Albuquerque Public Schools
PK1 APS Inspection of Public Records (IPRA) Procedures
APS will employ sufficient records custodians, software, and hardware to comply with all the timelines required by IPRA.
APS staff who are not the custodian of records who receive a request for records must:
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immediately inform the requestor that they are not the proper records custodian,
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inform the requestor of the correct custodian’s contact information, and
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forward the request to the custodian of records at custodianofrecords@aps.edu
The custodian of records staff must be trained in the below procedures. Failure to adhere to statutory deadlines must be enforced through appropriate retraining and possible disciplinary action.
Requests for Information
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Requests must be in writing and can be made by email, FAX or hand-delivery to the custodian of records or any school official (who will immediately forward the request to the records custodian)
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Requests for clarification by the records custodian must also be provided in writing for documentation and tracking purposes
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Once received, the requests should be handled as follows:
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Log the request with the assigned number and request information
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Determine the type of records requested and indicate on the log
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Assign the records custodian staff member responsible for responding to the request and indicate on the log
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Indicate and track all deadlines on the log
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Day 3 Deadline: Notify the requester within three days of receipt of the request and either provide the requested records or inform the requester when access will be provided. Note that access to most records must be provided no later than 15 days after receiving the request (see below).
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Day 15 Deadline: Provide the documents requested. If it has been determined that the request is excessively burdensome or broad and additional time is needed to locate all of the requested records, inform the requestor in writing of that determination, the reason for that determination, and when access to the records will be provided. If access to the requested records will be denied, the records custodian must inform the requestor within the 15 day deadline.
Denying Access
If it has been determined that some requested records are exempt from disclosure, the custodian of records must explain the denial of the request by detailing which records are being withheld, the specific statutory basis for the denial, and the identity of the person who determined that the records were exempt from disclosure. Withheld records must be reviewed carefully to determine whether the documents can be produced if exempt information is redacted. The requestor is entitled to all nonexempt information contained in a public record.
Assigning Records Request to APS Staff
Assigning records requests to APS staff when utilizing custodianofrecords@aps.edu or NextRequest software:
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Read the request to determine to which APS staff member(s) the request should be sent for the requested information
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Create an email to the respective staff or assign to the NextRequest system. If utilizing email, in the text, include the date it is due to the requestor and use the follow-up flag to create a custom flag for everyone
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Attach the scanned, numbered copy of the request to the email or NextRequest notice for APS staff
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Once the request is sent to staff, track responses
Receipt of Requested Information
Receipt of requested information from APS staff may come in the following forms:
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Actual APS files (permanent hard copies) must be copied or scanned. Original copies need to remain with the appropriate office or department that is providing the documents
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Electronic files that can be saved to the records custodian files
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Electronic copies or printed photocopies will need to be provided to the requestor. The requestor may be charged only for the actual photocopy cost and cannot be charged for staff time or an electronic copy. If there is a large number of photocopies to be made (more than 25), contact the requestor to give her/him the opportunity to review and flag desired documents to be copied
Response to Requestor
Response to the requestor when finalizing a records request can be completed in a few ways, as follows:
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Email response, if the email address of the requestor is available, either by attaching an electronic copy of the information or explaining there are no documents to produce
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If there are physical records, the requestor will be contacted to inquire whether the requestor wishes to review the records to select the documents they want copied. If copies are requested, a set of copies will need to be made for the requestor
Maintaining the Records Request Tracking Log
Maintaining the records request tracking log. A records request tracking log must be utilized to track all records requests made to the custodian of the records office. The log will be updated each business day with new requests.
The log will include the following:
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APS log #
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Date of request
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Email address or requester name
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Request label/Type of records sought
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Date of 3-day response
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Date of the 15-day response deadline
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List of departments and/or individuals receiving requests for documents
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Notes sections to document information regarding the following:
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any narrowing of the request
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any determination that a request is overbroad and burdensome and the specific justification for this determination
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any denial of the request
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any records that were determined to be exempt from production and the specific reason for this determination
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other important information about the request
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Completion date – record release date
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Status of request to assist in tracking
Administrative Position:
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Chief of Schools
Department Director:
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Executive Director of Student, Parent, and Employee Service Center
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Custodian of Public Records
Cross References
Legal Cross Ref:
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Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA)
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Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA
Board Policy Cross Ref:
Procedural Directive Cross Ref:
NSBA/NEPN Classification: KDB
Introduced: April 6, 2022
Adopted: April 8, 2022
Revised: February 23, 2024