Public Information Request: IdentiSys

Dear e e:

Thank you for your interest in public records of Harris County Department of Education (HCDE). Your request has been received and is being processed in accordance with Chapter 552 of Texas Government Code, the Public Information Act. Your request was given the reference number P001841-030724 for tracking purposes.  In that request, you asked us for:
To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Texas Public Information Act, I hereby request the following records:

All contracts, licenses, MOUs, MOAs, data agreements, letters of intent, State of Work documents, Scope of Work documents, and other agreement documents with IdentiSys that were active between 1/1/2021 and 3/7/2024.

The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 10 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

e

Upload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/

Your request will be forwarded to the relevant HCDE division(s) to locate the information you seek and to determine the volume and any costs associated with satisfying your request. You will be contacted about the availability and/or provided with copies of the records in question.

PLEASE NOTE: The Texas Public Information Act does not require a governmental body to create new information, to do legal research, or to answer questions.

You can monitor the progress of your request at the link below and you'll receive an email when your request has been completed. Again, thank you for using the HCDE Public Information Center.

Harris County Department of Education

--- Please respond above this line ---

RE: PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST of March 07, 2024, Reference # P001841-030724
Dear Requestor,
I am writing regarding your request for information, which Harris County Department of Education (HCDE) received on March 07, 2024. In that request, you asked us for: To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Texas Public Information Act, I hereby request the following records:

All contracts, licenses, MOUs, MOAs, data agreements, letters of intent, State of Work documents, Scope of Work documents, and other agreement documents with IdentiSys that were active between 1/1/2021 and 3/7/2024.

The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 10 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Submission of your request as first name “e” and last name “e” is insufficient.  HCDE requests that you properly identify yourself as required by the Texas Public Information Act. Section 552.222(a) states:
(a)  The officer for public information and the officer's agent may not make an inquiry of a requestor except to establish proper identification or except as provided by Subsection (b), (c), or (c-1).
Therefore, pursuant to Section 552.222(a) of the Texas Government Code, HCDE is entitled to and requests you establish proper identification.
Sincerely,
Winford Adams
Public Information & Policy Manager
Harris County Department of Education

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This message, and any attachment(s) hereto, may contain confidential and/or proprietary information, which is the property of Harris County Department of Education and is intended for the person to whom or entity to which it was originally addressed. Any use by others is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or the taking of any action in reliance on the contents of this message or its attachments is strictly prohibited, and may be unlawful. If you have received this message in error, please delete all electronic copies of this message and its attachments, if any, without disclosing the contents, destroy any hard copies that may have been created and notify the sender immediately by telephone or email. If notification is by reply email, please delete the reply from your system.

Dear Ed Vogel:

Thank you for your interest in public records of Harris County Department of Education (HCDE). Your request has been received and is being processed in accordance with Chapter 552 of Texas Government Code, the Public Information Act. Your request was given the reference number P001884-100224 for tracking purposes.  In that request, you asked us for:
All contracts, licenses, MOUs, MOAs, data agreements, letters of intent, State of Work documents, Scope of Work documents, and other agreement documents with IdentiSys that were active between 1/1/2021 and 3/7/2024.

Your request will be forwarded to the relevant HCDE division(s) to locate the information you seek and to determine the volume and any costs associated with satisfying your request. You will be contacted about the availability and/or provided with copies of the records in question.

PLEASE NOTE: The Texas Public Information Act does not require a governmental body to create new information, to do legal research, or to answer questions.

You can monitor the progress of your request at the link below and you'll receive an email when your request has been completed. Again, thank you for using the HCDE Public Information Center.

Harris County Department of Education

Dear Ed Vogel:

Thank you for your interest in public records of Harris County Department of Education (HCDE). Your request has been received and is being processed in accordance with Chapter 552 of Texas Government Code, the Public Information Act. Your request was given the reference number P001885-100224 for tracking purposes.  In that request, you asked us for:
- All contracts, licenses, MOUs, MOAs, data agreements, letters of intent, State of Work documents, Scope of Work documents, and other agreement documents with Hoonuit or PowerSchool Group that were active between 1/1/2019 and 3/5/2024.

- All terms of service agreement documents with Hoonuit or PowerSchool Group that were active between 1/1/2019 and 3/5/2024.

Your request will be forwarded to the relevant HCDE division(s) to locate the information you seek and to determine the volume and any costs associated with satisfying your request. You will be contacted about the availability and/or provided with copies of the records in question.

PLEASE NOTE: The Texas Public Information Act does not require a governmental body to create new information, to do legal research, or to answer questions.

You can monitor the progress of your request at the link below and you'll receive an email when your request has been completed. Again, thank you for using the HCDE Public Information Center.

Harris County Department of Education

--- Please respond above this line ---

RE: PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST of October 02, 2024, Reference # P001884-100224
Dear Mr. Vogel,
I am writing regarding your request for information, which Harris County Department of Education (HCDE) received on October 02, 2024. In that request, you asked us for: All contracts, licenses, MOUs, MOAs, data agreements, letters of intent, State of Work documents, Scope of Work documents, and other agreement documents with IdentiSys that were active between 1/1/2021 and 3/7/2024.
HCDE has reviewed its files and has determined there are no responsive documents to your request.
Sincerely,
Winford Adams
Public Information & Policy Manager
Harris County Department of Education

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This message, and any attachment(s) hereto, may contain confidential and/or proprietary information, which is the property of Harris County Department of Education and is intended for the person to whom or entity to which it was originally addressed. Any use by others is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or the taking of any action in reliance on the contents of this message or its attachments is strictly prohibited, and may be unlawful. If you have received this message in error, please delete all electronic copies of this message and its attachments, if any, without disclosing the contents, destroy any hard copies that may have been created and notify the sender immediately by telephone or email. If notification is by reply email, please delete the reply from your system.

--- Please respond above this line ---

RE: PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST of October 02, 2024, Reference # P001885-100224
Dear Mr. Vogel,
I am writing regarding your request for information, which Harris County Department of Education (HCDE) received on October 02, 2024. In that request, you asked us for: - All contracts, licenses, MOUs, MOAs, data agreements, letters of intent, State of Work documents, Scope of Work documents, and other agreement documents with Hoonuit or PowerSchool Group that were active between 1/1/2019 and 3/5/2024.

- All terms of service agreement documents with Hoonuit or PowerSchool Group that were active between 1/1/2019 and 3/5/2024.
For a portion of your request, HCDE has reviewed its files and has located records responsive to your request.  Please log in to the HCDE Public Information Portal using the link below to retrieve the appropriate responsive documents. Public Information Request - P001885-100224
For another portion of your request, in accordance with Section 552.222(b) of the Texas Government Code, HCDE is writing to ask you to provide further clarification of your request.  Specifically, HCDE informs you that the information you have requested involves the property, privacy, and/or proprietary interests of a third party and may be excepted from disclosure under the Texas Public Information Act, Chapter 552 of the Texas Government Code.

HCDE further informs you that section 552.1101 of the Texas Government Code specifically addresses the confidentiality of proprietary information. Section 552.1101 creates an exception to disclosure to allow vendors and contractors to assert that disclosure of the requested information would reveal an individual approach to, for example, “discounts, pricing methodology, pricing per kilowatt hour, cost data, or other pricing information that will be used in future solicitation or bid documents” and that disclosure of that information would give advantage to a competitor.” See TEX. GOV’T CODE § 552.1101(a).
PowerSchool Group has declared some of their information confidential, proprietary, and/or trade secret information and excepted from disclosure under Chapter 552, Texas Government Code.
The law further requires, “A governmental body shall decline to release information…to the extent necessary to allow a vendor, contractor, potential vendor, or potential contractor to assert the exception to disclosure provided by [Section 552.1101(a)].” See TEX. GOV’T CODE § 552.1101(c).

As a result, if you would like for HCDE to proceed with your request, as it relates to Power School Group, HCDE is statutorily mandated to request a ruling from the Attorney General’s Office under Sections 552.305 and 552.1101 of the Texas Government Code and notify the affected third party of your request and of their right to submit arguments to the Attorney General’s Office detailing the reasons why the information should be withheld from disclosure. See TEX. GOV’T CODE §§ 552.305, 552.1101(c). Note that typically, the process for obtaining a ruling from the Attorney General’s Office takes approximately 60 days.
Please also note that if HCDE does not receive appropriate written clarification of your information requirements within sixty-one (61) days from the date of this correspondence (10/21/2024), HCDE will consider your request withdrawn.
You may provide a written response by any of the following methods:

by replying directly to this email
by regular mail to Harris County Department of Education, Attn: Public Information, 6300 Irvington Blvd., Houston, Texas 77022 or
in person at 6300 Irvington Blvd., Houston, Texas 77022.
In accordance with Section 552.275 of the Texas Government Code and HCDE Policies GBAA(LEGAL) and GBAA(LOCAL), HCDE is providing you with a written statement of the amount of personnel time spent complying with your request and the cumulative amount of personnel time spent complying with all of your requests for public information during the current fiscal year.  The amount of time spent complying with your current request is 18 hours.  The cumulative amount of time spent complying with your public information requests for the current fiscal year is 19 hours.
Sincerely,
Winford Adams
Public Information & Policy Manager
Harris County Department of Education

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This message, and any attachment(s) hereto, may contain confidential and/or proprietary information, which is the property of Harris County Department of Education and is intended for the person to whom or entity to which it was originally addressed. Any use by others is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or the taking of any action in reliance on the contents of this message or its attachments is strictly prohibited, and may be unlawful. If you have received this message in error, please delete all electronic copies of this message and its attachments, if any, without disclosing the contents, destroy any hard copies that may have been created and notify the sender immediately by telephone or email. If notification is by reply email, please delete the reply from your system.