Rights of Parents and Students Under The Family Educational Rights And Privacy Act (FERPA)

The FERPA regulations, including recent amendments, require a school district to include specific information in its annual notice.  This information includes the rights of parents or eligible students: to inspect and review the student’s education records; to seek amendment of the student’s education records which they believe to be inaccurate, misleading or otherwise in violation of their privacy rights; to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records (except to the extent that the law authorizes disclosure without consent) and to file complaints concerning alleged failures by the District to comply with the FERPA requirements.

The district may disclose appropriately designated “directory information” without written consent, unless you have advised the district to the contrary in accordance with district procedures.  The primary purpose of directory information is to allow the district to include this type of information from your child’s education records in certain school publications.  Examples include but are not limited to:

• A playbill, showing your student’s role in a drama production
• The annual yearbook
• Graduation programs
• Sports activity sheets, such as for wrestling, showing weight and height of team members.

Parents, and students over the age of eighteen, have a right to refuse, in writing the release of student directory information.  If no refusal is submitted in writing, the District may release such information to any outside group without individual consent.  As required by Federal law, student directory information for eleventh and twelfth graders shall be made available upon request to persons or groups which make students aware of occupational and educational options. Disclosure to Military -   In addition, two federal laws require the district to provide military recruiters, upon request, with the following information – names, addresses and telephone listings – unless parents have advised the district that they do not want their student’s information disclosed without their prior written consent. 

To exercise your right to have this information kept private, contact the main office of the High School for a form requesting that you do not wish this information to be released.  These forms are also sent out at the start of the school year. Please note that unless you use this “opt out procedure” the school district cannot refuse the military recruiters’ requests and you and your student may be contacted by them at home.