Parent/Student Handbook

Family Educational Rights and Privacy (FERPA)
The privacy of school records is protected by federal and state laws which cover nearly every type of pupil record maintained by local schools or school district central offices. Such records might include information about attendance, health, grades, behavior, athletic ability, or activities in class. The law generally prohibits the release of pupil records information without written consent of the parent, or adult student (18 years orolder). Records or information maintained by any school official exclusively for personal reference or use are not considered pupil records and are not subject to Federal and State privacy laws. Unless otherwise prohibited by law, any natural parent, adopted parent, or legal guardian may have access to and review the pupil records of their child. Also, students who are 16 years and older (or have completed the 10th grade) have the right to access their records.

School and District employees and officials who have a legitimate educational interest have a right to access pupil record information without the consent of the parent or student. A legitimate educational interest is defined as a need for the employee/official to access pupil record information in order to perform his/her job duties. Upon request, the school discloses education records without consent to officials of another school district in which a student seeks or intends to enroll or is already enrolled if the disclosure is for purposes of the student’s enrollment or transfer. In general, other individuals or agencies may be authorized to access, review and /or obtain pupil records by court order, parent/guardian consent, or by statute.

Directory information is routine information maintained by school districts about students. It is this special category of pupil record information that does not require the same level of confidential treatment as pupil record information. Under the law, a school district may identify certain categories of information as directory information and may provide directory information to certain individuals, officials and organizations identified by the district as those who have a legitimate need to know. Parents and/or adult students have the right to limit or deny the release of any portion of directory information. Additionally, parents and/or adult students may deny the release of directory information to any designated recipient.

Any and all of the following items of directory information relating to a pupil may be released to a designated recipient unless a written request is on file to withhold its release as indicated in the Information Release Form submitted to the school.