Public Records Act Requests
As a public agency, Montebello Unified School District recognizes the right of citizens to have access to public records of the District. The District adheres to the California Public Records Act (CPRA) which requires that governmental records shall be disclosed to the public, upon request, unless there is a specific reason not to do so. 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).
PRA requests can be emailed to [email protected] or mailed to the following mailing address:
Public Records Act Requests
Risk Management Unit
Montebello Unified School District
123 Montebello Blvd.
Montebello, CA 90640
In some cases, overly broad requests may be closed without being fulfilled pursuant to AR 1340 Access to District Records.
REQUEST FOR DISCLOSURE OF PUBLIC RECORDS GUIDELINES
General Rule: All records of a public agency are public records and must be disclosed upon request, unless the request falls under an exception provided by the California Public Records Act Request (Government Code Section 6250 et al.).
Right to Inspect: Public Records: Public records are open to inspection at all times during the office hours of the District and every person has a right to inspect any public record. This right to inspect includes any reasonably segregable portion of a public record after deletion of the portions that are exempted by law. (Government Code Section 6253 (a). This does not mean that a requester has a right to demand to see a record and immediately gain access to it. The standard of promptness set forth for copies.
Right to Copy Public Records: Except with respect to public records exempt from disclosure by express provisions of law, the District, upon receipt of a request for a copy of records that reasonably describes an identifiable record or records, must make the records promptly available to any person upon payment of the appropriate fees. As with the right to inspect public records, the same rule of reasonableness applies to the right to obtain copies of those records. Thus, the District may impose reasonable restrictions on general requests for copies of voluminous classes of documents.
Records that do not exist: Under the Act, an agency is not required to create any record(s) in response to a public records request. The District is only required to disclose existing records.
Fees: Per District Board Policy 1340 and Administrative Regulation 1340, the Superintendent may set a fee for the direct cost of duplicating a record when seeking a copy. The District requires payment in advance before providing the requested copies; however, no payment is required to inspect a record.
Duplication costs of electronic records are limited to the direct cost of producing the electronic copy. Requestor bears the additional costs of producing a copy of an electronic record.
District Office Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding Summer/ Winter Break. Closed for Holidays per Education Code Section 37220.