Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)

  • To better serve the community and achieve greater transparency in government, School District 300 offers Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) forms and response documents *ONLINE* as a public courtesy. The D300 Online FOIA Program is an example of D300's leadership in the area of public access.

    How to file a FOIA request with School District 300

    If your inquiry is merely a question and not a request to see a specific record/document, you will be best served by calling the D300 Central Office and asking to speak with the appropriate personnel on that topic. The Central Office phone number is 847-551-8300. You do not need to file a FOIA unless you want to access a specific record/document.

    1. Submit an electronic FOIA request or Search the FOIA Archive 
      1. Click here to “Submit an electronic FOIA request” or “Search FOIA Archive”

    2. Written FOIA Requests
      1. Click here to download and print the D300 FOIA Request Form

      2. Complete and sign the form

      3. File your form in one of the following ways:

    Scan and e-mail it to: foia@d300.org
    Or, fax it to 847-551-8413
    Or, mail to:
    Legal Department, School District 300,
    2550 Harnish Drive, Algonquin, IL 60102

    Should you have any questions about this process, the Legal Department welcomes your calls at 847-551-8388.

    What is the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)?

    In accordance with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) citizens have a right to access public records of their governmental public bodies, including school districts. The Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140) gives members of the public the right to file a request with a public body to inspect or receive copies of specific public records. The Act aims to help ensure open, honest government. However, FOIA does not require the district to create documentation in response to a request. The district is only required to supply existing records.

    To allow governmental bodies to operate efficiently and to protect personal privacy, the Act exempts (excludes) specific types of records from public release, with some general examples being medical records, student records, attorney-client privileged correspondence, staff discipline files, test questions and answers, security plans, and the minutes of closed session meetings not yet approved by Board vote for release.

    The public body must respond in writing to each written request for records within 5 working days. If within those 5 working days the public body denies the request, it must notify the requester in writing and cite the reason(s) under the law.

    The public body has 21 business days to respond to a request for records which will be used for "Commercial Purposes." Under the FOIA law, "commercial purposes" means the use of any part of a public record or documentation derived from a public record in any form for sale, resale, or solicitation or advertisement for sales or services.

    As the requester, you have the right to “request for review” (appeal) D300’s response to any request. A link to the Illinois Attorney General’s (Public Access Counselor) appeal process is available under the “General Information” section below.

    District 300 Responses to FOIA Requests 

    If you request a record that is already on the D300 website, we will first point you to its location on our website and then let you decide whether you still desire a hard copy.

    Summary reports of FOIA requests and their status are submitted to the Board of Education at each Board meeting.

    General Information