Access to Public Records

  • PURPOSE:


    The purpose of this directive is to provide an orderly process for accurately and efficiently reporting on or releasing public records or information requested by citizens.


    PHILOSOPHY:


    The North Kingstown School Department will abide by the laws of open government and follow the Access to Public Records Act.


    POLICY STATEMENT:


    The North Kingstown School Department has the following policy to allow access to public records:


    1. The contact for obtaining school public records is the Superintendent’s office, 268-6403.


    1. In order to request to inspect and/or to obtain copies of documents maintained by the School Department, the following form should be completed, the NORTH KINGSTOWN SCHOOL DEPARTMENT REQUEST FORM FOR RECORDS UNDER THE ACCESS TO PUBLIC

    RECORDS ACT or otherwise provide a written request for records that clearly identifies the records you seek and state that your request is made pursuant to the Access to Public Records Act. A written request is not necessary for documents available pursuant to RI General Law 42-35-2 or other documents prepared for or readily available to the public.


    1. Requests to inspect public records can be mailed or dropped off at the North Kingstown School Department, 100 Romano Vineyard Way, Suite 120, North Kingstown, RI 02852 and directed to the Superintendent’s Office. To make a public records request by email, a citizen must use the following email address: apra@nksd.net.  To make a public records request by fax, a citizen must contact the Superintendent’s Office.  The District’s APRA Request form can be found at:

    https://drive.google.com/file/d/15ZMGvhvv9pGtHL4K_iu6JJCDOcfu4S2i/view?usp=drive_link


    1. Additional copies of this form are available on the School Department’s website found at www.nksd.net under the “Families” tab.

    1. A public body receiving a request shall permit the inspection or copying within ten (10) business days after receiving a request. If the inspection or copying is not permitted within ten (10) business days, the public body shall forthwith explain in writing the need for additional time to comply with the request. Any such explanation must be particularized to the specific request made. In such cases the public body may have up to an additional twenty (20) business days to comply with the request if it can demonstrate that the voluminous nature of the request, the number of requests for records pending, or the difficulty in searching for and retrieving or copying the requested records, is such that additional time is necessary to avoid imposing an undue burden on the public body.

    1. If after review of a request, the School Department determines that the requested records are exempt from disclosure for a reason set forth in RI General Law 38-2-2(4)(i)(A) – (AA), the School Department reserves its right to claim such exemption.

    1. If a citizen argues there was a denial of access to public records, an appeal may be filed with the Attorney General. If a citizen is not satisfied, a lawsuit may be filed in Superior Court. See RI General Law 38-2-8.

    1. The North Kingstown School Department is committed to providing citizens with public records in an expeditious and courteous manner.



    Adopted: 8/26/1974

    Amended: 8/7/1989, 4/5/2010, 3/26/2019, 3/8/22, 5/16/23, 6/6/23