Requesting Public Records

Follow the below steps to make a request for public records maintained by RIDE.

Submitting your request

While not required, in order to facilitate the expeditious response to your request, please complete RIDE's Public Records Request Form.

You are not required to provide any identifying information or the reason you are seeking the records requested, and your right to access public records will not depend upon providing identification or reasons.

Submit your completed form using any of the following methods:

Mail or Hand-Delivery:

RIDE Public Records Officer

Rhode Island Department of Education

Attn: Legal Office

255 Westminster Street, Fourth Floor

Providence, RI 02903

*If hand-delivered, please note RIDE's regular business hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 pm.

Fax:

401-222-4691

Email:

APRA@ride.ri.gov

Responding to your request

The APRA allows a public body 10 business days to respond to your request. For "good cause," a public body may extend this time for an additional 20 business days. These times may be tolled pending a request for prepayment or clarification.

Any denial of the right to inspect or copy records, in whole or in part, will be made to you in writing and will include the reason(s) for the denial and the procedures for appealing the denial.

If your request is denied:

In the event your request is denied in full or in part, you may petition RIDE's Chief Administrative Officer, Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green, for a review of the determination.  RIDE's Chief Administrative Officer shall make a final determination whether or not to allow public inspection within 10 business days of your petition. 

If the denial is confirmed, you have the right to file a complaint with the Rhode Island Attorney General. 

RIDE reserves the right to charge fees associated with responding to your request in accordance with R.I. Gen. Laws § 38-2-4. 

The cost per copied page is $0.15. The hourly cost for time spent searching, retrieving, and/or redacting any responsive documents shall not exceed $15.00. There is no charge for the first hour of search and/or retrieval.

RIDE will provide an estimate of charges prior to spending any additional time on your APRA request in order to allow you the opportunity to retract or amend your request. If RIDE assesses any prepayment estimate, the time by which RIDE has to respond to your request shall be tolled pending receipt of payment and/or further clarification in accordance with R.I. Gen. Laws § 38-2-7(b).

RIDE does not maintain the following records:

• High school transcripts or diploma records

Graduates seeking these records should contact the charter school or public district from which they graduated.

• GED transcripts

Graduates seeking these records can obtain a copy of their GED transcript at myged.com.

• Postsecondary certificates or transcripts

Graduates of postsecondary certificate institutions seeking copies of certificates or transcripts should contact the school from which they graduated directly or the Rhode Island Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner.