Responses to questions dealing specifically with the security of a school can be designated as protected information and exempted from FOIA requests. While completing the survey, you will see a section titled “School Security and Surveillance”. Questions in this section are exempt from FOIA requests and the school division and the VCSCS will protect that information from release.
No, unless your superintendent specifically requires you to do so. The web-based survey system allows each superintendent to access surveys submitted by schools in their division. The superintendent will be able to view/modify their schools’ survey responses and print copies of these surveys for their files.
Completed surveys are viewed only by the school's division superintendent and by VCSCS staff. However, interested persons can submit a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request and ask to view the information. As an extra safeguard, principals can designate the security-related section of their survey as “exempt from FOIA requests” should an outside party request access to a school’s survey responses.
The school survey should be completed by the principal of the school; however, if completion of the survey is delegated to other staff, the principal/superintendent will be held responsible for the reliability of the content submitted.
A school, for purposes of the school safety survey, is any separate physical structure that houses and instructs public school students during the school day. Regional, alternative, governor’s schools, head start, and preschool facilities that are not physically part of another public school building are therefore considered a “school” and must complete a school safety survey, regardless of where the enrollment of its students is housed.
Virginia Code Section § 22.1-279.8 requires each local school board to require all schools under its supervisory control to annually conduct school safety audits as defined in Code and according to lists established by the Virginia Center for School and Campus Safety § 9.1-184. To see a list of items required in this year’s audit, visit the Virginia School Safety Audit Program homepage.
