{
 "topic": "FOIA section 7.5(r) - Statutorily-confidential record set referenced via Sec. 7.5(r)",
 "statute": "5 ILCS 140/7.5(r)",
 "family": "Other statutory exemptions (section 7.5)",
 "page": "https://illinoisfoia.org/issues/foia-7-5-r/",
 "note": "Determination letters are non-binding. Verify against the source PDF before citing.",
 "counts": {
  "violation_found": 2,
  "no_violation": 4,
  "no_determination": 1,
  "other": 0
 },
 "challenge_notes": {
  "generated_by": "AI summary of the decisions listed on this page; not legal advice; verify each decision against its PDF",
  "when_a_challenge_is_strong": [
   {
    "text": "The public body claims a record is a student record, but the record contains no information that could identify a specific student.",
    "why": "Records without attributes that can identify individual students are not exempt student records under ISSRA, so the denial cannot stand solely on that basis.",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Student enrollment counts by feeder grammar school",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-48297/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "The public body withholds a video or other record under the student record exemption without showing it was actually used and maintained as part of a student's record.",
    "why": "Security videos and similar records are only school student records if officials use and maintain them as part of a student's record; failing to prove that connection makes the exemption inapplicable.",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Security camera footage from a school event",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-65306/#issue-1"
     },
     {
      "title": "Surveillance video of minors in a school gymnasium",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-53415/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   }
  ],
  "when_the_body_usually_wins": [
   {
    "text": "The records document a specific student's behavior or performance and cannot be sufficiently redacted to prevent identification.",
    "why": "Records that still identify the student even after redaction are exempt student records under ISSRA and may be withheld.",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Incident reports and disciplinary records of student altercations",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-83088/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "The records are teacher anecdotal notes or similar materials that inherently could identify individual students.",
    "why": "Such notes are exempt student records under ISSRA because they contain identifiable student information.",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Teacher anecdotal notes on student behaviors",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-61177/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "The public body redacts all information that would identify individual students and then discloses the record.",
    "why": "Redaction of student-identifying information satisfies ISSRA, so the denial of the unredacted record is not a violation.",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "A settlement agreement and remedial warning for a tenured teacher",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-37541/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   }
  ],
  "points_to_put_in_the_letter": [
   {
    "text": "Point out that the record does not contain any information that can identify a specific student, so the student-record exemption should not apply.",
    "why": "",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Student enrollment counts by feeder grammar school",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-48297/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "Ask the public body to redact any student-identifying information rather than withholding the entire record.",
    "why": "",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "A settlement agreement and remedial warning for a tenured teacher",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-37541/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "Demand that the public body show the record was actually used and maintained as part of a student's record if they claim ISSRA protection.",
    "why": "",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Security camera footage from a school event",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-65306/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   }
  ],
  "facts_to_gather": [
   "Whether the record contains any student name, number, or other identifier.",
   "Whether the record (especially a video) was used for student discipline or placed in a student's file.",
   "Whether the record can be redacted to remove identifying details while leaving the rest responsive."
  ],
  "common_mistakes": [
   {
    "text": "Assuming all school-related records are automatically student records exempt from FOIA.",
    "why": "",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Security camera footage from a school event",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-65306/#issue-1"
     },
     {
      "title": "Surveillance video of minors in a school gymnasium",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-53415/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "Failing to ask for redaction of student identifiers when the record contains some personal information.",
    "why": "",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "A settlement agreement and remedial warning for a tenured teacher",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-37541/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "Using FOIA to request your own child's school records instead of filing under the Illinois School Student Records Act.",
    "why": "",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "A school district's communications about a student harassment complaint",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-84841/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   }
  ],
  "caution": "These decision letters are non-binding and fact-specific; verify the original PDF to see the full context and how similar facts may differ."
 },
 "issues": [
  {
   "issue": "Parent's request for child's school records governed by ISSRA, not FOIA",
   "outcome": "no_determination",
   "rule": "School student records are exempt from FOIA and must be requested under ISSRA, which provides the sole process for parental access.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "A school district's communications about a student harassment complaint",
    "date": "2025-02-07",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-84841/"
   },
   "authorities": []
  },
  {
   "issue": "Denial of student disciplinary records under ISSRA exemption",
   "outcome": "no_violation",
   "rule": "Records documenting specific student behavior cannot be sufficiently redacted to prevent identification, so ISSRA prohibits their disclosure.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "Incident reports and disciplinary records of student altercations",
    "date": "2024-10-01",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-83088/"
   },
   "authorities": [
    {
     "text": "Bowie v. Evanston Community Consolidated School District No. 65, 128 Ill. 2d 373 (1989)",
     "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/cases/pre1996-126805/"
    },
    {
     "text": "Board of Education of City of Chicago v. Illinois Education Labor Relations Board, 2013 IL App (1st) 122447",
     "url": "https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/2679468/board-of-education-of-the-city-of-chicago-v-illino/"
    },
    {
     "text": "Ill. Att'y Gen. PAC Req. Rev. Ltr. 61177",
     "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-61177/"
    }
   ]
  },
  {
   "issue": "Section 7.5(r) ISSRA student record exemption",
   "outcome": "violation_found",
   "rule": "CPS failed to show the video became part of a student's record, so it did not prove the ISSRA exemption applied.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "Security camera footage from a school event",
    "date": "2022-04-19",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-65306/"
   },
   "authorities": []
  },
  {
   "issue": "Denial of teacher anecdotal notes as student records",
   "outcome": "no_violation",
   "rule": "Records from which individual students could be identified are exempt student records under ISSRA and may be withheld under FOIA section 7.5(r).",
   "decision": {
    "title": "Teacher anecdotal notes on student behaviors",
    "date": "2020-01-03",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-61177/"
   },
   "authorities": [
    {
     "text": "Bowie v. Evanston Community Consolidated School District No. 65, 128 Ill. 2d 373, 375 (1989)",
     "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/cases/pre1996-126805/"
    },
    {
     "text": "Board of Education of City of Chicago v. Illinois Education Labor Relations Board, 2013 IL App (1st) 122447, ¶ 19, 3 N.E.3d 343, 350 (2013)",
     "url": "https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/2679468/board-of-education-of-the-city-of-chicago-v-illino/"
    },
    {
     "text": "Illinois Education Labor Relations Board, 2013 IL App (1st) 122447, ¶ 21, 3 N.E.3d at 350",
     "url": null
    }
   ]
  },
  {
   "issue": "Video recordings as school student records under section 7.5(r)",
   "outcome": "no_violation",
   "rule": "Video recordings created for security purposes are not school student records unless officials use and maintain them as part of a student's record.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "Surveillance video of minors in a school gymnasium",
    "date": "2018-10-19",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-53415/"
   },
   "authorities": []
  },
  {
   "issue": "Redaction of student cell size counts under 10",
   "outcome": "violation_found",
   "rule": "CPS failed to prove by clear and convincing evidence that student cell size counts under 10 are exempt under section 7.5(r) because the records contain no attributes that could identify individual students.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "Student enrollment counts by feeder grammar school",
    "date": "2017-10-03",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-48297/"
   },
   "authorities": [
    {
     "text": "Ill. Att'y Gen. PAC Req. Rev. Ltr. 46840",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "Ill. Att'y Gen. PAC Req. Rev. Ltr. 44301",
     "url": null
    }
   ]
  },
  {
   "issue": "Redaction of student-identifying information under ISSRA",
   "outcome": "no_violation",
   "rule": "ISSRA does not prohibit disclosure of records if information identifying individual students is redacted.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "A settlement agreement and remedial warning for a tenured teacher",
    "date": "2016-08-25",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-37541/"
   },
   "authorities": [
    {
     "text": "Bowie v. Evanston Community Consolidated School District No. 65, 128 Ill. 2d 373 (1989)",
     "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/cases/pre1996-126805/"
    },
    {
     "text": "Human Rights Authority of State of Illinois Guardianship and Advocacy Comm'n by Aune v. Miller, 124 Ill. App. 3d 701 (1984)",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "Ill. Att'y Gen. Pub. Acc. Op. No. 12-014",
     "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/2012-pac-21157/"
    }
   ]
  }
 ]
}