FILE: CG
ADMINISTRATIVE RECORDS
School district records are public records and are available for inspection by any person at reasonable times during working hours. However, certain school documents may be classified as privileged information and are not public records. Access to or release of privileged information such as student or personnel records, shall be governed by appropriate regulations and procedures.
No copies of school district records shall be copied on school system equipment or duplicated at a cost to the system unless it is for official school business. No official records are to leave the school or district premises unless it is for official school business. There shall be no obligation to the school system to reproduce any school records except for appropriate official agencies. Copies of school district records shall be made at the expense of the person making the request, unless specifically required by appropriate official agencies. Duplication of records classified as privileged information shall not be permitted.
Any person may request in writing, a time to see such public records at a mutual, agreeable time with the office of the Superintendent and such time and place will be mutually stipulated during normal working hours. Any request to view records shall clearly state the specific records desired.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of law or rules or regulations to the contrary, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board, upon majority vote of the total School Board membership, shall have the right to examine any or all records of the school system.
EMPLOYEES' SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS
Except as required by applicable law, regulation, or policy of the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), the School Board shall not use the social security number of a teacher or school employee as a means of identification for such teacher or employee. The teacher or employee shall not be required to include or provide his/her social security number on any form or other written document unless:
A social security number is required by any applicable law, regulation, or policy of BESE; or
The form or written document is required for employment, retirement, application for leave or an individualized education plan.
The School Board or any school official or employee shall not provide access to any form or document on which the social security number of a teacher or school employee appears to any person other than the following:
Any official or employee of the school at which the teacher or school employee works, the School Board, or the Louisiana Department of Education, when such access is necessary for the performance of the duties and responsibilities of the official or employee.
Any person authorized to have such access by the teacher or school employee.
PRESERVATION OF RECORDS
All persons and public bodies having custody or control of any public record, other than permanent records required by existing law to be kept for all time, shall exercise diligence and care in preserving the public record for the period or periods of time specified for such public records in formal records retention schedules developed and approved by the state archivist and director of the division of archives, records management, and history of the Department of State. In all instances in which a formal retention schedule has not been executed, such public records shall be preserved and maintained for a period of at least three (3) years from the date on which the public record was made.
All existing records or records hereafter accumulated by the School Board, when it participates in any federal programs or receives federal grants, may only be destroyed as allowed by the guidelines for the applicable operative federal program or grant; provided that such records shall not be destroyed in any case where litigation with reference thereto is pending, or until the appropriate state or federal audits have been conducted.
For any federal grant from or involving the Office of Community Development (OCD) and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) or any State of Louisiana Disaster Recovery grant by HUD, the program and project-related documentation such as financial records, supporting documents, and statistical records must be retained for a minimum period of five (5) years from the closeout of OCD’s or the State of Louisiana Disaster Recovery grants by HUD with access guaranteed to OCD and State officials, their representatives or HUD representatives. Confirmation of the HUD closeout after the five (5) year period may allow for destroying the records.
Revised: January 20, 2022
Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§13:5112.1, 17:81, 17:93, 17:196, 17:230, 17:232, 17:391.4, 17:415, 17:440, 44:1, 44:4, 44:31, 44:32, 44:36
Board minutes, 1-20-22
East Baton Rouge Parish School Board