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Public Records Request

Washington law requires state and local agencies to make public records available to the public. This law, the Washington State Public Records Act RCW 42.56, supports the public's right to be informed about what their government is doing.

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The Act also lists certain public records that do not have to be disclosed. These exemptions are intended to prevent unreasonable invasions of personal privacy or the use of public records for personal or commercial gain.

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The Act also requires that the public records requested are "identifiable." Your public records disclosure request must include a reasonable description that would allow a Catalyst Public Schools employee to locate the records. A general question is not a public disclosure request.

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All Public Records requests must be directed to the Public Records Officers. The Public Records Officers may be contacted by first class mail at the address listed below or by email at the email listed below.

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Please include the following in your written submission:

  • Your full name

  • Date and time of request

  • Your address

  • Your phone number

  • Your email address (optional)

  • A detailed description of the record(s) being requested

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Requests/Questions should be sent to:

Dustin Church, Public Records Officer

1305 Ironsides Avenue

Bremerton, WA 98310

Phone: 360-207-0229

Email: publicrecords@catalystpublicschools.org

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Copies of Records

If the requestor wishes to have copies of the records made instead of inspecting them, he or she shall make this clear in the request and arrange to pay for copies of the records or a deposit.

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Exemptions to Public Records Requests

List of Laws Exempting or Prohibiting Disclosure Pursuant to RCW 42.56.070 (2), these procedures contain a list of laws — other than those specifically listed in the Washington Public Records Act, Chapter 42.56 RCW — which may exempt disclosure of certain public records or portions of records. Catalyst Public Schools has identified the following laws:

  • The Family Educational and Privacy Rights Act (FERPA), 20 USC § 1232g and 34 CFR Part 99 (regarding student educational records);

  • Washington State Student Education Records Law, RCW 28A.605.030;

  • The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), 20 U.S.C. § 1400 et. seq. and 34 CFR Part 300 (protecting the confidentiality of personally identifying information contained in student records of students with disabilities);

  • Privileged communications and attorney work product, such as set forth in Chapter 5.60 RCW;

  • Criminal Records Privacy Act (CRPA), Chapter 10.97, RCW;

  • Information on students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, 42 USC § 1758(b)(6);

  • Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), 45 CFR Parts 160-164 (regarding health care information privacy and security);

  • Abuse of Children – Protection and Procedure, RCW 26.44.010; RCW 26.44.030(9);

  • Notification of Juvenile Offenders, RCW 13.04.155(3);

  • Examination questions for teachers or pupils prior to the examination, Questions, RCW 28A.635.040;

  • Public Law 98-24, Section 527 of the Public Health Services Act, 41 USC § 290dd-2 (confidentiality of alcohol and drug abuse patient records);

  • United States and Washington Constitutional provisions including, but not limited to, the right of privacy and freedom of association. In addition to these exemptions, RCW 42.56.070 (9) prohibits providing lists of individuals requested for commercial purposes, and Catalyst Public Schools may not do so unless specifically authorized by law.

The above list is for informational purposes only and is not intended to cover all possible exemptions to the Public Records Act. Under appropriate circumstances, Catalyst Public Schools may also rely upon other legal exemptions which are not set forth above or contained within the Public Records Act.

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Cost of Printed Copies and Mailing

Fifteen (15) cents per page for all requests is the cost of providing photocopies or printed copies of electronic records in response to public records requests. Payment may be made by check or money order payable to the Catalyst Public Schools. Catalyst Public Schools will also charge actual costs of mailing, including the cost of the shipping container or envelope.

If requested, the Catalyst Public Schools will provide a summary of the applicable charges before any copies are made. The requester will be allowed to revise the request in order to reduce the applicable charges. The Public Records Officer or designee will require the payment of the copying costs before providing requested records, or the payment of the costs of copying an installment before providing that installment.

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Costs for Electronic Records

The charges for providing electronic records is as follows:

  1. Ten (10) cents per page for public records scanned into an electronic format or for the use of Catalyst Public Schools equipment to scan the records;

  2. Five (5) cents per each four electronic files or attachment uploaded to email, cloud-based data storage service, or other means of electronic delivery;

  3. Ten (10) cents per gigabyte for the transmission of public records in an electronic format or for the use of Catalyst Public Schools equipment to send the records electronically; and

  4. The actual cost of any digital storage media or device provided by Catalyst Public Schools, the actual cost of any container or envelope used to mail the copies to the requester, and the actual postage or delivery charge.

If requested, Catalyst Public Schools will provide a summary of the applicable charges before charges are imposed under this procedure. The requester will be allowed to revise the request in order to reduce the applicable charges. The Public Records Officer or designee will require the payment of scanning costs before providing the requested records, or the payment of the costs of scanning an installment before providing that installment.

Catalyst Public Schools will not impose scanning charges for access to or downloading of records that are routinely posted on its website prior to the receipt of a request, unless the requester has specifically requested that Catalyst Public Schools provide copies of such records through non-electronic file transfer.

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Access to Index of Public Records Request

As a result of the high volume and diversity of records continuously generated by Catalyst Public Schools, maintaining a current index of all of Catalyst Public Schools’ records would be impracticable, unduly burdensome, and ultimately interfere with the operational work of Catalyst Public Schools. In compliance with RCW 42.56.070, a current index of records will not be published online.

 

Hours of Inspection

Normal business office hours for Catalyst Public Schools during the school year (September through May) are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday 8am-4pm and Wednesday 8am-2pm, excluding school holidays and breaks. During summer months (June-August) Catalyst Public Schools follows a modified office schedule according to the annual school calendar and staff availability over summer break. Please consult our school calendar available on our website or contact Catalyst Public Schools for the modified schedule during summer months.

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