Access to Student Educational Records ­ A Parental Guide …

             Access to Student Educational Records ­ A Parental Guide
                   Protecting the Privacy of Student Information
                                                                · Individuals connected with a health or safety
Family Education Rights and                                  emergancy.
                                                                                                                                 · If a district hearing is requested, the hearing
                                                                                                                              officer will review and consider documented evidence
Privacy Act (FERPA)                                             · In addition, two federal laws require local                 about the record and render a ruling.
                                                             educational agencies (LEAs) receiving assistance under              · If the change to the record is denied, the parent
    Most information about Washoe County School              the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965               has the right to place a written statement in the record
District (WCSD) students cannot be made public               (ESEA) to provide military recruiters, upon request, with        explaining the reasons for his/her disagreement.
without the consent of parents or guardians. Federal law     three directory information categories ­ names, addresses
prohibits schools or the district from releasing             and telephone listings ­ unless parents have advised the
                                                             LEA that they do not want their student's information
                                                                                                                              Protection of Pupil Rights
information without permission, except for what is
termed "directory information" (defined below).              disclosed without prior written consent.                         Amendment (PPRA)
    According to the Federal Family Educational
Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), directory            May parents see results of tests given their child?                 PPRA affords parents and eligible students certain
information about students may be released by the               Parents have the right to review results from                 rights regarding the district's conduct of surveys,
district without parental consent, provided annual           academic, standardized, or psychological tests. If the           collection and use of information for marketing
notification has been given and the school does not          test itself is kept in the child's records, parents may          purposes, and certain physical exams. These include
have on file written denial to release directory             look at it, if allowed by the NRS.                               the right to:
information. However, schools do use discretion when                                                                             · Inspect instructional materials that will be used
they receive requests for directory information and          Can the school legally refuse to show parents                    in connection with a U.S. Department of Education
will not release such information if it is the principal's   any records?                                                     (USDE) funded or public school program administered
judgment that releasing such information would not be           Personal notes kept by a teacher, principal, psych-           survey, analysis or evaluation in which their children or
in the best interest of the student.                         ologist, or other school employee for the sole use of that       the pupils participate; and
                                                             person are not considered part of the child's record. Such          · Give written parental consent before minor
Parents/guardians or students 18 years of age or older       personal notes are not retained in the cumulative record.        students are required to participate in USDE funded or
who do not want any or all categories of directory infor-                                                                     public school program administered survey, analysis or
mation released without their prior consent must notify                                                                       evaluation that reveals information concerning:
the school principal in writing no later than OCTOBER
                                                             How do parents look at such information?
                                                                 Ask! Schools will make an appointment for parents               1. Political affiliations;
1. If no written denial to release directory information                                                                         2. Mental and psychological problems potentially
without prior consent is received by OCTOBER 1, the
                                                             to review their child's educational records. Schools have
                                                             forty-five (45) days to schedule the appointment, but            embarrassing to the student and his/her family;
school will assume that consent has been given.                                                                                  3. Sex behavior and attitudes;
                                                             most schools act immediately.
                                                                 · Parents have a right to an explanation of any forms,          4. Illegal, antisocial, self-incriminating and
   The district's policies on access to student              test scores, or educational language that they don't             demeaning behavior;
information are in compliance with FERPA and                 understand. If the principal or the appropriate school staff        5. Critical appraisals of other individuals with whom
Nevada Revised Statute (NRS) 392.029 of the 1997             member is not available to answer questions, the parents         respondents have close family relationships;
legislative session.                                         should schedule a meeting in advance at a more                      6. Legally recognized privileged or analogous
                                                             appropriate time.                                                relationships, such as those of lawyers, physicians and
What is general directory information?                           · When asking to see their child's records, parents          ministers;
   Certain information is made available to most other       with limited English proficiency may ask the school to              7. Religious practices, affiliations or beliefs; or
individuals only with parental written permission.           provide a translator for the meeting.                               8. Income (other than that required by law to
Activities such as awards, scholarships, college/                                                                             determine eligibility for participation in a program or
technical school information and various school              How can an individual obtain school records,                     for receiving financial assistance under such program).
publications such as yearbooks and athletic programs,
however, require the use of some general information
                                                             if he/she is no longer enrolled in the WCSD?
                                                                                                                              For additional information on FERPA or PPRA, contact
about students. Such information is called general               The district requires written authorization of the parent
                                                                                                                              the District Coordinator:
directory information. Examples of general directory         to release student records if the student is under 18 years of
                                                                                                                                 Sandra Foster, Coordinator I
information are:                                             age. After a former student is 18 years of age or older,
                                                                                                                                 Public Policy, Accountability & Assessment
   · name, address, telephone listing, electronic            records can be released only with his/her written consent.
                                                                                                                                 Washoe County School District
      mail address                                               The information needed to locate records shall include
                                                                                                                                 425 East Ninth Street (location address)
   · date and place of birth, photographs                    the student's legal name when enrolled in the Washoe
                                                                                                                                 P.O. Box 30425 (mailing address)
   · participation in officially recognized activities       County School District, date of birth, name of last
                                                                                                                                 Reno, NV 89520-3425
      and sports                                             Washoe County school attended and the last year of
                                                                                                                                 Phone: (775) 348-0283
   · field of study                                          attendance.
   · weight and height of athletes                               Photocopy charges are $2.00 per health record and            For students who are in Special Education programs in
   · enrollment status                                       $3.00 per transcript, if the individual is no longer             the district, you may also contact:
   · degrees and awards received                             enrolled in a Washoe County school.                                 Kris Christiansen, Director
   · dates of attendance                                                                                                         Student Support Services
   · most recent previous school attended                    What is the procedure for challenging                               Washoe County School District
   · grade level                                             school records?                                                     380 Edison Way (location address)
                                                                 Each parent has the right to challenge information              P.O. Box 30435 (mailing address)
Parents have the right to see any documents or               in the records which is believed to be inaccurate,                  Reno, NV 89520-3425
materials directly related to their children that are        misleading, or in violation of a student's rights. The              Phone: (775) 857-3161
kept within the school or Washoe County School               parent may request that information be amended or
District offices.                                            removed from the file.                                           The state department contact is:
                                                                 · A written request to change the record must be made          Denise Quon
Who may obtain such information?                             indicating the challenged aspect of the record and specifying      Nevada Department of Education
    · All parents and legal guardians. In the case of        why that aspect of the record is believed to be inaccurate,        700 East Fifth Street
divorce, custodial and noncustodial parents have access      misleading, or in violation of the student's rights.               Carson City, Nevada 89710
to the child's record, unless a legally binding document         · The school principal and appropriate staff, as               Phone: (775) 687-9181
declares differently.                                        needed, determine whether to change the record.
    · Children over the age of 18, emancipated minors,                                                                        Parents/eligible students who believe their rights may
                                                                 · The parent must be notified of the decision. If the        have been violated may file a complaint by writing or
or those attending post-secondary institutions.              principal does not agree that the record needs to be
    · School officials, parent volunteers or researchers                                                                      phoning the Family Policy Compliance Office:
                                                             changed, the parent has the right to place a written                Family Policy and Compliance Office
working with the District or Nevada Department of            statement in the record explaining the reasons why he/she
Education with a legitimate educational interest.                                                                                400 Maryland Avenue, SW
                                                             disagrees, or the parent may request a district hearing to          Washington, DC 20202-4605
    · School officials in a district to which the child      consider changing the record.
intends to transfer.                                                                                                             Phone: (202) 260-3887