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Records of Students

FERPA - ANNUAL NOTICE

The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords parents and students over 18 years of age ("eligible students") certain rights with respect to the student's education records. They are:

1. The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days of the day the District receives a request for access.

Parents or eligible students should submit to the school principal (or appropriate school official) a written request that identifies the record(s) they wish to inspect. The principal will make arrangements for access and notify the parent or eligible student of the time and place where the records may be inspected.

2. The right to request the amendment of the student's education records that the parent or eligible student believes are inaccurate or misleading or in violation of the student's privacy rights.

Parents or eligible students may ask the District to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should write the school principal, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading.

If the District decides not to amend the record as requested by the parent or eligible student, the District will notify the parent or eligible student of the decision and advise them of their right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the parent or eligible student when notified of the right to a hearing.

3. The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.

One exception which permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the District as an administrator, supervisor, instructor, or support staff member (including health or medical staff and law enforcement unit personnel); a person serving on the School Board; a person or company with whom the District has contracted to perform a special task (such as an attorney, auditor, AEA employees, consultant, or therapist); or a parent or student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee or student assistance team, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks.

A school official has legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.

Upon request, the District discloses education records without consent to officials of another school district in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.

4. FERPA requires that the District, with certain exceptions, obtain your written consent prior to the disclosure of personally identifiable information from your child's education records. However, the District may disclose appropriately designated "directory information" without written consent, unless you have advised the District to the contrary. Any student over the age of eighteen or parent not wanting this directory information released to the public must make objection in writing by the start of each school year (or within ten days of enrolling in the District if a student enters after the start of the school year) to the principal. The objection needs to be renewed annually.

NAME, ADDRESS, TELEPHONE NUMBER; NAMES, ADDRESSES, EMAIL ADDRESSES, AND TELEPHONE NUMBERS OF THE PARENTS OR GUARDIANS; DATE AND PLACE OF BIRTH; ENROLLMENT STATUS; GRADE LEVEL AND FIELDS OF STUDY; PARTICIPATION IN OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZED ACTIVITIES AND SPORTS; WEIGHT AND HEIGHT OF MEMBERS OF ATHLETIC TEAMS; DATES OF ATTENDANCE AND THE BUILDING ATTENDED IN THE DISTRICT; DEGREES HONORS, AND AWARDS RECEIVED; THE MOST RECENT, PREVIOUS SCHOOL OR INSTITUTION ATTENDED BY THE STUDENT; PHOTOGRAPHS AND LIKENESSES; AND OTHER SIMILAR INFORMATION.

5. The right to file a complaint with U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the District to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA is:

Family Policy Compliance Office
U. S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Ave., SE
Washington, D.C. 20202-4605

The District may, prior to adjudication, without parental consent or court order, share any information with juvenile justice agencies contained in a student's cumulative record, which is directly related to the juvenile justice system's ability to effectively serve the student. Information contained in a student's cumulative record may be disclosed by the District to juvenile justice agencies after adjudication only with parental consent or a court order. Information shared shall be used solely for determining the programs and services appropriate to the needs of the student or student's family or coordinating the delivery of programs and services to the student or student's family. Information shared is not admissible in any court proceedings which take place prior to a disposition hearing, unless written consent is obtained from a student's parent, guardian, or legal or actual custodian. The agreement with the juvenile justice agency only governs the District's ability to share information and the purposes for which that information can be used.

Confidential information shared between the agency and the District shall remain confidential and shall not be shared with any other person, unless otherwise provided by law.

See Board Policy 535 - Student Records.

See Board Policy 634 Exh A - Assessment Program .

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