The Family Educational 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. These rights are:
- The right to inspect and review the student's
education records within 45 days of the day the schools receives a request for access.
Parents or
eligible students should submit to the school principal 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.
- The right to request the amendment of the student's
education records that the parent or eligible student
believes are inaccurate.
Parents or
eligible students may ask the school to amend a record
that they believe is inaccurate. They should
write the school principal, clearly identifying
the part of the record they want changed and specify why
it is inaccurate. 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.
- 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 school 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 school has contracted to perform a special task
(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 educational record in order to fulfill his or
her professional responsibility.
Upon request, the
school discloses education records without consent
to officials of a another school district in which a student
seeks or intends to enroll.
- The right to file a complaint with the U.S.
Department of Education concerning alleged failures by
the School District to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The
name and address of the office that administers FERPA
are:
Family Policy Compliance Officer
U.S. Department of
Education
400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C.
2002-4605
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