Coachella Valley USD

California Public Records Act (CPRA)

The California Public Records Act (CPRA) was passed by the California Legislature in 1968 for government agencies and requires that government records be disclosed to the public upon request unless there are privacy and/or public safety exemptions that would prevent doing so. Please see the California Attorney General’s Office Summary of the California Public Records Act (pdf) for additional information.

Government Code §6252 (e) defines a public record as “any writing containing information relating to the conduct of the public's business prepared, owned, used or retained by any state or local agency regardless of physical form or characteristics."

The Coachella Valley Unified School District (CVUSD) respects the public’s right to access records created and maintained by CVUSD during normal business. To invoke a CPRA, the request for records must be both specific and focused. CVUSD requests that you narrow your request to that which reasonably identifies the desired records so staff can more efficiently search for and promptly provide responsive documents.
Requests may be made electronically by submitting a Google Form request.

A focused request must include the following to ensure that the CVUSD staff has enough information to research as possible to process your request:
- The subject of the record
- A clear, concise, and specific description of the record(s) being requested
- The date(s) of the record(s) or a time period for your request (e.g.: calendar year 2020)
- Full names for the individuals and/or departments included in your request, including proper spelling
- Any additional information that helps staff identify the record(s) being requested
- Your contact information for response to your request, preferably an email address
Please make every effort to research the records you are requesting, prior to submitting your request. There is a vast amount of information, resources, and records available on the CVUSD website and the California Department of Education website, by utilizing the search tool, or browsing the topics related to your request.
The CVUSD will review your request promptly upon receipt and will notify you of one or more of the following:
1. We have determined that the CVUSD has nonexempt records responsive to your request and the date the records will be provided.
2. We have determined that your request seeks records exempt from mandatory disclosure pursuant to the PRA.
3. Your request requires additional guidance to make a clearer and more effective request.
4. CVUSD does not have documents that are responsive to your request.
You may receive a receipt of an acknowledgment as a courtesy; however, this is not a requirement by law.

The District may extend the period to make this determination up to 24 days (the original 10 allotted plus 14 days) if there is a need to communicate with the District office or school sites, examine voluminous records, communicate with others who have an interest in the records or construct computer reports. The law requires that production be made in a "reasonable" amount of time, based upon the volume of the records requested and the necessary review process.
The Coachella Valley Unified School District (CVUSD) may deny your request if it determines the records you seek are privileged, confidential, or otherwise exempt from mandatory disclosure under the PRA or if the requested records are not found. Permissible exemptions from disclosure include documents that invade an individual's right to privacy (e.g., privacy in certain personnel, medical, or student records) or hinder the government's need to perform its assigned functions in a reasonably efficient manner (e.g., maintaining confidentiality of investigative records, official information, records related to pending litigation, and preliminary notes or memoranda). CVUSD will notify you if it makes this determination.