ACCESS TO STUDENT RECORDS (FERPA) AND DIRECTORY NOTICE

Notification of Rights Under FERPA: 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 date the school receives a request for access. Parents or eligible students should submit to the building 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.

  • The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the parent or eligible student believes are inaccurate or misleading. Parents or eligible students may ask the school to amend a record that they believe inaccurate or misleading. They should write the building principal and 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.

  • 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” includes an instructional, supervisory, administrative or ancillary employee employed by or under contract with the district; a board member; a parent or student serving on an official committee or assisting another school official in performing school tasks; an agent of the district, including but not limited to, a person employed by or under contract with the district to perform a special task, such as an attorney, auditor, medical consultant or therapist/counselor. A “legitimate educational interest” is the school official’s need to know in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility. Another exception is the school’s transmittal of education records to officials of another school district or college post-secondary institution in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.

  • The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning 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 Ave. SW, Washington, D.C. 20202-4605.

DIRECTORY INFORMATION NOTICE (TCSD POLICY 7241)

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) defines student directory information as any of the following: Name; address; telephone listing; date and place of birth; major field of study; grade level; participation in officially-recognized activities and sports; weight and height (if members of athletic teams); dates of attendance; honors, degrees and awards received; electronic mail address; photograph; and the name of the educational agency or institution most recently previously attended by the student. The district will release only the following defined directory information: Name, participation in officially-recognized activities and sports, honors, degrees and awards received. A parent or eligible student may refuse to allow the district to release any or all of the above-mentioned types of information about the student as directory information by notifying the district in writing of the objection to the release no later than October 1, 2023. If you have any questions regarding this notification, please call your school’s principal.