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Board report: Public records policy undergoes major expansion
7/19/2018Portland Public Schools has adopted a detailed policy for making records available to the public.
At its July 18 meeting, the PPS Board of Education unanimously passed Resolution 5682, which approved a significant expansion of district policy for handling public records requests.
“I’m hopeful this is going to produce a greater sense of transparency for the district and will be well received by the public,” said Board member Rita Moore, who worked on the policy as part of the Board’s Policy and Governance Committee.
The vote ended a long process that included multiple revisions to the policy, which was originally adopted in 1980 and amended in 1984 and 2002. The last version of the policy was 144 words long, with three sections. The revisal lengthened the policy to 10 sections and 762 words.
The revised policy added sections on handling potentially sensitive, personal or private information on staff members, and on handling records that could be considered exempt under state law.
The policy forbids retaliation against any person who requests a public record or files an appeal. It adds an option to appeal decisions to the Board instead of the Multnomah County District Attorney, an option spelled out in state law and which remains available.
“The school board appeal provides and additional opportunity that may be more accessible to parents and the community,” outgoing Board Chair Julia Brim-Edwards said.
The vote concluded a long process of work on the policy that started last summer, with input from community members and the Society of Professional Journalists leading to changes. The policy was brought out for a first reading for the full Board on Sept. 26, but was shelved until the district signed a new contract with Portland Association of Teachers. The policy was given a new first reading at the Feb. 27 Board meeting, and two amendments were read for the first time on June 12.
(Read the full public records policy)
In other Board action:
- Rita Moore was unanimously voted Board Chair, and Julia Esparza Brown was voted Vice Chair. Moore will debut as Chair at the next Board meeting, on Tuesday, July 24.
- By a 7-0 vote, the Board passed Resolution 5683, which adopts a comprehensive K-12 sexuality education policy for PPS. (Read the full policy)
- The Board heard a presentation of the master plan for rebuilding Lincoln High School.
- Samaax Noor, a recent graduate of Madison High School, was awarded the Board Scholarship. The award is given annually to a graduating senior (although Noor graduated a year early, after her junior year) who has chosen education as a career and will attend a public university. Noor will attend Portland State University.
Translated versions of this story will be available shortly in these languages:
Chinese: 翻译版本即将推出.
Russian: Письменный перевод будет скоро предоставлен.
Spanish: Las versiones traducidas estarán disponibles en breve.
Somali: Waxaad dhawaan heli doontaan qeybo la turjumay.
Vietnamese: Sẽ có các bản dịch trong một thời gian ngắn
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