Naviance district documents
| Submitted | Aug. 25, 2021 |
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Communications
From: Todd Feathers
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the Texas Public Information Act, I hereby request the following records:
1) Copies of all voluntary and mandatory surveys, personality tests, assessments, and questionnaires offered to students through Naviance and/or PowerSchool. Please note: I am requesting blank/template copies, not records containing any student information. I will accept screenshots of each page of a survey, test, assessment, etc. if a single document is not available.
2) A data dictionary/library for all data fields within the district’s Naviance and/or PowerSchool system.
3) All user manuals, guidebooks, or instructions provided to the district by Naviance and/or PowerSchool regarding the use of its/their products.
4) All district policies and instructions for district employees regarding use of Naviance and/or PowerSchool products.
5) All contracts and data privacy agreements between the district and Naviance and/or PowerSchool. Please also include any other formal documentation from Naviance and/or PowerSchool regarding the third parties with which it/they share aggregate or personally identifiable student data. This should include colleges and universities, testing companies, and data clearinghouses/brokers.
6) Any notifications sent by Naviance, PowerSchool, or Hobsons to the district regarding Hobsons’ sale of Naviance to PowerSchool. This should include any documentation regarding the handling or transfer of the district’s student data as part of the sale.
If you have any questions about any aspect of this request or would like to discuss ways to streamline or adjust the request, please do not hesitate to contact me.
I ask that all fees be waived as I am a journalist and intend to use the requested records to publish articles in the public interest. In the event you choose to impose fees, I request a detailed breakdown of the fees, including the hourly wage of each employ involved and an explanation justifying the employee hours required to fulfill the request.
Should you choose to reject this request or redact portions of it, I ask that you provide a detailed breakdown of the statutory exemptions and associated case law underlying your decision to withhold each/any portion from public review.
In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.
Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 10 business days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Todd Feathers
From: Austin Independent School District
Austin ISD has received your information request and is responding via this email.
Request:
1) Copies of all voluntary and mandatory surveys, personality tests, assessments, and questionnaires offered to students through Naviance and/or PowerSchool. Please note: I am requesting blank/template copies, not records containing any student information. I will accept screenshots of each page of a survey, test, assessment, etc. if a single document is not available.
2) A data dictionary/library for all data fields within the district’s Naviance and/or PowerSchool system.
3) All user manuals, guidebooks, or instructions provided to the district by Naviance and/or PowerSchool regarding the use of its/their products.
4) All district policies and instructions for district employees regarding use of Naviance and/or PowerSchool products.
5) All contracts and data privacy agreements between the district and Naviance and/or PowerSchool. Please also include any other formal documentation from Naviance and/or PowerSchool regarding the third parties with which it/they share aggregate or personally identifiable student data. This should include colleges and universities, testing companies, and data clearinghouses/brokers.
6) Any notifications sent by Naviance, PowerSchool, or Hobsons to the district regarding Hobsons’ sale of Naviance to PowerSchool. This should include any documentation regarding the handling or transfer of the district’s student data as part of the sale
Response:
1) The district believes that the documents may be confidential pursuant to the Texas Public Information Act as trade secret or proprietary information. Thus, the district is notifying the Texas Attorney General that we have notified the 3rd party of their obligation to argue these trade secrets or proprietary information. The AG opinion request is attached.
2) - 3) The guidebooks which provide this information is copyrighted. We can make the guidebooks available for your inspection, but we may not make copies for you or provide you electronic copies. Please contact me via this email to schedule a date and time to make inspect these documents.
4) See the attached College and Career Readiness Scope and Sequence.
5) Some of the documents you requested are attached. Please note that the 2021 contract and privacy agreement with PowerSchool is currently being negotiated. Thus, the district believes that the document is confidential pursuant to the Texas Public Information Act. The district is seeking an opinion from the Texas Attorney General on the release of the documents. The AG opinion request is attached.
6) See documents attached and below.
Melissa Sabatino
Administrative Supervisor, Public Information
Austin ISD
4000 S. IH-35 Frontage Rd.
Austin, TX 78704
512-414-2425
512-414-9878 (facsimile)
From: Austin Independent School District
Email 2 of 2
The following document was not attached to the previous email. The document is reponsive to request #5.
We apologize for any confusion.
Melissa Sabatino
Administrative Supervisor, Public Information
Austin ISD
4000 S. IH-35 Frontage Rd.
Austin, TX 78704
512-414-2425
512-414-9878 (facsimile)
From: Austin Independent School District
Legal review has determined that the attached documents are public. The district is withdrawing its request to the Texas Attorney General for a determination on the release of the documents.
Thank you for your understanding.
Melissa Sabatino
Administrative Supervisor, Public Information
Austin ISD
4000 S. IH-35 Frontage Rd.
Austin, TX 78704
512-414-2425
512-414-9878 (facsimile)
From: Austin Independent School District
A fix is required to perfect the request.
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