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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 day the school receives a request for access.
Parents or eligible students should submit to the school
principal a written request that identifies the record(s)
they wish to inspect. The principal 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,
misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student's
privacy rights under FERPA. Parents or eligible students
who wish to ask the school to amend a record should write
the school principal, clearly identify the part of the
record they want changed, and specify why it should be
changed. 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 is a person employed by the
school as an administrator, supervisor, instructor, or
support staff member (including health or medical staff and
law enforcement unit personnel); a person serving on the
school board; a person or company with whom the school has
contracted as its agent to provide a service instead of
using its own employees or officials (such as an attorney,
auditor, medical consultant, or therapist); or a parent or
student serving on an official committee, such as a
disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another
school official in performing his or her tasks. A school
official has a legitimate educational interest if the
official needs to review an education record in order to
fulfill his or her professional responsibility. Upon
request, the school discloses education records without
consent to officials of another school district in which a
student seeks or intends to enroll.
- The right to file a
complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning
alleged failures by the school district 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, DC 20202-5920
Click on the following links for
more information on FERPA:
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