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Public Records Requests

Vance County Schools believes that transparency leads to public trust. Students, parents, employees, and the public have the right to request and inspect all public records available to them under state law. 

Records available to the public are governed by two state laws:

Records available to the public are governed by local board policy Board Policy 5070/7350 Public Records - Retention, Release and Disposition.  Please be aware that neither Vance County Schools Board of Education policy nor North Carolina law requires a government agency to create or compile records or databases that do not already exist.  The purpose of a public records request is to allow the examination of existing documents created in the course of government business.

VCS adheres to the state of North Carolina's Records Retention and Disposition Schedule along with the supplement schedule for Public Schools, which sets deadlines for the destruction of records. Please review that information before requesting records from previous years.

What is Exempt from Disclosure Under The Public Records Act?

The Public Records laws exempt from disclosure to the public various documents, including, but not limited to:

  • Information that is otherwise privileged based on some exception to the Public Records Act, such as student records (G.S. §115C-402) or personnel records (G.S.§ 115C-319 et seq.)
  • Student data (for example, references to a child’s health conditions, grades, IEP or discipline issues) made confidential by state or federal laws
  • Confidential employee information (any information in the Personnel File not available for inspection, for example, resume or credentials, home address, investigative documentation, or date-of-birth)
  • Medical records of employees or students
  • Attorney-client communications and the documents protected by the Work Product Doctrine
  • Emergency response plans/public security plans 

For the fastest and most efficient service, use the Public Record Request form submission link below to make your request. This aids in tracking and ensures delivery of the requested information.

Submit Public Records Request