Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)

LARAWAY CCSD 70-C

Access to District Public Records

Full access to the District’s public records is available to any person as provided in the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and District policy.

Freedom of Information Officer(s)

The Board Secretary and the Superintendent shall serve as the District’s Freedom of Information Officers and are assigned all duties and powers of that office as provided in FOIA and the District’s policy. The FOIA Officer(s) shall report any FOIA requests and the status of the District’s response to the Board at each regular Board meeting.

Contact Information

FOIA Officers:

Valerie Teegardin

Secretary to the Board of School

275 West Laraway Road
Joliet, IL 60436
Phone: (815) 727-5115
Fax: (815) 727-3579

Dr. Douglas Gordon Hesbol

Superintendent

275 West Laraway Road
Joliet, IL 60436
Phone: (815) 727-5115
Fax: (815) 727-3579

Requesting Records

A request for inspection and/or copies of public records must be made in writing and may be submitted by personal delivery, mail, fax, or email directed to the District’s Freedom of Information Officer. Individuals making a request for a commercial purpose or when requesting a waiver must state so in the request.

All requests for inspection and copying shall immediately be forwarded to the District’s Freedom of Information Officer or designee.

Responding to Requests

The Freedom of Information Officer(s) shall approve all requests for public records unless:

1. The requested material does not exist.

2. The requested material is exempt from inspection and copying by the Freedom of Information Act.

3. Complying with the request would be unduly burdensome.

Within five (5) business days after receipt of a request for access to a public record, the Freedom of Information Officer shall comply with or deny the request, unless the time for response is extended as specified in the Freedom of Information Act.

Copying Fees

A fee of 15¢ per page shall be charged for responses in excess of fifty (50) pages of black and white letter or legal sized copies.

Access

The inspection and copying of a public record that is the subject of an approved access request is permitted at the District’s administrative office during regular business hours, unless other arrangements are made by the Freedom of Information Officer.

Many public records are immediately available from the District’s website including, but not limited to, a description of the District and methods for requesting a public record.

Immediately Available Public Records

The following public records are designated by the District’s Freedom of Information Officer(s) as being immediately available on the District’s website and may be inspected, downloaded, printed, and/or copied. Any asterisked public record is immediately available for inspection or copying upon request at the District’s administrative office during its regular business hours, provided any applicable fees are paid. Records without an asterisk will be provided within five (5) business days as allowed by the Freedom of Information Act, provided applicable fees are paid.

*Annual schedule of regular board meetings for the current school year that are posted at the beginning of each calendar or fiscal year.

*Public notice of each board meeting that is posted at least 48 hours before the meeting and remains posted until the meeting is concluded.

*Agenda of each regular meeting that is posted at least 48 hours before a meeting and remains posted until the meeting is concluded.

*Official regular meeting minutes that are posted within 7 days of the Board’s approval and remain posted for at least 60 days.

*Description of the District and its records including:

· Summary of the District’s purpose

· Functional subdivisions

· Total amount of operating budget

· Number and location of all of its separate offices

· Approximate number of full and part-time employees.

· Identification and membership of the Board

Annual budget for current fiscal year, itemized by receipts and expenditures