Public Record Requests

According to the Arizona Ombudsman Citizens’ Aide,

“Arizona law requires all officers and public bodies to maintain records reasonably necessary to provide an accurate accounting of their official activities and of any government funded activities.

Records are defined as books, papers, maps, photographs, or other documentary materials regardless of physical form or characteristics, made or received by an governmental agency in pursuance of law or in connection with the transaction of public business and preserved by the agency or its legitimate successor as evidence of the organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures, operations or other activities of government. Examples of public records and other matters include calendars, reports, legal memoranda, policies and procedures, accident reports, training videos and materials, tape recordings of meetings where there are no written minutes, personnel records, case files, and data bases” (https://www.azoca.gov/open-meeting-and-public-records-law/overview/).

 

Public records includes items like memos, emails, reports, and other documentation that has already been compiled/created. Items that are not public records include things like specialized aggregations of data files, customized lists/exports of data, and other items that have not been previously compiled/completed.

 

Please note:

  • All data provided through a public record request will be reviewed and redacted in accordance with FERPA and ADE standards to protect the confidentiality of student records, educator records, and other private information under state law.
  • Under Arizona Law A.R.S. §15-1043, student records are not considered public records.

 

Additional information about FERPA is available here.

 

Submit a Public Record Request

 

Commercial Purpose Use:

Records are requested for a commercial purpose where the use of a public record is for:

  1. Sale or resale or for the purpose of producing a document containing all or part of the copy for sale OR
  2. Obtaining the names and addresses for solicitation OR
  3. Direct or indirect use of the public record for monetary gain

 

The person who makes the request must provide a statement indicating the commercial purpose. The Arizona Department of Education (ADE) may charge a fee to include: the cost of obtaining the document; reasonable fee for the cost of time, equipment and personnel to produce the record, and the value of the reproduction on the commercial market as determined by the ADE. The ADE has determined that the charge for a commercial request of this nature is $0.50 per email address.

 

Any questions regarding the submission of a public record request should be directed to [email protected].