Policy 3260: Student Rights of Privacy and Education Records

The Washington County School District complies with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) to ensure your student records remain secure and private. This policy outlines the extensive rights you and your parents have regarding the personal information the school maintains.

• The Right to Inspect Records: Parents (and students who have turned 18) have the right to review and inspect official school records within 45 days of making a written request to the school principal.

• The Right to Request Changes: If you or your parents believe a piece of information on your permanent record—such as a grade or attendance log—is incorrect, inaccurate, or misleading, a formal written request can be submitted to administration to ask for an amendment.

• Controlled Access to Information: The district will not share your personally identifiable information or grades with outside sources without written parental consent. The only exceptions are authorized school officials who have a legitimate educational need to see them, or another school district where you intend to enroll.

• Directory Information Opt-Out: The district may share basic "Directory Information" (such as a student's name, grade level, awards, or sports height/weight) without prior written consent. This data is also routinely shared with military recruiters and higher education institutions. Parents have two weeks from the start of the school year to submit a written request if they wish to opt out of having directory information shared.

What this means for you: Your academic, behavior, and medical logs are private. No one outside of your parents/guardians and your authorized teachers can access your school profile without explicit permission. If you see something wrong on your student portal or transcript, your family has the legal right to ask the school to investigate and fix it.

Media Release & Student Privacy Policy

To protect student privacy and comply with federal laws (like FERPA), the Washington County School District strictly regulates how student names, photos, and videos can be used online, in the news, or on social media.

• The Media Release Form: At the start of every school year, parents/guardians must sign a Media Release Form. This form gives the school and district permission to include the student’s photo, video, or first name in school-approved publications, such as the school website, official social media pages, and yearbooks.

• Staff Restrictions on Personal Accounts: School employees and volunteers are strictly prohibited from posting photos or videos of students (who are not their own children) on their personal social media accounts. All classroom or school event highlights must only be posted to official, district-approved pages.

• Protecting Student Identifiers: To keep students safe, schools will avoid posting individual pictures that pair a student’s first and last name together. Private information—such as physical addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, or graded work—will never be posted online.

• The "Group Photo" Guideline: Class or group photos posted online generally must include three or more students and cannot include detailed descriptions that pinpoint exactly who or where a specific student is standing in the picture.

• Outside News Media: On occasion, local news outlets (newspaper or television) may visit campus to cover positive school events or sports. If a parent has opted out of the media release, the school will ensure that the student is not interviewed or filmed individually by outside media crews.

What this means for parents: If you do not want your child's image or name used in the yearbook, on the school website, or highlighted for their academic or athletic achievements, you must explicitly opt out by contacting your school’s main office within the first two weeks of the school year.

If a parent or guardian believes their FERPA rights have been violated, they should try to resolve the issue locally first by contacting the school principal, the Washington County School District Superintendent, or the local school board.

If the district does not resolve the issue, a formal federal complaint can be filed directly with the U.S. Department of Education.

How to File a Federal FERPA Complaint

The designated federal body responsible for investigating student privacy violations is the Student Privacy Policy Office (SPPO)—historically referred to as the Family Policy Compliance Office (FPCO).

Parents have two primary ways to submit a complaint:

Option 1: File Digitally (Recommended)

You can complete and submit the official, fillable complaint form online through the U.S. Department of Education's data privacy portal:

• Website: studentprivacy.ed.gov/file-a-complaint

• Direct Email (if attaching a saved form): FERPA.Complaints@ed.gov

Option 2: File by Mail

If you prefer to submit a physical paper trail, you can print out the form and mail it directly to their headquarters in Washington, D.C.:

Student Privacy Policy Office

U.S. Department of Education

400 Maryland Avenue, SW

Washington, D.C. 20202-8520

Critical Requirements for the Complaint

The U.S. Department of Education will immediately dismiss a complaint if it does not meet strict federal guidelines. Ensure your submission includes the following:

• The 180-Day Window: The complaint must be filed within 180 days of the date the alleged violation occurred, or within 180 days of when you reasonably discovered the violation.

• Standing: The complaint must be filed by a parent who maintains legal rights over the student, or by the student themselves if they are an "eligible student" (age 18 or older or attending a postsecondary institution). Anonymous complaints or those filed by unrelated third parties are automatically dismissed.

• Specific Facts: You must clearly state the specific date of the incident, the name/address of the school district, the name of the superintendent, and a detailed description of the evidence showing exactly how your records were improperly shared or mishandled.