Public Information Request Form

NCPS Public Records Requests

The public records of Nash County Public Schools (NCPS) are governed by the state of North Carolina’s Public Records Act, General Statute 132. The Communications Department is responsible for ensuring that all public records requests are handled in a timely and uniform manner.

What is a public record?

Public records are documentary materials made or received by government agencies in North Carolina in carrying on public business. Public records include materials written or created by NCPS and its employees. They also include materials written or made by private people or companies and submitted to NCPS, regardless of whether those materials were required or requested by NCPS or were sent voluntarily at the private person’s initiative.

Public records include paper and electronic documents, emails, papers, letters, maps, books, photographs, films, sound recordings, magnetic or other tapes, electronic data-processing records, artifacts, or other documentary material, regardless of physical form or characteristics.

Indexes of computer databases are public records. Indexes include information about data fields and lists of data fields. However, the indexing rule does not require a government agency to create a database it has not already created.

Refer to page 3, Part I, of The Public Records Act of the NC Guide to Open Government and Public Records for further details.

• NCPS will respond to public records requests via electronic submission.

• NCPS will acknowledge receipt of the request verbally or in writing. While requesters may be asked to submit requests in writing, NCPS will honor verbal requests if the requester declines.

• If an NCPS employee believes it would help ensure the accuracy of the department’s response, the requester may be asked for the intended use of the information. However, the requester is not obligated to provide this information.

• If a request is ambiguous or overly broad, NCPS will offer an opportunity to revise the request and explain how the records are maintained and accessed by the department.

• If the requested record contains exempt information, NCPS will provide access to the non-exempt portion and clearly redact the exempt information.

• If the request is denied in whole or in part (through redaction), NCPS will provide the requester with an explanation, including the legal authority for the denial. If the original request was in writing, the explanation will also be in writing.

• Documents will be prepared and made available for inspection. If the requester wants copies, NCPS may respond by electronic mail or other means with the requester's consent.

• NCPS will respond to public records requests within a reasonable time frame. The duration depends on the scope of the request and the physical location of the records.

• Confidential student data: Includes references to health conditions, grades, IEPs, or discipline records.

• Confidential employee information: Includes home addresses and dates of birth.

• Attorney-client emails: These communications are protected from disclosure.

• Email records: Collected from the NCPS email servers in an electronic format.

• Non-email records: Retrieved from electronic and hardcopy sources.

• If a document contains non-public information, it will be redacted. NCPS tries to redact electronically whenever possible. If electronic redaction is not feasible, documents are printed, manually redacted with a black marker, and re-copied to ensure the information is not readable.

• Names or identifying details of students, including references to special needs or disciplinary actions.

• Employee data and items protected by attorney-client privilege.

• The time needed for redaction varies based on the volume of documents involved in the request.

• Whenever possible, documents will be provided electronically, typically on a USB flash drive or CD-ROM. If documents are not in a digital format, they will be provided as hardcopies.

• Yes. Public records requests submitted to NCPS are themselves considered public records.

• Guide to Open Government and Public Records

• NC GS Chapter 132

• NC GS Chapter 115c Elementary and Secondary Education

• NC GS Chapter 143 Article 33c Meetings of Public Bodies