Student Records
by Lupe Kollasch
July 22, 2011
In order to facilitate the educational process of the student, records on each student are kept in the building in which the student is currently attending. The custodian of the records is the building principal. Questions regarding student records should be directed to the principal’s office. The records contain information about the student and the student’s education and may include but are not limited to the following types of records: identification data, attendance data, record of achievement, family background data, aptitude tests, educational and vocational plans, honors and activities, discipline data, objective counselor or teacher ratings and observations, and external agency reports.
The following persons, agencies and organizations may have restricted access to student records without prior written consent of the parent or student over the age of 18 years. Any other access to student records shall be only upon written consent or upon court order or legally issued subpoena.
- School officials, teachers, and AEA personnel with a legitimate educational interest.
- Officials of other schools in which the student proposes to enroll.
- Representatives of state and local government when auditing and evaluating Federal education programs.
- Officials connected with a student’s educational financial aid application.
- Governmental officials to which information is to be reported under state law adopted prior to November 19, 1974.
- Organizations which process and evaluate standardized tests.
- Accrediting organizations for accrediting purposes.
- Parents and legal guardians of dependent children, regardless of child’s age.
- Appropriate parties in a health or safety emergency.
Information from student’s educational records, designated as directory information by the school district, may be released without the consent of parents. Parents will have an opportunity to deny the release of directory information without their consent in a notice stating their rights under federal law. This notice will be distributed annually. Directory information includes, but is not limited to, the student’s name and address, telephone number, date and place of birth, major field of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, the most recent previous educational agency or institution attended by the student, and other similar information.
Student records are reviewed and inappropriate material removed periodically and, at a minimum, whenever a student moves from the elementary level to middle school level and from middle school to high school level and when a student transfers out of the district. Those records not of permanent importance are destroyed within three years of graduation or discontinued attendance. Parents of students under age 18 and students over age 18 may exercise the opportunity to review educational records of the student, to obtain copies of the records, to write a response to material in the record, to challenge the content of the record on grounds of inappropriateness, inaccuracy, or an invasion of privacy, and to have the records explained.
