FOIA section 7.5(r)

FOIA

Statutorily-confidential record set referenced via Sec. 7.5(r)

5 ILCS 140/7.5(r). Statutorily-confidential record set referenced via Sec. 7.5(r)

See every document citing this provision →

7 issues across 7 determination letters:2 violation found · 4 no violation · 1 no determination / resolved.

Counts are per issue, not per letter, and come from automated extraction checked against sampled letters. Determination letters are not binding precedent.

Authorities the Bureau cites most on this issue

Bowie v. Evanston Community Consolidated School District No. 65, 128 Ill. 2d 373 (1989) cited 3 times
De-identified student test scores (Pub. Acc. Op. No. 12-014) cited 1 times
Teacher anecdotal notes on student behaviors (PAC Req. Rev. Ltr. 61177) cited 1 times

How to challenge a denial on this issue

AI-generated summary of the decisions listed on this page, with each point linked to the letters it comes from. Determination letters are not binding precedent and this is not legal advice. Open the letter and check the PDF before relying on any point.

When a challenge is strong

The public body claims a record is a student record, but the record contains no information that could identify a specific student. Records without attributes that can identify individual students are not exempt student records under ISSRA, so the denial cannot stand solely on that basis.Based on: n.d. · Student enrollment counts by feed…
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. 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.Based on: n.d. · Security camera footage from a sc… · n.d. · Surveillance video of minors in a…

When the public body usually wins

The records document a specific student's behavior or performance and cannot be sufficiently redacted to prevent identification. Records that still identify the student even after redaction are exempt student records under ISSRA and may be withheld.Based on: n.d. · Incident reports and disciplinary…
The records are teacher anecdotal notes or similar materials that inherently could identify individual students. Such notes are exempt student records under ISSRA because they contain identifiable student information.Based on: n.d. · Teacher anecdotal notes on studen…
The public body redacts all information that would identify individual students and then discloses the record. Redaction of student-identifying information satisfies ISSRA, so the denial of the unredacted record is not a violation.Based on: n.d. · A settlement agreement and remedi…

Points to put in your letter

Point out that the record does not contain any information that can identify a specific student, so the student-record exemption should not apply.Based on: n.d. · Student enrollment counts by feed…
Ask the public body to redact any student-identifying information rather than withholding the entire record.Based on: n.d. · A settlement agreement and remedi…
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.Based on: n.d. · Security camera footage from a sc…

Common mistakes

Assuming all school-related records are automatically student records exempt from FOIA.Based on: n.d. · Security camera footage from a sc… · n.d. · Surveillance video of minors in a…
Failing to ask for redaction of student identifiers when the record contains some personal information.Based on: n.d. · A settlement agreement and remedi…
Using FOIA to request your own child's school records instead of filing under the Illinois School Student Records Act.Based on: n.d. · A school district's communication…

Facts to gather first

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.

These decision letters are non-binding and fact-specific; verify the original PDF to see the full context and how similar facts may differ.

Drafting brief for an AI assistant

Copy this into your assistant to help draft a request, appeal, or challenge to a denial that turns on this issue. It carries the rules and decisions, not your facts: add those yourself. Machine-readable version: foia-7-5-r.json.

TOPIC: 5 ILCS 140/7.5(r) - Statutorily-confidential record set referenced via Sec. 7.5(r)
SOURCE: Illinois Attorney General Public Access Bureau decisions compiled at https://illinoisfoia.org/issues/foia-7-5-r/
NOTE: Determination letters are not binding precedent; they show how the Bureau applies the law. Verify every decision against the source PDF before citing it.

VIOLATION FOUND (2):
- Section 7.5(r) ISSRA student record exemption
  Rule: CPS failed to show the video became part of a student's record, so it did not prove the ISSRA exemption applied.
  Decision: Security camera footage from a school event (non-binding determination letter, April 19, 2022) https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-65306/
- Redaction of student cell size counts under 10
  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: Student enrollment counts by feeder grammar school (non-binding determination letter, October 3, 2017) https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-48297/

NO VIOLATION (4):
- Denial of student disciplinary records under ISSRA exemption
  Rule: Records documenting specific student behavior cannot be sufficiently redacted to prevent identification, so ISSRA prohibits their disclosure.
  Decision: Incident reports and disciplinary records of student altercations (non-binding determination letter, October 1, 2024) https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-83088/
- Denial of teacher anecdotal notes as student records
  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: Teacher anecdotal notes on student behaviors (non-binding determination letter, January 3, 2020) https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-61177/
- Video recordings as school student records under section 7.5(r)
  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: Surveillance video of minors in a school gymnasium (non-binding determination letter, October 19, 2018) https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-53415/
- Redaction of student-identifying information under ISSRA
  Rule: ISSRA does not prohibit disclosure of records if information identifying individual students is redacted.
  Decision: A settlement agreement and remedial warning for a tenured teacher (non-binding determination letter, August 25, 2016) https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-37541/

NO DETERMINATION / RESOLVED (1):
- Parent's request for child's school records governed by ISSRA, not FOIA
  Rule: School student records are exempt from FOIA and must be requested under ISSRA, which provides the sole process for parental access.
  Decision: A school district's communications about a student harassment complaint (non-binding determination letter, February 7, 2025) https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-84841/

MOST-CITED AUTHORITIES: Bowie v. Evanston Community Consolidated School District No. 65, 128 Ill. 2d 373 (1989); Ill. Att'y Gen. Pub. Acc. Op. No. 12-014; Ill. Att'y Gen. PAC Req. Rev. Ltr. 61177

TASK FOR THE ASSISTANT: Using only the decisions above, help draft a letter. Argue from the rule and cite the decision by name and date. Do not invent decisions.

Violation found (2)

Section 7.5(r) ISSRA student record exemption
Rule: CPS failed to show the video became part of a student's record, so it did not prove the ISSRA exemption applied.
Violation found Security camera footage from a school event · April 19, 2022
Redaction of student cell size counts under 10
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.
Violation found Student enrollment counts by feeder grammar school · October 3, 2017

No violation (4)

Denial of student disciplinary records under ISSRA exemption
Rule: Records documenting specific student behavior cannot be sufficiently redacted to prevent identification, so ISSRA prohibits their disclosure.
No violation Incident reports and disciplinary records of student altercations · October 1, 2024
Denial of teacher anecdotal notes as student records
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).
No violation Teacher anecdotal notes on student behaviors · January 3, 2020
Video recordings as school student records under section 7.5(r)
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.
No violation Surveillance video of minors in a school gymnasium · October 19, 2018
Redaction of student-identifying information under ISSRA
Rule: ISSRA does not prohibit disclosure of records if information identifying individual students is redacted.
No violation A settlement agreement and remedial warning for a tenured teacher · August 25, 2016

No determination / resolved (1)

Parent's request for child's school records governed by ISSRA, not FOIA
Rule: School student records are exempt from FOIA and must be requested under ISSRA, which provides the sole process for parental access.
No determination / resolved A school district's communications about a student harassment complaint · February 7, 2025