Skip to main content

Opinion

Opinion By: Albert B. Chandler III, Attorney General; Amye L. Bensenhaver, Assistant Attorney General

Open Records Decision

The question presented in this appeal is whether Cumberland High School violated the Open Records Act in the disposition of David H. Dixon's November 28, 2000, request for "a list of all students according to the P.A.-2 form for each homeroom for the school year 1999-2000." Mr. Dixon indicated that he was only interested in the transportation codes appearing on these forms, "the students hav[ing] already been identified as . . . students of Cumberland High School according to the school's Redskin Yearbook, 2000." In a response dated November 30, 2000, Principal Edward G. Clem denied Mr. Dixon's request explaining that the P.A.-2's contain students' names, social security numbers, transportation codes, and monthly attendance figures. For the reasons that follow, we find that, although its response was procedurally deficient, the high school properly disposed of Mr. Dixon's request.

We begin by noting that Mr. Dixon's appeal to this office was premature. He submitted the appeal on December 1, 2000, the Sunday following delivery of his Thursday, November 28, request. Pursuant to KRS 446.030(1)(a), 1 the three day deadline for agency response to an open records request excludes the day the request was submitted. 96-ORD-207. Pursuant to KRS 61.880(1), the three day response time excludes Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays that follow receipt of the request. Based on these provisions, we calculate that the high school's response was actually due to be issued on Monday, December 4, 2000. Although the response was deficient in other respects, it was timely. No basis existed for the initiation of an open records appeal on December 1, 2000. We remind Mr. Dixon of the admonition, contained in a footnote in a previous open records decision to which he was a party, that he "await agency response to his separate requests before initiating appeals" in the interest of promoting clarity, as well as fairness to the agency. 00-ORD-148, p. 3.


As noted, the high school's response did not conform with the other procedural requirements of the Act codified at KRS 61.880(1). That statute provides:

Each public agency, upon any request for records made under KRS 61.870 to 61.884, shall determine within three (3) days, excepting Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, after the receipt of any such request whether to comply with the request and shall notify in writing the person making the request, within the three (3) day period, of its decision. An agency response denying, in whole or in part, inspection of any record shall include a statement of the specific exception authorizing the withholding of the record and a brief explanation of how the exception applies to the record withheld. The response shall be issued by the official custodian or under his authority, and it shall constitute final agency action.

(Emphasis added.) In 00-ORD-148, cited above, the Attorney General commented on a number of procedural irregularities in the Harlan County School System's response to a request filed by Mr. Dixon, and in particular, its failure to "provide particular and detailed information in response to a request for documents."

Edmondson v. Alig, Ky. App., 926 S.W.2d 856, 858 (1996). Here, as in 00-ORD-148, we find that Cumberland High School erred in failing to cite the exception or exceptions authorizing nondisclosure, and to explain their application to the records withheld.

At page 4 of 00-ORD-148, the Attorney General observed:

In Edmondson, the court recognized that despite undeniable deficiencies in the agency's response, the circuit court improperly ordered disclosure of the records, "presumably as the only sanction available . . . ." Edmondson at 859. Continuing, the court held that "it is incumbent upon the circuit court to examine this material and to make a determination as to whether it is substantively exempt from disclosure" lest the agency's error be compounded by releasing records intended to be protected from public scrutiny. Id. Although the Court of Appeals did not extend its holding to the Office of the Attorney General, which acts in a quasi-adjudicative role in resolving open records disputes pursuant to KRS 61.880(2) , and this office rarely assays to invade the circuit courts' prerogative, the appeal before us has far reaching policy implications for local school boards which compel us to undertake a substantive analysis of the disputed records. Our analysis leads us to conclude that those records must be characterized as "education records," within the scope and meaning of the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, 20 U.S.C. § 1232g (FERPA), and its state counterpart, KRS 160.700 (KFERPA), and that they are excluded from the mandatory disclosure provisions of the Open Records Act by operation of KRS 61.878(1)(k) and (l).

This reasoning also applies to the appeal before us, as does the analysis of the scope and application of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, and its state counterpart, the Kentucky Education Rights and Privacy Act. A copy of 00-ORD-148 is attached hereto and incorporated by reference.

In 00-ORD-148, this office held that attendance records, records reflecting the identities of students at Cumberland High School who had obtained parking permits, and records reflecting student assignments at bus stops, qualified as education records within the scope and meaning of FERPA and KFERPA, although they did not relate to academic matters. We reasoned:

As long as the records contain information directly related to a student, and are maintained by an educational agency or institution, they fall within the parameters of the federal act, and unauthorized disclosure may result in the forfeiture of federal funds. 20 USC § 1232g(a)(4)(A). Given the similarity of this definition of "education record" to the definition of the term found at KRS 160.700(3) of the Kentucky Family Education Rights and Privacy Act, we deem them to be equally expansive.

In light of the federal district court's ruling in

Doe v. Knox County Board of Education, 918 F.Supp. 101 (E.D. Ky., 1996), holding that a violation of FERPA may be the basis for a civil rights claim under 42 USC § 1983, school officials are well-advised to proceed with caution in the disclosure of education records such as those at issue in 00-ORD-148.

The records at issue in this decision, namely P.A.-2's disclosing student transportation codes, also fall within the expansive definition of an education record under state and federal law, and may not be disclosed absent parental consent. Although they are non-academic, in the traditional sense of that term, they identify students by name and are correlated to the mode of student transport to and from school. The same considerations that compelled us to affirm the Harlan County School System's denial of Mr. Dixon's earlier request, compel us to affirm Cumberland High School's denial of his request in the instant appeal. Although he did not ask for the remaining information that appears on the P.A.-2, it is apparent that that information also enjoys protection inasmuch as it consists of student social security numbers and attendance records. Accordingly, we find no error in Cumberland High School's denial of Mr. Dixon's request, but urge the high school to review KRS 61.880(1), and to work with the school board attorney in formulating open records responses, to insure that those responses conform in all particulars with the procedural requirements of the Open Records Act. Additionally, we remind Mr. Dixon that although records relating to the daily operations of the Harlan County School System and Cumberland High School, as well as its officials and employees, are largely available for public inspection, both federal and state law narrowly circumscribe his right of access to records relating to students enrolled in the school system that are maintained by the school system, and that the likelihood of success on appeal of an issue involving denial of student education records is virtually nil.

A party aggrieved by this decision may appeal it by initiating action in the appropriate circuit court pursuant to KRS 61.880(5) and KRS 61.882. Pursuant to KRS 61.880(3), the Attorney General should be notified of any action in circuit court, but should not be named as a party in that action or in any subsequent proceedings.

Footnotes

Footnotes

1 KRS 446.030(1)(a) thus provides:

In computing any period of time prescribed by order of court, or by any applicable statute, the day of the act, event or default after which the designated period of time begins to run is not to be included.

2000

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 221

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 220

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 219

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 218

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 213

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 217

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 216

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 215

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 214

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 211

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 210

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 180

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 209

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 208

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 207

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 205

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 206

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 204

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 203

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 202

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 212

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 181

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 201

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 200

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 199

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 196

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 197

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 195

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 198

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 194

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 193

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 191

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 192

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 190

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 189

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 187

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 185

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 188

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 186

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 184

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 177

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 182

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 183

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 178

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 179

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 162

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 160

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 161

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 163

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 165

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 164

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 158

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 166

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 167

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 174

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 168

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 159

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 169

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 172

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 170

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 171

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 173

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 142

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 157

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 148

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 143

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 145

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 144

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 147

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 149

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 146

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 156

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 155

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 154

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 153

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 152

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 151

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 150

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 140

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 139

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 138

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 136

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 137

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 135

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 134

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 133

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 132

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 131

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 130

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 141

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 129

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 128

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 127

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 116

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 115

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 126

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 125

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 124

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 119

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 118

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 122

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 123

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 121

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 117

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 120

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 112

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 111

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 113

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 107

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 91

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 110

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 108

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 105

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 109

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 104

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 89

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 90

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 102

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 114

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 101

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 100

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 99

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 98

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 97

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 95

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 96

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 175

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 94

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 93

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 106

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 103

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 92

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 75

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 76

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 77

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 74

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 73

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 78

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 79

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 81

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 80

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 176

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 82

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 83

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 84

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 85

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 86

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 88

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 87

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 67

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 68

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 7

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 66

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 55

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 50

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 48

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 57

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 6

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 61

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 5

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 54

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 51

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 56

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 65

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 58

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 64

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 49

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 62

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 59

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 60

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 53

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 47

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 46

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 45

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 44

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 43

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 42

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 40

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 39

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 35

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 38

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 34

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 36

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 37

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 33

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 32

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 31

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 26

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 29

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 28

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 27

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 24

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 25

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 71

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 4

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 23

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 20

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 22

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 21

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 18

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 16

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 17

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 14

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 15

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 1

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 13

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 12

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 10

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 11

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 9

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 3

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 70

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 72

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 69

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 63

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 41

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 52

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 2

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 30

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 19

2000 Ky. AG LEXIS 8

Disclaimer:
The Sunshine Law Library is not exhaustive and may contain errors from source documents or the import process. Nothing on this website should be taken as legal advice. It is always best to consult with primary sources and appropriate counsel before taking any action.
Requested By:
David H. Dixon
Agency:
Cumberland High School
Type:
Open Records Decision
Lexis Citation:
2001 Ky. AG LEXIS 67
Forward Citations:
Neighbors

Support Our Work

The Coalition needs your help in safeguarding Kentuckian's right to know about their government.