Consistent with Washington State law, Blaine School District is committed to providing the public full access to records concerning the administration and operations of the District. Such access promotes important public policy, maintains public confidence in the fairness of governmental processes, and protects the community’s interest in the control and operation of its common school district. At the same time, the District desires to preserve the efficient administration of government and acknowledges the privacy rights of individuals whose records may be maintained by the District. Policy 4040 and its accompanying procedure are intended to facilitate access to school district records without compromising operational efficiency or privacy rights.

Making a Request for Public Records 
Any person wishing to inspect or copy public records of the District shall make the request in writing addressed to the Public Records Coordinator and including the following information:

• Name, address, telephone number, and email address of requestor;

• Identification of the public records adequate for the Public Records Officer or designee to locate the records; and

• The date the request is submitted to the District

For the most timely and efficient response, requests for school district records should be directed in writing to the Public Records Coordinator listed below, whose responsibilities include serving as a point of contact for members of the public in this process and overseeing the District’s compliance with the Washington Public Records Act, Chapter 42.56 RCW, and Policy 4040.

Tina Padilla, Administrative Assistant
Blaine School District #503
765 H Street
Blaine, WA 98230
Phone: (360) 332-5881
Fax: (360) 332-7568

Within five (5) business days of receipt of a request, the Public Records Coordinator will do one or more of the following:

1. Provide copies of the record(s) requested or make the record available for inspection—or, in the alternative, provide an internet address and link to the District’s website where the specific record can be accessed (provided that the requestor has not notified the District that he or she cannot access the records through the internet) ; or

2. Acknowledge that the District has received the request and provide a reasonable estimate of the time it will require to fully respond; or

3. Seek clarification of the request; or

4. Deny the request (although no request will be denied solely on the basis that the request is overbroad).

If the District does not respond in writing within five (5) business days of receipt of the request for disclosure, the requestor should contact the Public Records Coordinator by phone to determine the reason for the failure to respond.

The cost for copies may be determined by the District to include all direct costs of photocopying, including staff time for photocopying (but not for locating records). In lieu of calculating the actual cost, the District may charge a fee of fifteen (15) cents per page for copies that exceed twenty-five (25) pages. A deposit not to exceed 10% of the estimated cost of providing copies may be required.

For additional detail about Public Access to District Records, please see Policy 4040 and/or Procedure 4040P.