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Access
to Records
What can schools say about your child? Information about students is included in annuals, programs for sports events, news releases, school newsletters and other publications. Certain information can be published without your consent, unless you protest in advance in writing. Included are the student’s name, address, grade level, school to which s/he is assigned and years of attendance at that school. Forms for this purpose are sent home at the beginning of each school year. Most other information, including grades, test scores and discipline, is confidential and can be released only with your permission or that of your child, if s/he is 18 or older. Lists of students In general, the district does not allow lists of students’ names and addresses to be given to any outside agency, public or private, without parental consent. Graduating seniors’ names and addresses are made available to the various branches of the armed services and are available to colleges and other post-secondary institutions. If you do not want your child’s name and address to appear on such lists, you should notify the principal’s office in writing. Viewing student records The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (a federal law) and the district policy on privacy of student records give you certain rights involving your child’s school records. If your child is more than 18 years old, these rights belong to him/her. The only other people who have the right to see these records are school officials with a legitimate, educational interest for examining the records and certain governmental agencies. In emergencies, information from the records may be given to hospitals, law enforcement or emergency medical personnel. You have the right to look at and review these records within 45 days of submitting a written request to do so. You should write the principal, stating which records you wish to see. The principal will set up a place and time for you to do this. If you find anything in these records you believe to be false or misleading, you may ask that they be changed. You should again write the principal, stating what you want changed and why. If the district decides not to make the changes requested, it will notify you of your right to a hearing on the matter and of the procedures for the hearing. You also have the right to give your approval for the release of personally identifiable information in your child’s records, although FERPA permits some information to be released without your consent. For example, a school official may see your child’s records if that official needs to, as part of his/her job. Also, the district will release your child’s records to another school district, without your consent, if your child plans to or is trying to enroll in that district. If you would like to see your child’s records, please call the school to make an appointment with the principal or guidance counselor, who can help you understand and interpret information in the records. If you think Richland One has not acted as it should under FERPA requirements, you may send a letter of complaint to: Family
Policy Compliance Office |
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