Public Records Request Process

As a public agency, the West Linn-Wilsonville School District (WLWV) is committed to its obligation to make records available to the public, as required by State law (Chapter 192 of the Oregon Revised Statutes) and per Policy KBA. 

How to Request Public Records (PRR)

Submit your request with your name, contact information and a description of the records you are seeking. Please be as specific as possible, and specify if you would like to receive electronic or physical copies. 

You may submit your request to the Public Records Officer, Kelly Douglas, Executive Assistant to the Superintendent and School Board Secretary, by clicking on this link or sending an email directly to: Douglask@wlwv.k12.or.us

What Happens Next:

Kelly Douglas will acknowledge your PRR by responding within 5 business days of receiving it. The District will determine what records exist that are responsive and determine whether it is necessary to charge a fee for staff to collect and staff and/or/district legal counsel time to review or redact confidential information. You will be provided a written cost estimate of staff/legal time, if any, if the estimated amount is greater than $25 as soon as reasonably possible but no later than 10 business days after the date the District is required to acknowledge receipt of the request.

While most requests can be completed in a matter of days, more complex requests can take several weeks or, in some cases, even longer. If it takes longer than 10 business days to complete your request and provide records, you will be notified of an estimated date of completion and you will receive regular updates thereafter. We request your cooperation whenever possible to narrow the scope of a request to reduce the time and cost of providing the record.  Cooperation may include identifying the names of records, custodians, timeframes and key words to use while searching for responsive records.

The District, as allowed by State law, reserves the right to charge up to the actual cost for completing requests that are time-consuming or require large-scale printing. If fees are charged to complete your request, you may request a waiver or reduction of fees in the public interest. The basis for this determination is that making the record available primarily benefits the general public. As the public records law itself does not further define public interest, the District will determine whether to grant your request in accordance with the factors laid out in the Attorney General’s Public Records Manual and a decision will be made within 5 business days of receiving the request for a fee waiver or reduction in the public interest. As noted above, the Public Records Officer is willing to work with you to narrow the scope of a request to facilitate processing and reduce or eliminate fees.

Subpoenas/Court Orders: 

For subpoenas and court orders, please direct the subpoena or court order to the staff member or school identified in the order. If no staff member or school is identified, please direct the subpoena or court order to Kelly Douglas.

Public Records Request Fee Schedule: 

The Oregon Public Records Law allows agencies to recover up to their actual costs for fulfilling a public records request, including actual costs for supplies, research, compilation, postage/shipping and staff time.  WLWV will request payment prior to fulfilling a public records request to ensure that the requester is certain of their intent and that costs are properly reimbursed.

If the estimated fee is greater than $25.00, WLWV will provide the requester with a written notice of the initial cost-estimate.  In such instances, the public records will not be fulfilled until the requester confirms in writing that the requester wants to proceed with the request and provides the payment. 

The WLWV fee structure for public records requests is:

1. No fee if the requested record is already created or obtainable and processed in under 15 minutes.
2. Hourly fee rate of:
1. $25.00 per hour for clerical time
2. $65-$75.00 per hour for professional time (based on the hourly rate of the appropriate IT, HR, Directors or Administrator staff necessary to complete a response to a public records request)
3. Special attorneys or other applicable hourly legal fees may be applied if an attorney was used to review the materials requested.
4. Other 3rd party hourly rate costs (in extreme circumstances.)
3. Fee Waivers.  The person requesting the public records must submit a written request for a waiver.  Each request will be considered on a case-by-case basis, based on the information provided by the requester and the totality of the circumstances at the time of the request.  If a fee waiver is denied, the requester may appeal to the Oregon Attorney General’s office.

You may submit your request to the Public Records Officer, Kelly Douglas, Executive Assistant to the Superintendent and School Board Secretary, by clicking on this link or sending an email to: Douglask@wlwv.k12.or.us