Texas Government Code, Chapter 552, gives you the right to access government records; and an officer for public information and the officer’s agent may not ask why you want them. All government information is presumed to be available to the public. Certain exceptions may apply to the disclosure of the information.

Governmental bodies shall promptly release requested information that is not confidential by law, either constitutional, statutory, or by judicial decision, or information for which an exception to disclosure has not been sought.

Rights of Requestors

You have the right to:

•Prompt access to information that is not confidential or otherwise protected;
•Receive treatment equal to all other requestors, including accommodation in accordance with the  Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements;
•Receive certain kinds of information without exceptions, likethe voting record of public officials, and other  information;
• Receive a written statement of estimated charges, when charges will exceed $40, in advance of work  being started and opportunity to modify the request in response to the itemized statement;
•Choose whether to inspect the requested information (most often at no charge), receive copies of the  information or both;
•A waiver or reduction of charges if the governmental body determinesthat access to the information  primarily benefits the general public;
•Receive a copy of the communication from the governmentalbody asking the Office of the Attorney General  for a rulingon whether the information can be withheld under one of theaccepted exceptions, or if the  communication discloses the requested information, a redacted copy;
•Lodge a written complaint about overcharges for public information with the Office of the Attorney General.  Complaints ofother possible violations may be filed with the county or districtattorney of the county where  the governmental body, other thana state agency, is located. If the complaint is against the countyor  district attorney, the complaint must be filed with the Officeof the Attorney General.

Responsibilities of Governmental Bodies

All governmental bodies responding to information requests have the responsibility to:
•Establish reasonable procedures for inspecting or copying public information and inform requestors of these  procedures;
•Treat all requestors uniformly and shall give to the requestorall reasonable comfort and facility, including  accommodation inaccordance with ADA requirements;
•Be informed about open records laws and educate employees onthe requirements of those laws;
•Inform requestors of the estimated charges greater than $40 andany changes in the estimates above 20  percent of the original estimate, and confirm that the requestor accepts the charges, or hasamended the  request, in writing before finalizing the request;
•Inform the requestor if the information cannot be provided promptly and set a date and time to provide it  within a reasonable time;
•Request a ruling from the Office of the Attorney General regarding any information the governmental body  wishes to withhold, and send a copy of the request for ruling, or a redactedcopy, to the requestor;
•Segregate public information from information that may bewithheld and provide that public information  promptly;
•Make a good faith attempt to inform third parties when their proprietary information is being requested  from the governmental body;
•Respond in writing to all written communications from the Office of the Attorney General regarding charges  for the information. Respond to the Office of the Attorney General regardingcomplaints about violations of  the Act.

Procedures to Obtain Information

Visit the Public Information Requests web page.

√ Submit a request by mail, fax, e-mail or in person according to a governmental body’s reasonable procedures.

U.S. Mail:
Spring Independent School District
Public Information Request
Attention: Office of the General Counsel
16717 Ella Blvd.
Houston, Texas 77090

In Person:
Gordon M. Anderson Leadership Center
16717 Ella Blvd.
Houston, Texas 77090

Fax:
281-891-6371

Email:
Email Public Information

Please include in the subject line "Public Information Request"

√ Include enough description and detail about the information requested to enable the governmental body
    to accurately identify and locatethe information requested.
√ Cooperate with the governmental body’s reasonable efforts to clarify the type or amount of information
   requested.

A.Information to be released

•You may review it promptly, and if it cannot be produced within10 business days the public information  officer will notify you inwriting of the reasonable date and time when it will be available.
•Keep all appointments to inspect records and to pick up copies.Failure to keep appointments may result in  losing the opportunity to inspect the information at the time requested.

Cost of Records
•You must respond to any written estimate of charges within10 business days of the date the governmental  body sent it orthe request is considered automatically withdrawn.
•If estimated costs exceed $100.00 (or $50.00 if a governmentalbody has fewer than 16 full time  employees) the governmentalbody may require a bond, prepayment or deposit.
•You may ask the governmental body to determine whether providing the information primarily benefits the  general public, resulting in a waiver or reduction of charges.
•Make a timely payment for all mutually agreed charges. A governmental body can demand payment of  overdue balances exceeding $100.00, or obtain a security deposit, before processingadditional requests  from you.

B.Information that may be withheld due to an exception

•By the 10th business day after a governmental body receivesyour written request, a governmental body  must:

1.request an Attorney General opinion and state which exceptions apply;
2.notify the requestor of the referral to the Attorney General; and
3.notify third parties if the request involves their proprietaryinformation.

•Failure to request an Attorney General opinion and notify therequestor within 10 business days will result in  a presumptionthat the information is open unless there is a compelling reasonto withhold it.
•Requestors may send a letter to the Attorney General arguing forrelease, and may review arguments made  by the governmentalbody. If the arguments disclose the requested information, therequestor may obtain a  redacted copy.
•The Attorney General must issue a decision no later than the45th business day from the day after the  attorney general received the request for a decision. The Attorney General mayrequest an additional 10  business day extension.
•Governmental bodies may not ask the Attorney General to“reconsider” an opinion.

To request information from this governmental body, please contact:

By mail to:
Spring Independent School District
Public Information Request
Attention: Office of the General Counsel
16717 Ella Blvd
Houston, Texas 77090

By e-mail to:
Email Public Information

By fax to:
281-891-6371

In person at:
Spring Independent School District
Office of the General Counsel
16717 Ella Blvd
Houston, Texas 77090

For complaints regarding failure to release public information please contact your local county or district attorney.

• You may also contact the Office of the Attorney General, Open Government Hotline, at (512) 478-6736 or   toll-free at 1-877-673-6839.

• For complaints regarding overcharges, please contact the Office of the Attorney General, Cost Hotline
  at(512)475-2497 or toll-free at 1-888-672-6787.

If you need special accommodation pursuant to the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), please contact our ADA coordinator.