State records office sends broad KSL data request against USBE to mediation to narrow scope

Counsel Daniella Rivera, appearing on behalf of reporter Courtney Johns, told the director she sought school-level and LEA-level datasets and administrative documentation (data dictionaries, field definitions, schemas and guidance) related to restraint and seclusion reporting. "If responsive reports, exports, tables, spreadsheets, or datasets already exist, we believe producing them is not the creation of a new record," Rivera said, arguing that FERPA does not categorically bar release of aggregate or redacted datasets.

USBE representative Mr. Peterson said the request was broad and at times vague, raised FERPA/privacy and undue-burden concerns, and suggested that some structural items such as internal database schemas are typically not shared for security reasons. Data staff Benjamin Rasmussen and Aaron Brough explained that specifications and documentation (UTREx/CRDC specification documents) are publicly available and were shared, that internal schemas are integrated into the agency database, and that the agency preferred more specificity or mediation to avoid overbroad production. The director continued the matter so the parties can pursue mediation with the ombudsman and narrow the request's parameters before returning for another hearing.