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Castro Valley Unified School District

All Means All

Public Records Act Requests

California Public Records Act (CPRA) Requests

Castro Valley Unified School District (CVUSD) is committed to transparency and to the public's right of access to information pursuant to the California Public Records Act (CPRA), Government Code §§ 7920.000 et seq. This page provides information on how to submit a public records request, what to expect during the process, and which records may be exempt from disclosure.
 

All public records requests must be submitted through the District's online portal, powered by JustFOIA:

Submit a Public Records Request Here

There is no required form for submitting a request. Requests may be made orally or in writing; however, written requests submitted through the portal are strongly encouraged to ensure accuracy, establish a clear record, and facilitate timely processing. The portal also allows requesters to track the status of their submission.

 

District Policies and Resources

Guidelines for Access to Public Records

Request Methods: No specific form must be used to make a request. A request can be made orally or in writing, but written requests are strongly encouraged to help reduce confusion about the records requested. Requests should be submitted through our Public Records Request Portal.

 

Identifying Records: To help us provide records promptly, please provide specific information about the records you seek including the record name, subject matter, author's name, date, office, or department that created and/or maintained the record. When a record cannot be identified by name, please be as specific as possible in describing the record, based on its content.

 

Pursuant to Government Code §7922.600, in order to make a focused and effective request, please include the following applicable information to ensure the scope of the request is narrow and clear enough for personnel to determine if Castro Valley Unified School District has the records you are requesting and can produce these records in a timely manner:

  • The subject of the record.
  • A clear, concise, and specific description of the record(s) being requested.
  • Please provide the date(s) of the record(s) or a time period for your request (e.g., calendar year 2020)—longer time spans will result in larger files.
  • Your request includes the full names of the individuals and/or sites/departments, including proper spelling.
  • If you are looking for communications outside of our district email accounts, provide email addresses, i.e., person@gmail.com.
  • Any additional information that helps staff identify the record(s) being requested.

Time Deadlines: The District is required to determine within 10 business days (can be extended to 24 days for voluminous/complex requests), after receipt of a records request, whether or not the requested records are subject to disclosure and to notify the person requesting the reasons for that determination. The records themselves are not required to be released in 10 business days. When deciding, the District will provide a good faith estimate of when the records will be available. Please be aware that the District receives a very high volume of requests for records and that requests are generally processed in the order in which they are received.

 

Copying Fees: Paper copies of disclosable records are normally provided for $0.10 per page and will be sent upon receipt of full payment.  Electronic copies of disclosable records do not have a charge.

 

Exemptions: The District may refuse to disclose any records or portions of records that are exempt from disclosure under the law.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Government Code § 7920.530 defines a public record as any writing containing information relating to the conduct of the public's business prepared, owned, used, or retained by any state or local agency, regardless of physical form or characteristics. "Writing" is defined broadly under Government Code § 6252 to include handwriting, typewriting, printing, photocopying, electronic mail, facsimile transmissions, and every other means of recording upon any tangible thing any form of communication or representation.

     

    The following are generally not considered public records subject to disclosure:

    • Preliminary drafts and notes
    • Documents not retained by the agency
    • Records related to pending or active litigation (subject to applicable privilege)

  • Any person may submit a PRA request.
     

  • Per Government Code section 6253, CVUSD will respond within 10 business days from receipt of a public records request as to whether disclosable public records exist. In some cases, a 14-day extension to respond may be necessary. If CVUSD determines non-exempt, disclosable public records exist, they will be made available within a reasonable timeframe and following the required payment, if applicable, for copies of such records. (There is no fee for documents provided electronically.)


    The "10-day" and "14-day extension" language in the California PRA is commonly misperceived as the time frame in which to produce documents; however, that is not that case. The PRA specifically states the agency must respond within 10 business days (or 24 days if extended by 14 days) to notify the requester simply whether records exist and will be disclosed. 
     
    The length of time it takes to receive requested documents depends on the types and volume of documents being requested, the scope of the request and our current workload. Depending on the type and volume of records requested, documents may be made available in as short as 48 hours or as long as several months.
     

  • Pursuant to Government Code §7922.600, in order to make a focused and effective request, please include the following applicable information to ensure the scope of the request is narrow and clear enough for personnel to determine if Castro Valley Unified School District has the records you are requesting and can produce these records in a timely manner:

    • The subject of the record
      • A clear, concise, and specific description of the record(s) being requested
      • The date(s) of the record(s), or a time period for your request (e.g.: calendar year 2020) - longer time spans will result in larger files
      • Full names for the individuals and/or sites/departments included in your request, including proper spelling
      • If you are looking for communications outside of our district email accounts, provide email addresses i.e. person@gmail.com
      • Any additional information that helps staff identify the record(s) being requested

  • The volume of requests received by the District does not permit instant response to records requests. There is no service for on-demand, same day public records inspections; nor does the law require such a service. Identification and collection of potentially responsive records are only some of the steps involved in responding to requests. The collected records must be reviewed to ensure that they are in fact responsive to the request and to assess whether they are subject to redaction to protect the privacy rights of others and consistent with applicable legal privileges and exemptions. Each of the steps in the process takes time. When records requests are available for release, we will contact you to set up an appointment for review.
     

  • No. In response to a public request, we are only responsible for providing existing documents and records that are maintained by the District.

     

  • The District releases non-exempt, existing records in response to requests. The Public Records Act does not require that the District answer questions or create new records. Requests for information should be directed to the District's Communications Department.
     

  • Certain records, or portions thereof, are exempt from disclosure under state or federal law. Common exemptions include, but are not limited to:

    • Student records protected under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and Education Code § 49060 et seq.
    • Employee personnel files, medical records, and related personal information
    • Records pertaining to pending litigation or subject to attorney-client privilege
    • Preliminary drafts, notes, and memoranda not retained as final records
    • Closed session meeting minutes of the Board of Education
    • Investigative records and law enforcement records where disclosure would endanger safety or compromise an investigation
    • Records exempt under other provisions of state or federal law

    A complete list of statutory exemptions is set forth in Government Code §§ 7922.000–7931.000 and in the District's Board Policy 1340 and Administrative Regulation 1340.

    Where a record contains both exempt and non-exempt information, the District will redact the exempt portions and produce the remainder, unless the exempt and non-exempt portions are so intertwined as to make segregation impracticable.

  • The federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) governs federal agencies and does not apply to local school districts. The California Public Records Act, which is modeled on FOIA, governs CVUSD and other local public agencies. If a requester submits a request to the District under FOIA, it will be treated as a request under the CPRA.
     

  • In California, a request for student records pertains to seeking access to specific educational and personal information about a student enrolled in a school or district. This process is governed by both the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) at the federal level and state-specific regulations, ensuring that students' privacy is protected and that only authorized individuals, such as parents or guardians, can access these records. While a public records request focuses on obtaining general governmental documents, a request for student records is specifically about an individual student's educational history and personal details, and is subject to stricter privacy protections. 
     

  • Per Government Code section 6253, CVUSD will respond within 10 business days from receipt of a public records request as to whether disclosable public records exist. In some cases, a 14-day extension to respond may be necessary. If CVUSD determines non-exempt, disclosable public records exist, they will be made available within a reasonable timeframe and following the required payment, if applicable, for copies of such records. (There is no fee for documents provided electronically.)


    The "10-day" and "14-day extension" language in the California PRA is commonly misperceived as the time frame in which to produce documents; however, that is not that case. The PRA specifically states the agency must respond within 10 days (or 24 days if extended by 14 days) to notify the requester simply whether records exist and will be disclosed.  
     
    The length of time it takes to receive requested documents depends on the types and volume of documents being requested, the scope of the request and our current workload. Depending on the type and volume of records requested, documents may be made available in as short as 48 hours or as long as several months.