclosure? District-issued cell phone, Employee-owned cell phone, computer, iPad and other computer, iPad and other equipment/system equipment/system Any record (hard copy or electronic) • If you conduct any work on your • that is non-exempt and responsive to personal equipment or system, a PRA request those records may be subject to Includes text messages • disclosure, if requested Includes email • The fact that an employer does not • Includes phone bills • contribute monetarily to acquiring or Redaction is allowed only for exempt • maintaining a system or equipment information is not controlling District may be required to attempt • to acquire records from personal equipment or systems Court may compel productions, • recent court rulings confirm this 19 19
Questions? Please contact: Diana Crawford Public Disclosure Officer Olympia School District (360) 596-6112 dcrawford@osd.wednet.edu 20 20
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