Stevensville School District

Community Relations                    

Public Access to District Records

Within limits of an individual’s right of privacy, the public will be afforded full access to information concerning administration and operations of the District. Public access to District records shall be afforded according to appropriate administrative procedures.

“District records” include any writing, printing, Photostatting, photographing, etc. (including electronic mail), which has been made or received by the District in connection with the transaction of official business and presented for informative value or as evidence of a transaction, and all other records required by law to be filed with the District. “District records” do not include personal notes and memoranda of staff which remain in the sole possession of the maker and which are not generally accessible or revealed to other persons.

The Superintendent will serve as the public records coordinator, with responsibility and authority for ensuring compliance with the display, indexing, availability, inspection, and copying requirements of state law and this policy. As coordinator, the Superintendent will authorize the inspection and copying of District records only in accordance with the criteria set forth in this policy.

In accordance with Title 2, Chapter 6, MCA, the District will make available for public inspection and copying all District records or portions of records, except those containing the following information:

  1. Personal information in any file maintained for students. Information in student records will be disclosed only in accordance with requirements of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 and adopted District policy.
  2. Personal information in files maintained for staff, to the extent that disclosure will violate their right to privacy.
  3. Test questions, scoring keys, or other examination data used to administer academic tests.
  4. The contents of real estate appraisals made for or by the District relative to the acquisition of property, until the project is abandoned or until such time as all of the property has been acquired, but in no event will disclosure be denied for more than three (3) years after appraisal.
  5. Preliminary drafts, notes, recommendations, and intra-District memoranda in which opinions are expressed or policies formulated or recommended, except a specific record shall not be exempt when publicly cited by the District in connection with any District action.
  6. Records relevant to a controversy to which the District is a party, but which would not be available to another party under the rules of pretrial discovery, for cases pending resolution.
  7. Records or portions of records, the disclosure of which would violate personal rights of privacy.
  8. Records or portions of records, the disclosure of which would violate governmental interests.
  9. Records or information relating to individual or public safety or the security of public schools if release of the information jeopardizes the safety of facility personnel, the public, students in a public school

If the District denies any request, in whole or in part, for inspection and copying of records, the District will provide the requesting party with reasons for denial.

If the record requested for inspection and/or copying contains both information exempted from disclosure and non-exempt information, the District shall, to the extent practicable, produce the record with the exempt portion deleted and shall provide written explanation for the deletion.

The District will not provide access to lists of individuals, which the requesting party intends to use for commercial purposes or which the District reasonably believes will be used for commercial purposes if such access is provided. However, the District may provide mailing lists of graduating students to representatives of the U.S. armed forces and the National Guard for purpose of recruitment.

The coordinator is authorized to seek an injunction to prevent disclosure of records otherwise suitable for disclosure, when it is determined reasonable cause exists to believe disclosure would not be in the public interest and would substantially or irreparably damage any person or would substantially or irreparably damage vital governmental functions.

Legal Reference:
Title 20, Ch. 6, MCA School districts
§ 2-6-1001, MCA, et seq. Public Records

Policy History:
Adopted on: February 2000
Reviewed on: November 12, 2013; April 9, 2019
Revised on: May 14, 2019