Public Records Request Information
Our Public Records Procedures
It is the policy of the Board of School Commissioners of Mobile County, Alabama (the “Board”) to promptly provide citizens with the right to inspect public records upon request, subject to their payment of reasonable fees and to Alabama state law, including applicable laws protecting sensitive information.
Submitting a Public Records Request
You may request public-records in the possession of the Board of School Commissioners of Mobile County, Alabama by completing and submitting a public-records request form.
The public-records request form is available at the following link: MCPSS Public Records Request Form
Please note that this form is only for requesting public records from the Board of School Commissioners of Mobile County, Alabama. You may submit your request to the Board, using the required form, by emailing it to openrecords@mcpss.com.
What to Expect
We strive to respond as promptly as possible to all public-records requests we receive consistent with state law.
The nature of your request will dictate how promptly we respond. If your request very clearly identifies a specific, discrete document you are looking for, we will respond more quickly than if your request requires substantial staff time to process. A request will require substantial staff time to process if it requires difficulty in identifying and retrieving documents or taking measures to redact or otherwise withhold legally protected information.In the case of time-intensive requests, payment must be received prior to initiation of a search for records.
The Board will acknowledge all requests within 10 business days of receipt and will provide a substantive response to a proper request in compliance with the Alabama Open Records Act. The Board, through its designated personnel, will note, in its acknowledgement, any immediate deficiencies or issues with the request.
The Board will not respond, by way of acknowledgement or otherwise process a request for public records, to any requests or inquiries regarding public records that are not submitted via the referenced form and in the manner provided.
In addition, we are permitted by state law to charge reasonable fees in connection with processing public-records requests. As soon as requested public records are located and assessed by the Board, a cost estimate will be provided to the requesting citizen, as applicable.
Any records we have that are subject to disclosure and responsive to your request will be made available to you at our Central Office at a mutually convenient and agreed upon time. Citizens will be able to inspect and/or make copies of requested public records. Access to requested public records for this purpose will be provided during normal business hours and must be supervised by an employee of the Board. Reasonable limitations will be set to avoid work disruption, preserve record integrity, and prevent the loss, damage, or destruction of official records.
Other Things to Remember
- We are not required to create records, but only to provide access to copies of already existing records in our custody. We are not obligated to provide records in the format you request if that request does not match the manner in which we normally maintain a record. We are not obligated to respond to a request that is vague, ambiguous, overly broad or unreasonable in scope. We are not obligated to acknowledge or respond to requests not submitted as set forth herein.
- Only permanent residents of the State of Alabama are entitled to review records or receive copies, pursuant to Alabama Act 2024-278. A copy of your state of Alabama identification may be required.
- Within 10 days of receipt of your properly completed request form, we will confirm that your request has been received. We will note any deficiencies or other issues with your request.
- For a Standard Request, not requiring more than 8 hours of staff time, you can expect a response or an explanation of the status of your request, 15 business following our acknowledgement of your request.
- If your request is determined to be Time-Intensive, requiring more than 8 hours of staff time, you will receive a cost estimate within 15 business days of our acknowledgement of your form. After we have received your payment, you can expect a response, or an explanation of the status of your request within 45 business days of our receipt of your payment.
- If you decide you do not want to pay a Time-Intensive fee, you must let us know that you are not willing to pay and fees and the process will end or you may resubmit a new request form for a Standard Request. If we do not hear from you within 5 business days after we notify you of charges, your request will be deemed withdrawn.
- Records in our custody that are responsive to your request will be made available for review and inspection at our offices at One Magnum Pass, Mobile, Al 36618 at a mutually agreeable date and time.
- In all cases, you may be responsible for copy and electronic record fees. The cost of copies is $0.25 per page. Fees are due whether the records are provided by electronic format or on paper. No labor charge is imposed when a nominal amount of staff time is needed to respond to a request. Charges for requests requiring more than 30 minutes of staff time will be charge at the rate of $50/hour. After the first 30 minutes, time will be computed on the basis of quarter hours, rounded up. Labor charges are in addition to the per page cost specified above and are due and payable even if no records responsive to the request are located, or in the event the requested records are subsequently determined to be exempt from disclosure. A deposit may be required when it is determined that more than 30 minutes of staff time will be needed to respond to a request. If the final cost is less than the deposit, the difference will be refunded. IF the final cost is greater, the additional cost must be paid prior to delivery or review of the records.