FERPA

A federal law called the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) gives parents of minor students and students who are eighteen years of age and older ("eligible students") certain rights with regards to the student's education records. Parents or eligible students have the following rights under FERPA:

1. The right to inspect and review the student's education records;

2. The right to seek amendment of the student's education records that the parent or eligible student believes to be inaccurate, misleading or otherwise in violation of the student's privacy rights;

3. The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student's education records except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosures without consent;

4. The right to refuse to allow the disclosure of certain "directory information" such as the student's name, address, telephone listing, e-mail address, photographs, date and place of birth, major fields of study, dates of attendance, grade level, participation in school activities and sports, height and weight of members of certain athletic teams, degrees, honors and awards received, and most recent previous educational agency or institution attended by student; and

5.The right to file with the U.S. Department of Education a complaint concerning the alleged failures by the District to comply with the requirements of FERPA.

Parents or eligible students interested in inspecting and reviewing the student's education records should submit a written request to the school principal that identifies the records 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.

Parents or eligible students may ask South Middleton School District to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading by submitting a written request to the school principal clearly identifying the part of the record they want to be amended and specify how the record is inaccurate or misleading. The District will either amend the record as requested or notify the parents or eligible student of its decision not to amend the record. A parent or eligible student may appeal the District's decision not to amend the record and is entitled to a hearing regarding their request.

Parents and eligible students may file a complaint with the United States Department of Education concerning an alleged failure by the District to comply with FERPA requirements by contacting the Student Privacy Policy Office (SPPO), U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington D.C. 20202-4605.

Parents who wish to opt out of the District providing directory information should provide notice to their child’s principal by September 30.