Guest guest Posted May 2, 2006 Report Share Posted May 2, 2006 Make sure that you address the request to the designated information officer. Ask the school for the person's name. Fax it to the person so that the clock for responding starts as soon as possible. Sending the request to the wrong person can add 10-20 days to a response. You can only request docs that the governmental entity has or has control over. You cannot require the entity to create a document. So make sure that you can identify with some specificity what you are looking for -- e.g., any and all records in the facility file/special ed file/school file for my son _________. Good luck. Zone Nguyen --- willsonpam wrote: > We are scheduled for mediation next week. Someone > asvised me to do a > complete open records request. I'm not the sharpest > crayon in the > box. What exactly and I looking for? How do I word > it? I couldn't > find it in my Sp Ed Survuval Guide. Thanks, Pam > > > > > __________________________________________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 2, 2006 Report Share Posted May 2, 2006 Pam, Don't panic just write a small note and tell them you want all of your child's records and will be picking them up and give them a date you need them by usually it takes them 2-4 days to make copies for you also you can take it to the Adminstration building or call your Special Ed Co-ordinator and find out who to call or who handles all the special needs files and tell them why. Hope this helps. good luck and Don't worry its easy-cheesie---- Anita R open records request > We are scheduled for mediation next week. Someone asvised me to do a > complete open records request. I'm not the sharpest crayon in the > box. What exactly and I looking for? How do I word it? I couldn't > find it in my Sp Ed Survuval Guide. Thanks, Pam > > > > > > > Texas Autism Advocacy > www.TexasAutismAdvocacy.org > > Texas Disability Network > Calendar of Events > www.TexasAutismAdvocacy.org > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 2, 2006 Report Share Posted May 2, 2006 I assume the reason someone suggested you do an open records request was for all the records on your child. You would just put in writing that you are asking for an open records request to obtain all of your child's education records that the district has. Included ST,OT, PT records if he receives those services. This way there will be no suprises. open records request We are scheduled for mediation next week. Someone asvised me to do a complete open records request. I'm not the sharpest crayon in the box. What exactly and I looking for? How do I word it? I couldn't find it in my Sp Ed Survuval Guide. Thanks, Pam Texas Autism Advocacy www.TexasAutismAdvocacy.org Texas Disability Network Calendar of Events www.TexasAutismAdvocacy.org Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 2, 2006 Report Share Posted May 2, 2006 Well, you don't really have time for an open records request if the meeting is next week, as the school can take 10 days to respond. This is from a previous post about open records. The Texas Public Information Act, Chapter 552 of the Texas Government Code, is a very powerful tool. All you have to do is make a written request to the school district for the information you want. Say in the request that it is being made under the Texas Public Information Act. This will get their attention and get them to hustling on getting the information. If there is something they don't want to turn over because they claim it is privileged, they have 10 days from the date of the request to request an AG's opinion (if it is not clear whether it is privileged), or they waive the privilege. A few tips: First, you can't make the district create a document that it doesn't already have. You have to ask for documents they have. Second, don't ask for copies of the documents. Just ask to review the documents. Then, if there is something you want copied, you can request a copy of that document. This will prevent them from flooding you with documents that you really aren't interested in and charging you for all of the copies. Phrase your request something like: I want to review all documents relating to the receipt or disbursement of medicare/medicaid dollars for special education students. (This needs some work to tighten it up and really grab them, but this is just something quick and dirty that I'm doing for the list.) Then, define documents. A possible definition would be: The terms " document " or " documents " means and refers to a writing conveying information including hand-written, typed, printed, taped, electronically stored, and pictorial matter of any kind or nature whatsoever, and identical and nonidentical (for whatever reason) copies and prior drafts thereof. Such terms include, but are not limited to, correspondence, transcriptions, tapes, notes from telephone conversations, agreements, contracts, records, tape recordings (whether or not transcribed), computer records (whether printed or electronically stored) reports, memoranda, studies, summaries, minutes, notes, agenda, bulletins, diaries, logs, announcements, instructions, charts, manuals, brochures, schedules, computer data or cards or printouts, telegrams, teletype, photographic matter, financial statements, bids, plans, specifications, and any other such documents and tangible things. Such term also includes electronic mail, and/or e-mail. Such term also includes copies of documents upon which notations or writings appear that are not present on the originals or other copies of such documents. Vivian: All government offices are required to have a designated person that responds to open records requests. Generally, if they don't have that person identified on their website, you can send it to the chief executive officer, like the superintendent, and they are required to forward it to the appropriate person. In my district, the human resources director is also responsible for open records request. You can always call the administration building and ask who is responsible for responding to open records requests. You can ask questions all day, but when you put it in writing and label it a request made pursuant to the Texas Government Code, you usually have their attention. Be careful about them wanting to charge you when they aren't supposed to. Others on the list have had that experience. word “documents” means: any written, printed, typed, recorded or graphic matter, however produced, reproduced, or stored, including, but not limited to all letters, correspondence, telegrams, e-mails, memoranda, records, order forms, financial statements, financial records, minutes, contracts, amendments, and modifications of contracts, reports, bills, invoices, statements of account, sketches, diagrams, drawings, blueprints, notes, charts, specification sheets, graphs, notebooks, recordings or transcripts of telephone conversations, diaries, and any other compilations in which information can be obtained, and any other writings of any other nature, however produced or reproduced, including copies of such documents. Re: open records request Pam, Don't panic just write a small note and tell them you want all of your child's records and will be picking them up and give them a date you need them by usually it takes them 2-4 days to make copies for you also you can take it to the Adminstration building or call your Special Ed Co-ordinator and find out who to call or who handles all the special needs files and tell them why. Hope this helps. good luck and Don't worry its easy-cheesie---- Anita R open records request > We are scheduled for mediation next week. Someone asvised me to do a > complete open records request. I'm not the sharpest crayon in the > box. What exactly and I looking for? How do I word it? I couldn't > find it in my Sp Ed Survuval Guide. Thanks, Pam > > > > > > > Texas Autism Advocacy > www.TexasAutismAdvocacy.org > > Texas Disability Network > Calendar of Events > www.TexasAutismAdvocacy.org > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.