As used in this part:

1. (a) Act or FOIA means the Freedom of Information Act, as amended, 5 U.S.C. 552.
2. (b) Department means the United States Department of Education.
3. (c) Component means each separate bureau, office, board, division, commission, service, administration, or other organizational entity of the Department.
4. (d) FOIA request means a written request for agency records that reasonably describes the agency records sought, made by any person, including a member of the public (U.S. or foreign citizen/entity), partnership, corporation, association, and foreign or domestic governments (excluding Federal agencies).

5. (e)

   1. (1) Agency records are documentary materials regardless of physical form or characteristics that—

      1. (i) Are either created or obtained by the Department; and
      2. (ii) Are under the Department's control at the time it receives a FOIA request.

   2. (2) Agency records include—

      1. (i) Records created, stored, and retrievable in electronic format;
      2. (ii) Records maintained for the Department by a private entity under a records management contract with the Federal Government; and
      3. (iii) Documentary materials preserved by the Department as evidence of the organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures, operations or other activities of the Department or because of the informational value of data contained therein.

   3. (3) Agency records do not include tangible, evidentiary objects or equipment; library or museum materials made or acquired and preserved solely for reference or exhibition purposes; extra copies of documents preserved only for convenience of reference; stocks of publications; and personal records created for the convenience of an individual and not used to conduct Department business or incorporated into the Department's record keeping system or files.

      (Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552(a), 20 U.S.C. 3474)