FILE:  CG

Cf:  DIE, GAK, JR

ADMINISTRATIVE RECORDS

Most school district records are public records and are available for inspection by any person at reasonable times during normal business hours.  However, certain school district records, including but not limited to student school health records, student report cards, supervisory reports on teachers, budget worksheets, personnel folders, and other records or information exempted by state are federal law are considered confidential and are therefore, exempt from disclosure under Louisiana’s public records statutes.  Access to or the release of privileged information such as student or personnel records shall be governed by appropriate regulations and procedures.

The Superintendent or his/her designee shall be designated as the official custodian of records for the Lafayette Parish School Board.  Maintenance of all records shall include proper procedures to protect the safety, security, and confidentiality of records.  Official records of the school district shall not leave the school or district premises except for official school business.

Any person may request in writing a time to see such public records with the office of the Superintendent.  After receiving such request, the school district will make the records available during normal business hours, as expeditiously as possible, depending on the scope of the request.  Any request to view records shall clearly state the specific records desired.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law or rule or regulation to the contrary, a School Board member and any other person authorized pursuant to written policy of the School Board shall have the right to examine any or all records of the school system except school employee records relative to evaluations, observations, formal complaints, and grievances.  However, the School Board, upon majority vote of the total School Board membership, shall have the right to examine any or all records of the school system.

EMPLOYEES' AND STUDENTS’ SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS

Except as required by applicable law, regulation, or policy of the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), the School Board shall not use the social security number of a teacher, district/school employee, or student as a means of identification for the teacher, employee, or student.  The teacher, employee, or student shall not be required to include or provide his/her social security number on any form or other written document unless:

1. A social security number is required by any applicable law, regulation or policy of    BESE; or

2. The form or written document is required for employment, retirement, application for leave or an individualized education plan.

The School Board or any school official or employee shall not provide access to any form or document on which the social security number of a teacher, district/school employee, or student appears to any person other than the following:

1. Any official or employee of the district/school at which the teacher or employee works, the student attends, the School Board, or the Louisiana Department of Education, when such access is necessary for the performance of the duties and responsibilities of the official or employee.

2. Any person authorized to have such access by the teacher, district/school employee, or student.

PRESERVATION OF RECORDS

All persons and public bodies having custody or control of any public record, other than permanent records required by existing law to be kept for all time, shall exercise diligence and care in preserving the public record for the period or periods of time specified for such public records in formal records retention schedules developed and approved by the state archivist and director of the division of archives, records management, and history of the Louisiana Secretary of State.  In all instances in which a formal retention schedule has not been executed, such public records shall be preserved and maintained by the School Board for a period of at least three (3) years from the date on which the public record was made.  However, when copies of an original record exist, the original alone shall be kept; when only duplicate copies of a record exist, only one copy of the duplicate copies shall be required to be kept.  When an appropriate form of the microphotographic process has been utilized to record, file, and otherwise preserve such public records, with microforms produced in compliance with statutory provisions, the microforms shall be deemed originals in themselves, and disposition of original and duplicated documents which have been microphotographically preserved shall proceed in accordance with state law.

All existing records or records hereafter accumulated by the School Board, which concerns the School Board’s participation in federal programs or grants, may be destroyed after six (6) years from the date of the closing of the grant, except in those cases where this provision is not superseded by guidelines for the operative federal program or grant requiring longer retention periods for the records in question, provided that these records shall not be destroyed in any case where litigation with reference thereto is pending or until the appropriate state or federal audits have been conducted.

DUPLICATION OF RECORDS

Copies of non-exempt school district records may be purchased at any time.  The Lafayette Parish School Board shall require any person making the request to reimburse the School Board for the costs of the requested records, prior to providing any document, record, or item, unless the person is exempted from providing reimbursement.  Duplication of records classified a confidential information shall not be permitted, unless at the behest of an employee, student’s parent (for student 17 years old or younger), or student (18 years or older) who is requesting their own personal records.

Persons making requests for duplication of records shall submit such requests in writing to expedite accurate processing of their requests  Requests should be sufficiently detailed to identify the documents sought.  Questions regarding the appropriateness of having certain pieces of information duplicated shall be referred to the Superintendent and/or his/her designees for determination, and if necessary, to the School Board’s attorney.

Costs associated with the provision of records shall include the charges for copying and delivering of the records.  When authorized by law, the School Board may also charge for the time spent retrieving and producing any such records.  A schedule of fees used to calculate costs associated with duplication of records shall be set by the School Board, and posted where it can be readily accessed by the public.

DISPOSAL OF RECORDS

Records that have met their retention periods may be disposed of.  Before disposal, the Superintendent or his/her designee shall ascertain if any of the records scheduled for disposal requires further retention or are required for pending or on-going litigation.  The Superintendent or designee shall consult with the School Board’s attorney to determine if there are any legal holds on records that are involved in state or federal investigations and/or litigation and that would require the records to be retained for a longer duration.

Once disposal has been determined, the School Board shall dispose of records in a manner acceptable to the level of confidentiality the record requires.

The Superintendent or his/her designee shall develop and maintain regulations and procedures for the management of electronic records, such as e-mail, software, and microfilm, to include the retention, access, and disposition requirements.

Ref:    La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§13:5112.1, 17:81, 17:93, 17:196, 17:230, 17:232, 17:415, 17:440, 44:1, 44:4, 44:31, 44:32, 44:36

Board minutes, 2-4-87, 10-7-98, 9-6-06, 2-7-07, 8-5-15, 10-14-20, 7-13-22, 3-13-24

Lafayette Parish School Board