Agency predictive model documentation (Department of Public Instruction)
| Multi Request | Agency predictive model documentation |
| Submitted | Oct. 21, 2021 |
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Communications
From: Todd Feathers
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the Wisconsin Open Records Act, I hereby request the following records:
1) Executive summaries, algorithmic impact reports, predictive model reports, and/or model validation studies dating from Jan. 1, 2017 until the present for all predictive analytics tools and automated decision systems (ADS) used by the agency. This includes predictive models and ADSs built in-house as well as those built by vendors for the agency or those used by agency employees through third-party software.
2) All contracts and statements of work regarding the purchase and/or creation of tools identified in response to part one of this request.
2) A data dictionary/library for each predictive model and ADS identified in response to part one of this request. Please note: Data dictionaries list the names of data fields (i.e. column headers in a spreadsheet), they do not contain the actual data analyzed by models.
If you have any questions regarding this request, please don't hesitate to contact me for further clarification.
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 employee involved and an explanation justifying the employee hours required to fulfill the request.
Should you choose to reject this request or redact portions of responsive documents, I ask that you provide a detailed breakdown of the statutory exemptions and associated case law underlying your decision to withhold each/any portions 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.
Sincerely,
Todd Feathers
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Wisconsin Open Records Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on Oct. 21, 2021. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Department of Public Instruction
Mr. Feathers,
The DPI is currently assembling the records responsive to your request and applying appropriate redactions. I cannot provide a firm timeline at this point, but responsive records will be provided as soon as practicable and without delay.
Sincerely,
Ben Jones
Chief Legal Counsel
Office of Legal Services
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
(608) 266-9332
From: Department of Public Instruction
Jones, Benjamin R. DPI sent you a secure message
Access message
Mr. Feathers,
Enclosed are the records responsive to your October 25 request for records. These records regard the Dropout Early Warning System (DEWS) and College and Career Readiness Early Warning System (CCREWS). Information on these systems can be found here - https://dpi.wi.gov/wisedash/districts/about-data/dews - and here - https://dpi.wi.gov/wisedash/districts/about-data/ccrews.
DPI has determined that certain student personally identifiable information contained in this record is appropriate to redact pursuant to the balancing test prescribed by Wis. Stat. § 19.35(1)(a). Specifically, values associated with student groups smaller than 20 have been redacted. Wisconsin and federal law expresses a strong public policy to keep personally identifiable information about students or information that can readily lead to the identification of students confidential. See e.g., Wis. Stat. §§ 48.396, 118.125, 938.396; see also the Family Education Records Privacy Act, 20 U.S.C. § 1232g, 34 C.F.R. Part 99. In performing the balancing test, DPI has determined that the interest in keeping student information private and the expectation of privacy of students in their personally identifiable information outweighs the interest of the public in disclosing this information.
Furthermore, data warehouse field names and directory paths have been redacted for purposes of IT security. Again, the public interest in ensuring data systems for the DPI remain secure outweighs any public benefit in disclosing this information.
Pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 19.35(4)(b), DPI’s decision to deny your request as described above is subject to review by mandamus under Wis. Stat. § 19.37(1), or upon application to the attorney general or to your local district attorney.
Sincerely,
Ben Jones
Chief Legal Counsel
Office of Legal Services
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
(608) 266-9332
Attachments expire on Dec 15, 2021
1 compressed file
Responsive.zip
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From: Department of Public Instruction
Mr. Feathers,
Due to file size limitations, I am sending the records responsive to your request via our file-sharing platform Kiteworks. If you have any issues accessing the files, please let me know.
Sincerely,
Ben Jones
Chief Legal Counsel
Office of Legal Services
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
(608) 266-9332
From: Todd Feathers
Hello Ben,
Thank you very much for the help on this.
I haven't received a link yet from Kiteworks. Would you mind sending it to a different email address (todd.feathers@themarkup.org) to see if that works?
Appreciate it!
Todd
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Wisconsin Open Records Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on Oct. 21, 2021. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Department of Public Instruction
I just now sent again, if you do not get it today let me know.
Ben Jones
Chief Legal Counsel
Office of Legal Services
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
(608) 266-9332
From: Todd Feathers
Got it, thank you!
Files
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