• Pennsylvania Right to Know and Open Records Laws (Act 3 of 2008)

     

    On January 1, 2009, Act 3 (also known as the Open Records amendment to the Pennsylvania Right to Know Law) took effect at all local and state agencies in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, including school districts and intermediate units. Act 3 expands the definition of “public record,” making all records public - both electronic and hard copy - with 30 listed exemptions (such as records dealing with building security, personal safety, medical records, confidential personnel records, labor relations, and criminal investigations). Act 3 requires the Coatesville Area School District to designate an official Open Records Officer to accept written requests from the public and to ensure compliance with timelines and the law.

     

    Requesting Coatesville Area School District records:

     

    Requests for records must be addressed to Coatesville Area School District's Open Records Officer and submitted on the Right-to-Know Request form (please see link below). Requests can be submitted by email, mail, or in person. The request should be specific and not seek answers to questions. After filing a request, a response will be issued within five (5) business days. 

     

    Coatesville Area School District's Open Records Officer is: 

     

    Dolores D'Amore  
    Coatesville Area School District
    3030 C.G. Zinn Road
    Thorndale, PA  19372
    Telephone: 610-466-2400
      
    Important Documents:
     
     
    Filing an Appeal:
     
    When a request is denied or deemed denial, a requester may file an appeal to the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records. The appeal must be filed within 15 business days of the denial or deemed denial date. The appeal must also include the request, agency denial if one exisits, address agency grounds that the request was denied, and state why you believe the records are public records. An appeals officer will determine if the record(s) is subject to public access.
     
    An appeal may be filed to the Office of Open Records via its Online Appeal Form, email, fax, or in person at:
     
    Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
    Office of Open Records
    333 Market Street, 16th Floor
    Harrisburg, PA 17101-2234
    Phone: 717-346-9903
    Fax: 717-425-5343