FERPA NOTIFICATION

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and District Policy affords parents and students over 18 years of age (“eligible student”) certain rights with respect to the student’s education records.  These rights are:

1. The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the school receives a request for access.  Parents or eligible students should submit to the school principal or assistant principal a written request that identifies the record(s) they wish to inspect.  The school official 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 is inaccurate or misleading.  Parents or eligible students may ask the school to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading.  Such requests should be in writing and addressed to the school principal or assistant principal.  It must clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading.  If the school decides not to amend the record as requested by the parent or eligible student, the school 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 the FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.  The following information may be disclosed without consent:

   1. Directory information:  The following information is designated as student Directory Information:  Student’s name, address (to include internet address), phone number, date of birth, grade level, extra-curricular participation, awards or honors, photograph, video or digital images, height and weight (if a member of an athletic team), previous school attended, dates of attendance, and parent’s name.  “Directory Information” may be disclosed without prior consent.  The District will also routinely disclose names, addresses, and telephone numbers to military recruiters.

Parents or eligible students will have two weeks from the beginning of the school year or date a student enrolls to advise the school district, in writing, of any and all items they refuse to permit the district to designate as directory information for the balance of the school year.

2. School Officials:  School officials with legitimate educational interests may also have access to records.  A school official is a person employed by the school as an administrator, supervisor, instructor, or support staff member such as a bus driver (including health or medical staff and law enforcement unit personnel); a person serving on the School Board; a person or company with whom the school has contracted to perform a special task 9 such as an attorney, auditor, medical consultant, or therapist); or a parent or student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks.  A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.

3. Other schools:  The school may disclose education records without consent to officials of another school district in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.

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

Family Policy Compliance Office

U.S. Department of Education

400 Maryland Avenue, SW

Washington, DC 20202-4605