Reach for a star... by meeting every Sunshine Law requirement. Then add
best practices from the list below to achieve a multiple-star rating
best practices from the list below to achieve a multiple-star rating
Open and Transparent Government: Meets all Sunshine Law requirements.
Achievement in Open and Transparent Government: Implemented 1-2 best practices*
Outstanding Achievement in Open and Transparent Government: Implemented 3-4 best practices*
Highest Achievement in Open and Transparent Government: Implemented 5 or more best practices*
Non-compliant
Sunshine Law requirements are not fully achieved. Click here for information to help you achieve compliance.
- Read Auditor Faber's bulletin announcing StaRs
- Click here for online Sunshine Laws training
- Request a public record
- Coming soon: Search for your government's transparency rating
*Best Practices
To create an open and transparent government, the AOS suggests implementing
the following best practices. Note: These suggestions are not required by Ohio's
Sunshine Laws.
1 The public office employs a method to track public records requests, such as
record requested, date received and date provided.
2 To assist the public in making a request for records the public office has
standard request forms that are available to requestors to use if they wish, as
well as for the staff to use when a request is made via phone.
3 The public office provides an acknowledgment to the requestor when a public
records request is received, consistent with how the request was made.
4 To assist the public in making a request for records, the public office has
publicized (website, public records poster, etc.) the name or office title of the
records custodian and his/her contact information. Further, the public office’s staff
has been trained on how to route public records requests to the record custodian,
who also has been trained on fulfilling the public records requests, including
guidelines for negotiating ambiguous or large requests.
5 The public office has an online presence that provides the office’s agendas,
policies and schedules.
6 The public office has an online presence that provides access to official
documents, such as the annual budget, salaries and contact information.
7 All elected officials or their designees, as well as community school
administrators, have taken the required public-records training within
the applicable time frame.