Independent investigative journalism for California's Central Valley Submit a Tip  |  Subscribe on Substack
Reader Resources

Know Your Rights.
Read the Records.

Tools, guides, and databases to help you understand government documents, follow your public officials, file records requests, and engage with accountability journalism in California's Central Valley.

Submit a Tip

You have the right to share information with journalists. Here's how to reach us — and how to do it safely.

Most Secure
Signal Encrypted Message
Signal is end-to-end encrypted. Best option if you are a public employee or have sensitive documents to share. Ask for our Signal number via the secure tip form first.
Go to Secure Tip Form →
Anonymous
Anonymous Tip Form
Share information without identifying yourself. Use a personal device and network — not a work computer. Do not submit anonymous tips from an employer's network.
Submit Anonymously →
Direct Email
Email the Newsroom
For non-sensitive tips. Standard email is not fully encrypted — use Signal or the anonymous form if your tip involves your employer or a public agency.
tips@dismalfreedompress.org →
Whistleblowers
California Whistleblower Protections
California's Whistleblower Protection Act (Gov. Code 8547) protects public employees who report improper governmental activity. Consult an attorney before disclosing employer information.
CA Whistleblower Rights →

How to File a CPRA Request

The California Public Records Act gives you the right to request records from any California government agency. No reason required.

Your right: Under the CPRA (Gov. Code 7920 et seq.), any person can request records from any California state or local agency. Agencies must respond within 10 calendar days. You do not need to give a reason for your request.
  1. Identify the agency and records
    Determine which agency holds the records — city, county, school district, or state department. Be specific: dates, names, department, document type (emails, contracts, meeting minutes, complaint files).
  2. Find the CPRA contact
    Look for "Public Records Request" on the agency's website or email the city clerk or district office. Many agencies now have online request portals.
  3. Write your request
    Email is fine. State: "Pursuant to the California Public Records Act, I request copies of [describe records] from [date range]." Use MuckRock to generate and track requests for free.
  4. Track your deadlines
    Agencies must respond within 10 calendar days — either producing records or explaining why they need up to 14 more days. Keep copies of all correspondence with dates.
  5. Appeal or escalate
    If denied, the agency must cite a specific exemption. You can appeal to the agency, the CA Attorney General, or petition Superior Court. First Amendment Coalition offers free legal advice.
Free Tool
MuckRock — File & Track CPRA Requests
File, track, and share public records requests for free. DFP uses MuckRock for many of our CPRA filings.
MuckRock.com →
Free Legal Help
First Amendment Coalition
Free legal advice for journalists and the public dealing with public records denials and Brown Act violations in California.
FAC Legal Hotline →

How to Read Government Records

Government documents have specific formats. Here's how to interpret the most common types DFP covers.

School Districts
Board Meeting Minutes & Agendas
Minutes are the official record of board votes. Look for: vote tallies, items pulled from consent calendar, closed session reports, and public comment records. Agendas must be posted 72 hours before meetings under Brown Act.
CA School Governance Guide →
School Performance
CA School Dashboard
Academic performance, chronic absenteeism, graduation rates, and equity gaps by student group — including English Learners and students with disabilities. Color-coded by performance level.
CA School Dashboard →
Government Contracts
Reading Contracts & Vendor Agreements
Look for: total contract value, sole-source justifications (bypasses competitive bidding), amendment history (contracts often grow well beyond original value), and conflict-of-interest disclosures.
CA State Auditor Reports →
Civil Rights
OCR Complaint Files
Office for Civil Rights complaint files document civil rights complaints against school districts under Title VI (race), Title IX (sex), and Section 504 (disability). Acceptance letters and resolution agreements are public records.
OCR Complaint Portal →
Emails
Reading CPRA-Produced Emails
Redactions must cite a specific exemption. Look for: who is cc'd (reveals chain of command), timestamps relative to key events, forwarding patterns, and gaps in email chains — which can be as significant as what's there.
Budgets
Reading School District Budgets (LCAP)
Districts must publish a Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) showing how supplemental funds for English Learners and low-income students are spent. Compare stated goals against CA School Dashboard outcomes.
LCAP Resources — CDE →

Follow the Money

Track campaign contributions, government spending, and public salaries using these free databases.

Campaign Finance
Cal-Access — CA Campaign Finance
Search all California campaign contributions and expenditures. See who funds school board candidates, city council races, and ballot measures across Central Valley counties.
Cal-Access →
Public Salaries
Transparent California
Search salaries and total compensation of every California public employee — school district administrators, superintendents, and city officials — searchable by name, agency, or salary range.
TransparentCalifornia.com →
Federal Spending
USASpending.gov
Track federal grants, contracts, and loans to California school districts, cities, and counties. Useful for tracking Title I, IDEA, and federal infrastructure funds.
USASpending.gov →
Nonprofits
ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer
Search IRS Form 990s for any nonprofit — school foundations, community groups, and advocacy organizations active in Central Valley education and housing debates.
ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer →
Lobbying
CA Lobbyist & Expenditure Search
Track organizations lobbying California legislators and agencies — including education associations and corporate interests active in the Central Valley.
CA Lobbying Database →
Property
County Assessors — SJ & Stanislaus
Look up property ownership, assessed values, and transaction history. Useful for following development decisions and conflicts of interest in districts you are tracking.
SJ County Assessor →

Know Your Rights at Public Meetings

The Brown Act is California's open meetings law. It governs school boards, city councils, county boards, and most public agencies.

Your rights under the Brown Act: You have the right to attend any meeting of a public agency, record the meeting (audio and video), and address the governing body during public comment. Agencies cannot discuss or take action on items not on the posted agenda.
  1. Find the agenda (posted 72 hours before)
    Check the district or agency website. Failure to post in time is a Brown Act violation you can report.
  2. Sign up for public comment
    Most agencies require a speaker card before the meeting. Arrive early. You typically get 2–3 minutes per agenda item.
  3. Record the meeting
    You have the right to record. Use your phone. It is not legally required to announce you are recording at a public meeting, but being transparent is recommended.
  4. Report violations
    Brown Act violations can be reported to the agency's legal counsel, the county DA, or the California AG. First Amendment Coalition advises at no cost. DFP also accepts tips about Brown Act violations.
Find Meetings
DFP School Board Directory
Board meeting schedules for every district across DFP's coverage region — San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Placer, Contra Costa, Solano, and Alameda counties.
View Board Directory →
Brown Act Guide
CA AG Open Meeting Summary
Plain-language guide to the Brown Act from the California Attorney General — including what constitutes a quorum and how to challenge violations.
CA Open Meeting Guide →

Public Databases

Free databases to research your community — no CPRA request required.

Education
CA School Dashboard
Academic performance, absenteeism, and equity gaps for every California school, broken down by student group.
caschooldashboard.org →
Air Quality
SJVAPCD Air Quality Data
San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District real-time monitoring, violation records, and permit databases.
Valley Air District →
Evictions
Eviction Lab Tracker
Track eviction filings in San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Merced counties using court record data.
Eviction Lab →
Drinking Water
SWRCB Drinking Water Data
Search water quality violations for any California water system, including small rural systems across the Central Valley.
CA Drinking Water →
Law Enforcement
CA DOJ Open Justice
California law enforcement use-of-force incidents, searchable by agency and year.
CA Open Justice →
Housing
HCD Housing Data
CA Department of Housing tracking of local housing production, permits, and state housing law compliance.
HCD.ca.gov →
Court Records
San Joaquin Superior Court
Civil and criminal case records in San Joaquin County — useful for tracking litigation involving public officials and agencies.
SJ Court Records →
Government Budgets
CA State Budget — ebudget
Track how state funding flows to counties, school districts, and cities — including education block grants and public health allocations.
ebudget.ca.gov →

See also: DFP's full Data Library → — including our CPRA Records collection.

Glossary of Government & Legal Terms

Plain-language definitions of terms you'll encounter in DFP's coverage and government documents.

Brown Act
California's open meetings law (Gov. Code 54950) requiring public agency meetings to be open, with agendas posted 72 hours in advance.
CPRA (California Public Records Act)
State law (Gov. Code 7920 et seq.) giving the public the right to inspect and copy records of California public agencies. Agencies must respond within 10 days.
Consent Calendar
A block of routine agenda items voted on together without individual discussion. Any board member can "pull" an item for separate discussion.
Closed Session
A portion of a public meeting not open to the public. Allowed only for litigation, real property, and personnel matters. Boards must report out any action taken.
LCAP (Local Control Accountability Plan)
Annual district plan showing goals, actions, and spending for supplemental funding targeting English Learners, low-income students, and foster youth.
LTEL (Long-Term English Learner)
A student enrolled in U.S. schools for six or more years who has not yet been reclassified as English proficient. A key equity indicator in the CA School Dashboard.
OCR (Office for Civil Rights)
U.S. Department of Education civil rights enforcement office. Accepts complaints alleging discrimination under Title VI (race), Title IX (sex), and Section 504 (disability).
Title I
Federal funding for schools with high percentages of low-income students. Schools must use funds for evidence-based interventions.
Deliberative Process Privilege
A CPRA exemption for pre-decisional government records. Frequently overused; challenged successfully in court when applied to factual information or finalized decisions.
Quorum
The minimum number of board members required to conduct official business. For a five-member board, three members constitute a quorum. Serial meetings outside public sessions violate the Brown Act.
Sole-Source Contract
A government contract awarded without competitive bidding. Agencies must justify why only one vendor can meet their needs. Frequently misused.
Whistleblower
An employee who discloses improper government activity. Protected under California's Whistleblower Protection Act (Gov. Code 8547) from retaliation by their employer.

Stay Informed

Follow DFP and other accountability journalism outlets covering the Central Valley and California.

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Press Releases
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California
CalMatters
Nonprofit journalism covering California state government, education, housing, and water policy.
calmatters.org →
Education
EdSource
Nonprofit journalism covering California education policy, school funding, and student outcomes.
edsource.org →
Stockton
Local News Matters
Local journalism covering Stockton and San Joaquin County — city hall, schools, and neighborhoods.
localnewsmatters.org →
Investigations
ProPublica
National investigative journalism. Their Nonprofit Explorer and data tools are useful for any reader tracking public institutions.
propublica.org →