The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) guarantee to parents/guardians of students younger than 18 and to eligible students age 18 or older the right to:
- Inspect and review the student’s educational records.
- Request that the district disclose information in the educational records to a third party.
- Request an amendment of the educational records to ensure that the records are not inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights.
- File with the U.S. Department of Education a complaint concerning alleged failures by the district to comply with the requirements of FERPA.
- Obtain a copy of the district’s policies on confidentiality.
School records are maintained and kept by the school office in a secure location. They contain a list of credits, standardized test results, academic portfolios, grade point averages (GPAs), behavioral and psychological evaluations, screenings and health records, attendance records, directory information, and a list of activities. The file may contain temporary disciplinary records, which will be destroyed when a student graduates, transfers, or drops out.
In order to inspect, review, or transfer educational records, the eligible student and/or the parent/guardian must complete the Student Educational Request Form. To request the amendment of educational records, the parent/guardian or eligible student must submit the request in writing to the school principal.
Under the provisions of FERPA, the district may release, without written consent, a student’s educational records to school officials with legitimate educational interest; to other school systems, colleges, and universities, to which the student intends to enroll or transfer; and to certain other agencies specified by state and federal law. No other person may inspect, review, or transfer a student’s educational records without:
- The written consent of the eligible student;
- The written consent of the parent/guardian if the student is under 18 years of age; or
- A properly issued court order or subpoena.
The district has designated the following student information as “directory information:” names, addresses, and telephone numbers; birthdates and places of birth; grade level, dates of attendance, major field of study, and most recent educational institution attended; degrees and awards received, honors and recognitions; participation in officially recognized activities and sports; weight and height of athletic team members; and photographic, video, or electronic images taken and maintained by the District*.
Any eligible student (18 years or older) or parent/guardian who does not wish to have directory information released shall complete the FERPA Opt Out form and return it to Dave Kirk by Friday, August 29, 2014. If you have questions or concerns about the release of this information, please contact your school principal.
*Photos and videos may be placed in the yearbook, released to the media, or used in OPS school and media publications, such as OPS cable access channel 73. They may also be published on District-approved teacher websites, blogs, or social networking sites designed to promote communication with students, parents and the community or for the purpose of supplementing classroom instruction.