Freedom of Information Law | FOIL

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Freedom of Information Requests

District Records Available to the Public

Freedom of Information

New York State’s Freedom of Information Law (Public Officers Law §87 et. seq., Buffalo City School District Board of Education Policy 3310) allows members of the public to access records of governmental agencies. FOIL provides a process for the review and copying of an agency’s records. More information about the Freedom of Information Law can be found at http://www.dos.ny.gov

Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) Requests

FOIL requests are managed by the Buffalo City School District’s Board of Education Office and may be submitted in one of two ways:

  1. Via email |  Email contact: FOILrequests

    • direct all emails to @buffalosschools.org

  2. Via mail |  Buffalo City School District

FOIL OFFICER
Buffalo Public Schools
65 Niagara Square
Buffalo, NY 14202

FOIL Request Form

To ensure efficient processing of your application, please provide the following information:

  • Requester’s name, address, telephone number, and email address.

  • A reasonable description of the records sought, containing specific information, which will allow the District to identify and locate the records.

  • The requester’s preference to inspect/review records, copy records, or both.

The District’s Records Access Officer can either:

  • Approve the request;

  • Deny the request, stipulating the legal reasons for denial;

  • Approve the request in part and deny the request in part (i.e., some of the requested materials are released and some are withheld, or certain information is deleted for privacy reasons or other legal reasons), specifying the legal reasons for the denied portions thereof;

  • Give notice of an extension of time needed to fulfill the request.

For a full subject matter list consisting of the categories of all records the District possesses, please consult the NYS Records Retention and Disposition Schedule. 

Fee for Duplication of Records

The Buffalo City School District charges the statutorily permitted fee of $.25 per page for reproducing records requested under FOIL, or the actual cost of reproducing the records (Public Officers Law §87[1][b] and [c]).  Payment must be made to the Buffalo City School District by check or money order.

Appeal of a Denial

Any person denied access to a record may appeal within 30 days, in writing and addressed to:

FOIL APPEALS
Buffalo City School District
65 Niagara Square
Buffalo, NY 14202